All-Italian spectacle in

Juve, Milan set for final in England's 'Theatre of Dreams'

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- The stadium here is dubbed the "Theatre of Dreams." And for most Italian fans, Wednesday's Champions League final between Juventus and AC Milan is dreamlike.

But the rest of the soccer-loving world -- especially the two Italian clubs' hosts here at the home of Manchester United -- is just hoping for a show worthy of Europe's top club competition. More specifically, there is a widespread fear that the match will only live up to long-held views of Italian soccer as boring and too defensive oriented.

"I hope a moment like this gives us the faith to achieve a success for Italian soccer," said Juventus star forward Alessandro Del Piero, whose team ousted defending champion Real Madrid in the semifinal.

"I hope [the fans] enjoy a spectacular game. Anything can happen. A lot of goals? Why not?"

Paolo Maldini, the prototypical Italian defender who is the Milan captain, said the two clubs' history alone should make this match special.

"They're the two teams that have won the most in Italy," he said Tuesday. "We've also won the most in Europe. From the end of the 1980s and on, we've absolutely dominated Italian soccer.

"The difference is we're playing for the Champions League."

Another difference is that the game is being played far from both Turin or Milan.

While an intermittent rain that is seemingly a constant presence in this northern English city was falling, Juventus' and Milan's pre-match news conferences Tuesday were, however, decidedly Italian.

Only Milan's Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf made an attempt to speak English to the few questions asked by local reporters.

"I do think Juventus is the favorite team on the basis of what they've done in the last month," he said. "They won the Italian title and they beat the European champions Real Madrid. That doesn't mean we're not capable of beating Juve."

While Juve was busy defeating Madrid and its bevy of international superstars in the semifinals, Milan came out on top in another all-Italian matchup with its city rival Inter Milan.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said the pressure of facing Juve here "is like a walk in the park compared to the week against Inter."

Ancelotti's only real injury worry involves veteran defender Alessandro "Billy" Costacurta, who hurt his calf in practice.

"We'll see about it tomorrow," Ancelotti said. "Everyone else is well, including the two goalkeepers."

Milan's Brazilian 'keeper Dida, who did the brunt of the work in team's run to the final, is recovering from a left thumb injury. Christian Abbiati, Milan's other goalkeeper, has a slightly injured finger.

The biggest roster question regards how Juventus coach Marcello Lippi will make up for the absence of Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved, who is disqualified after having picked up a yellow card late in Juve's last match against Madrid.

Ancelotti said he is not preoccupied with which players Lippi chooses -- likely Argentine-born Mauro Camoranesi or Marco Di Vaio, who normally plays as a striker.

"It hasn't complicated things for us," Ancelotti said. "We'll wait and see."

Lippi has said he will not announce his replacements for Nedved, Juve's most important player this season according to many critics, until immediately before kickoff.

"One of the great characteristics of Juve this season has been overcoming injuries," Lippi said. "It's certainly a negative, but we'll find a solution for this absence also.

"I have 23 players all in great condition, physically and mentally."

Del Piero sounded slightly more worried about Nedved's absence. "I just hope at the end of the match we don't miss him," he said.

Nedved, whose lifelong goal has been to win the Champions Cup, lay on the ground crying following the match against Madrid. He said he would ask UEFA to at least let him sit on the bench for the match even though he can't play.

"It's paradoxical for this match," Ancelotti said. "But in terms of who plays and who doesn't and who sits on the bench or up in the stands, it has less meaning, there's such a small difference among the players.

"I think the match will be determined by which team is able to impose their game best."

In the two matches between the clubs in the Italian league this season, Juventus won 2-1 at home and Milan won by the same score on its ground.

"We played two very different games against Juve," Maldini said. "We were terrible at Torino, and we played extremely well at San Siro. We'll try to play like we know how."

Juventus clinched its record 27th Italian league title earlier this month. A Champions Cup, therefore, would make for a historic double. The Turin club has won two Champions Cups overall, but none since 1996.

"We know this match could make our season fantastic," Lippi said. "This is our fourth Champions League final -- with this group I mean, from '94 on. Winning just once isn't much."

 

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