Striker Kuyt was Liverpool's goalscorer in the Champions League final defeat in Athens last season by AC Milan.

Two seasons before that he was an admiring watcher back home on TV in Holland as Liverpool beat Milan on penalties in Istanbul.

They start their Group A campaign against the Portuguese champions, who have started their domestic season with four successive victories and top the table.

Kuyt said: "We are very aware that they are a very good side, but we know we are good enough to go to the final again.

"It will be difficult, we are chasing the English title and I want to win both trophies.

"But it will not be impossible to reach the final again, we have a good enough squad.

"We want to win trophies, that is why I came to Liverpool, and it is really to early to judge whether we are really capable of winning both the major trophies we are chasing.

"But this is a very important match, between two very good teams, and we know we must be at our best to get the result we want.

"But we have bought good players in the summer and we all are confident that the final again is not out of our reach."

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez arrived here without the injured John Arne Riise (groin) while midfielder Mohamed Sissoko was left out of the 18-man squad which travelled from Merseyside.

Benitez, though, has skipper Steven Gerrard making his 80th European appearance for the club, with Liverpool having only lost three of their last 17 away games in the competition.

Benitez said: "Over the three years I have been at Liverpool, Gerrard has been one of our most important players.

"It is important for him to play and score at this level, and we hope that he can continue the sort of form he shows in the Champions League."