KUYT: I'LL ACCEPT RAF JUSTICE

Dirk Kuyt knows Rafa Benitez will break a few hearts in Athens next week - and one of them could be his.

But even if he finds himself left out of the starting line-up for the Champions League Final, the Dutchman insists his trust in the Liverpool manager will remain intact.

He believes he won't be alone in accepting without complaint Benitez's selection for the rematch with AC Milan, because the Spaniard has created the collective will for success that is more important than any individual.

Benitez, of course, is famous for his rotation philosophy - having once changed his team 99 times in a row before sticking with the same side.

But Kuyt, who scored the decisive penalty in the semi-final shoot-out with Chelsea, declares that his manager's record is now so impressive that it cannot be questioned.

He said: "So far, I've played in most of the big games and I am very happy about that. But that doesn't mean anything. We are in the Final and the manager will have his ideas.

"Like everybody, I would love to play in the Final, but it's the choice of the boss and you can never tell what is going to happen with him.

"Look at Xabi Alonso. He was not in the starting lineup for the second leg with Chelsea and I am sure he was not very happy, because he might have expected to play.

"But you have to accept these things and I believe everybody does."

That mentality, stresses Kuyt, is why Liverpool were able to overcome not only Chelsea but Barcelona to get to the Final.

He added: "Look at what we did against Chelsea. Maybe they have some better players than us and maybe individually they are better in a technical way.

"But as a team we showed we are the best and that is what must now happen in Athens.

"The most important factor about Rafa is that he is a winner. The technical staff are the same and they have got through to us that we have to be winners too.

"So I do not think there is one player who does not agree with what he does. We have come to understand that sometimes players have to be left out, but that is the strength of the squad now.

"The manager has made us strong, because we know how strong he is and what is important to him.

"He is certainly the best I've ever had, because he is not only technically strong, but is a real team manager.

"He tries to manage the team as one whole thing, not dealing with individuals as others might do. So we know that when he makes a decision it is for the whole team, for all of us, because he wants the team to win. And that means all of us.

"Xabi didn't start against Chelsea at Anfield, but maybe he will play in the Final and I will not.

"But that is the way it is, the way it has to be. And because it is someone like Benitez who has proved he is such a very good manager, then we accept it. It is because everybody believes in him.

"Sometimes the decisions he makes for games are not good for you, because it means you are not playing. But in the end, if you want to win the trophies, we know that is the way it has to be."