Not under normal circumstances does a footballer win a cup final and feel desperately perplexed. Two years after experiencing the most peculiar blend of emotions as Liverpool hoisted the League Cup in Cardiff, Milan Baros is still at a loss to make sense of it all.
In case the memory needs refreshing, the Czech striker suffered the ignominy of becoming a substituted substitute in the 2003 final, with a 2-0 win over Manchester United near enough sewn up. In front of a televised audience of millions worldwide, Baros, who had replaced Emile Heskey after an hour, was baffled to see his number was up a minute from time as Gérard Houllier, the manager at the time, tried to waste a few precious seconds. 'I thought it was a mistake,' says Baros, the recollection making him blush to this day.