Liverpool's manager Rafael Benitez gestures during a training session at Anfield in Liverpool yesterday. - Reuters

liverpool, england (ap)

The last time Liverpool went on an overseas training camp before a Champions League game, two teammates ended up fighting with a golf club after a karaoke night.

It also resulted in a 2-1 second-round victory at FC Barcelona with the feuding players, Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise, both scoring.

Liverpool manager Rafael Beni-tez has no concerns about taking his squad to the La Manga golf resort in Spain to prepare for the May 23 Champions League final against AC Milan in Athens, Greece.

"I will choose the (golf) clubs - everything will be the same," Benitez joked. "The difference is we are closer to the end of the season and we cannot train as hard as before. It's more about the atmosphere and team spirit."

The incident at the training camp in Portugal's Algarve in February led to Liverpool fining Bellamy £80,000 (US$158,000) for reportedly hitting Riise's legs with a golf club.

"If we get the same sort of result (in the final) as we did against Barcelona, then some of the boys said they will happily do it again," Bellamy said.

Captain Steven Gerrard saw that victory over defending champion Barcelona as the turning point in Liverpool's pursuit of a sixth European Cup.

"To go to the Nou Camp and beat one of the best sides in Europe 2-1 and play good attacking football gave us the confidence and belief that we could get to this final," Gerrard said.

"But all that hard work we've done in the season against Barcelona, Chelsea and in the group stage - we don't want to waste all that by being beaten in the final."

In the return leg at Anfield, the Reds lost 1-0 but advanced on away goals. They then routed PSV Eindhoven 4-0 on aggregate before beating Chelsea on penalty kicks in the semi-finals.

Gerrard hopes that training by the Mediterranean Sea will help prepare Liverpool for the humid conditions expected in Athens.

"It's important that we prepare right and that the Liverpool team that's been in Europe all season turns up in Athens," Gerrard said. "If that good team turns up, Milan are in for a really difficult game and we are confident we can lift that cup."

Milan beat Manchester United 5-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals to set up a repeat of the 2005 final, which Liverpool won on penalty kicks in Istanbul, Turkey, after being 3-0 down at half-time.

"I think they showed against Manchester United they are a fantastic team who deserve a lot of respect, and that's what we will give them on the night," Gerrard said. "We won't fear them. We are a good team ourselves and we are confident we can do the job."