One former Liverpool striker has expressed his regret at leaving the club after learning he was down the pecking order
Milan Baros of Liverpool and Xabi Alonso of Liverpool celebrate during the UEFA Champions League Final match between AC Milan and Liverpool at Ataturk Stadium
Milan Baros regretted leaving Liverpool after learning he had fallen to third choice in the striker pecking order(Image: Richard Sellers/Allstar, Getty Images)
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Former Liverpool forward Milan Baros departed Anfield in 2005 in pursuit of more regular first-team opportunities but later conceded it was an error to leave. The Czech Republic international joined Aston Villa but struggled to settle and found himself moving on again less than two years later.
Baros' previous clubs are set to meet on Friday with a top-five berth on the line. A win for either team would guarantee Champions League qualification but defeat could still allow Bournemouth or Brighton a lifeline.
Liverpool came fifth in Baros' final complete campaign at the club, yet their memorable Champions League victory in Istanbul ensured their return to Europe's elite competition. The striker himself played no part, however, failing to feature during three qualifying rounds and departing for Villa before the Reds' opening group-stage fixture.
"At that age, I wish I had fought a little bit more to stay in Liverpool and try to get fit," he told the ECHO in 2022. "At that time, I decided to leave because I wanted to play more. In the end, I know it was a mistake.
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"I was told I was going to be the third-choice striker. There are a lot of games and a lot of injuries in a season, so I should have fought more for the place and to stay longer.
"I could have stayed but I decided to go because I wanted to play more. That was the decision. In the end, you never know what can happen.
"It was strange because after leaving I was playing against a team I had been part of for four years. It is never easy but you always find the bigger motivation for the previous club if you play against them. I enjoyed those games, but I think I only did it a couple of times."
Milan Baros of Aston Villa jostles with ex-Liverpool team-mate Jamie Carragher for the ball
Baros later turned out for Aston Villa but never managed to replicate the success he had at Liverpool(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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Baros, who supposedly turned down interest from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid in 2004, netted the decisive goal on his home debut for Villa as they defeated Blackburn. He notched 12 goals across all competitions in total during his maiden campaign with the club.
Nevertheless, he found opportunities limited following Martin O'Neill's arrival in the summer of 2006. As a result, he departed the following January in an exchange deal that brought John Carew to Villa Park.
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He claimed two league titles with Lyon and also lifted the FA Cup during a temporary stint at Portsmouth in 2008. He subsequently had periods in Turkey and his homeland in the Czech Republic, continuing to feature at the highest level until hanging up his boots in 2020, aged 38.
Liverpool didn't recruit a direct successor for Baros in August 2005 but did welcome club icon Robbie Fowler back to Anfield the following January. The English forward's five league goals helped guarantee another season of Champions League participation under Rafa Benitez following a third-place finish, while Baros and Villa ended up in 16th.
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