A year ago this weekend, Liverpool fans in Kiev witnessed one of the cruellest sights in sport.

As they waited for their team to emerge into the late evening sun at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain hopped around the perimeter of the ground’s running track on crutches, his Champions’ League final dream crushed by injury.

His slow, difficult progress elicited sympathetic applause, the supporters aware of the anguished involved in the journey.

Yet if those steps were the most painful the midfielder has ever taken in football, the ones he has made this season in returning months early from that cruciate ligament injury have offered hope and redemption.

No one could have predicted Liverpool would be back in the final 12 months later, and certainly no one could have predicted if they were, that Oxlade-Chamberlain would be very much part of the journey this time.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was ruled out of last year's final (
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X01988)

There is relief first and foremost, that the endless time on the sidelines is over. And just a touch of a daydream too, about what could happen in Madrid.

“After crutching my way around the pitch last year, it’s nice to be in this situation!” he said to the club media during the Red’s training camp in Marbella this week.

“Dreams are made of maybe having some part to play in Madrid, but it’s not about me – it’s about making sure whoever is on the pitch does the job for the club and for the team.

“If I can be involved, that would be amazing, but just to be around it and be fit and healthy again is good for me as well at the minute.

He suffered a bad injury to his cruciate knee ligament (
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X01988)

“I’ve not been able to get loads of minutes, but I am happy to just come back.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain had the thousand yard stare in Kiev, the sadness and longing etched on his face far more painful than the agonised steps he could only make with the help of crutches.

It would only have been natural to wonder if that chance to play in the final is the only chance.

After all, Liverpool’s current squad aside, there are no British players still operating currently in the Premier League who have played in Europe’s showcase game.

Yet they are back, and even if the England star is unlikely to start, he is guaranteed a place on the bench, and the prospect still of lifting the trophy.

But after a speedy recovery he is in contention to feature in this year's final (
Image:
Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

That seemed impossible this season for him, with medics saying it would be the summer before he was fully fit.

Yet he has defied those predictions to make two appearances and get himself fully fit. It has been a long journey, he explained.

“It’s been another little journey for me…really exciting to be in and around the team and in contention to maybe have some part in the final.

“At times it’s been a little bit frustrating as well because you feel you are back.

“But to then keep up with these boys after the long season they’ve had and the intensity they train at, coming back from a year [out] it’s not so easy and you pick up little things along the way.

Ox has worked hard to get back to match fitness (
Image:
Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

“But just to be involved is amazing for me. We have a great bunch of lads [with] the sort of spirit that has gotten us through to where we are today.

“The team spirit keeps building so hopefully there is something special for this group of lads in the final.

Hopefully we can pull something off and make some special memories and history.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain is not the only one who has a chance of a final dream. Roberto Firmino’s season also seemed over when he endured a muscle tear.

But he has been back building up fitness all week in Marbella, and was given the all clear to play a full all-out role during the toughest training session of the camp on Thursday.

The Reds have been warm weather training out in Marbella, Spain (
Image:
Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

If there is no reaction in the coming days, then he will be pencilled in to start the final.

Manager Jurgen Klopp said: “Bobby looks really good [and] he is now part of training.

“It was not too long out, but of course we are still careful and want to make sure nothing happens.

“It is good for him, the first step to play football again. He [was] in completely, we will see, then hopefully it will be fine.”

Ox is hoping his side can make "special memories" in Madrid (
Image:
Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

But Klopp had some bad news on Naby Keita, with the midfielder’s return to fitness almost certainly coming too late to feature in the final next weekend.

“Naby is, I would say, a bit ahead of schedule, but that doesn’t mean anything for the final.

“He is now doing straight runs and all of that stuff, he feels comfortable with 50 per cent intensity and these things – but there is still a way to go.”

The manager though, did suggest he could be fit to feature in the Africa Cup of Nations.