Tactical masterclass

All-Italian final promises technique, talent and temperament

Going Dutch: Juve's Edgar Davids (left) will battle Milan's Clarence Seedorf in the final. Grazia Neri/Getty Images

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -- The awesome consistency of Juventus meets the unpredictable flair of AC Milan in the first all-Italian Champions League final at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Juventus was the last Italian club to lift the European Cup when it won it for second time in 1996, and it is aiming for a memorable double after wrapping up the league title for the 27th time.

Milan's first success since 1994 would take its total number of European Cup wins to six, a step closer to Real Madrid's record haul of nine.

The all-Italian affair has many neutrals muttering about negative tactics, especially as Juventus will be without its most creative player in Pavel Nedved, who is suspended.

Few are predicting anything better than a cagey game dominated by the two defences. In truth, though, Wednesday's game will have little to live up to.

Most recent finals have provided only occasional bursts of excitement, as in Manchester United's last-gasp 2-1 win over Bayern Munich in 1999, or have proved too one-sided to be truly satisfying like Real Madrid's 3-0 stroll past Valencia in 2000.

Juventus and Milan have done much this season to revive the reputation of Italian teams and they have the ability to serve up, if not a classic, then at least a masterclass of technique, talent and temperament.

"Games between us and Milan have always been attractive matches," said the suspended Nedved.

"We're two squads that are very tactical and give away little space, that's true, but both always play to win and that's the basis of any attractive game."

There has been no Italian club in the final since Juventus lost to Real Madrid in 1998 and this is only the second time in six years that there has been no Spanish team in the final.

That is down largely to Juventus, which knocked Deportivo Coruna out with a 3-2 win in the second group phase and then beat Barcelona in the quarterfinals and Real in the semis.

Milan also did well against Spanish opposition in the group phases, producing a mesmerizing display to beat Deportivo 4-0 before downing Real Madrid 1-0 in a great match.

The absence of Nedved will be a headache for Juventus coach Marcello Lippi, who was in his first spell in charge when it beat Ajax Amsterdam in 1996 and lost the next two against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.

Nedved, the powerful Czech midfielder, had the Real defense rattled in the semifinal second leg and scored the crucial third goal in the 3-1 win that secured a 4-3 aggregate success.

Previous wins

Winger Mauro Camoranesi is the likely replacement, although forward Marco Di Vaio could play in a deeper role.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has a worry over vastly experienced defender Alessandro Costacurta, who missed training on Monday. Roque Junior or Dario Simic could fill in.

While Lippi won the competition as a coach, Ancelotti can point to his victories as a player in 1989 and 1990.

Plenty of other players on both sides have previous wins too, including Milan's Clarence Seedorf, who will be looking for a unique third victory with three different clubs, after success with Ajax in 1995 and Real in 1998.

With so much experience between them there should be no question of the players being overawed and that could make for a better final than many expect.

"Games between Milan and Juventus are always spectacular," said Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko. "I think we'll see a real spectacle of football."

Probable teams:

Juventus: 1-Gianluigi Buffon; 21-Lilian Thuram, 2-Ciro Ferrara, 4-Paolo Montero, 15-Alessandro Birindelli; 16-Mauro Camoranesi, 26-Edgar Davids, 3-Alessio Tacchinardi, 19-Gianluca Zambrotta; 10-Alessandro Del Piero, 17-David Trezeguet.

AC Milan: 12-Dida; 19-Alessandro Costacurta, 13-Alessandro Nesta, 3-Paolo Maldini, 4-Kakha Kaladze; 8-Gennaro Gattuso, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 20-Clarence Seedorf; 10-Rui Costa; 7-Andriy Shevchenko, 9-Filippo Inzaghi

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).

 

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