The Wales striker has scored nine times in his first season at Liverpool but injury and off-the-field controversy mean his Anfield future hangs in the balance in the run-up to Wednesday's showpiece in the Olympic stadium in Athens.

Since being fined after a fracas with teammate John Arne Riise at a training camp in Portugal in February, Bellamy has had to cope with persistent speculation that he will be sold this summer, a year after joining from Blackburn for six million pounds.

The forward readily admits his first 12 months on Merseyside 'hasn't been the best' but he wants to end it on a high by helping Rafa Benitez's side become champions of Europe for the second time in three years.

"I am not daft enough not to realise I will not get a bigger night in my career than this," said the 27-year-old former Newcastle and Celtic player whose career has been plagued by a series of injuries.

"There is no guarantee I will be involved, but I aim to be in the squad, grasp the opportunity and relish being in such a final.

"It is something I have been working for all my life. All the rehabs I have been through after the string of injuries I have had will be worthwhile if I am involved in this.

"This is the moment for me. If it happens then everything I have done, all the rubbish I have had to go through, all becomes worthwhile.

"This has always been my goal, my aim to play in the biggest competition in the world. Apart from the World Cup Final, which I know I am not ever going to play in, this is the biggest event of my life.

"I am just trying to make sure I cement a place at least on the bench. I don't to be watching it from the stands because that wouldn't help. I just want to be involved, and hopefully lifting the trophy up.

"Then it does not matter what any one has said, or written about me, I will have the biggest trophy of all in my back pocket to always bring out now and again."

Liverpool is Bellamy's fourth club in two-and-a-half-years and there are reports Blackburn will attempt to re-sign him should Benitez decide to sell before the start of next season.

Dirk Kuyt is the only striker guaranteed to be at Anfield in August after Benitez was given the green light to spend big this summer by the club's new American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Yet Bellamy insists he is not looking beyond Wednesday as he focuses all his efforts on defeating AC Milan.

"If people know my career, they will know how often I have been the subject of transfer speculation," added Bellamy.

"It happens to me all the time, I was even supposed to be off in January just a few months after signing for Liverpool.

"I'm used to it. No matter where I have been, whatever club, I'm used to it. I have always seemingly been about to be off somewhere else.

"Personally, this has been a very strange season, very up and down. Different to anything I have experienced before.

"But I knew when I arrived the part I would have to play, but you always only want to cement your place in the side.

"That hasn't always been the case. But I cannot moan, hopefully I have got a European Cup Final to look forward to.

"I have had better seasons but never one with something like this at the end of it. I feel very privileged to be in this position. I am very fortunate.

"I have had great seasons, ended with nothing and never come close to winning things.

"This season hasn't been the best for me and at the end of it I am facing a European Cup final. It helps to be at a club like Liverpool for that.

"It is a chance to be part of that history, part of a team that could be that history. To be mentioned amongst the names who have achieved so much before, to have won the trophy five times -- that is enough to drive anyone on."