Juve coach calls for Real repeat

Juventus coach Marcello Lippi wants to see the same combination of technique and intensity that earned his side victory over …

Juventus coach Marcello Lippi wants to see the same combination of technique and intensity that earned his side victory over Real Madrid when they play AC Milan in tonight's Champions League final.

Juventus produced a stunning all-round display to beat the reigning European champions 3-1 in Turin and complete a 4-3 aggregate win in the semi-finals.

Like Real, Milan are adept at keeping possession for long periods before bursting into attack and even though Juve's inspirational Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved will be missing through suspension Lippi wants to see a similar performance.

"It would be ideal to produce the same type of game as against Real," Lippi said . "We were excellent both technically and in terms of the intensity we showed.

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Apart from Nedved, Lippi will have a full squad to choose from but the coach knows the team will have to be mentally prepared as well as physically sound.

"We're in great shape, physically speaking," said Lippi, who was in his first spell as Juventus coach when the club won the Champions League in 1996 and lost the next two finals.

Juventus have sometimes been accused of concentrating more on the physical aspect of their game than in playing adventurous football but Lippi, who was in charge at the club from 1994 to 1999 before returning in 2001, believes his team can combine strength and style.

"From 1994 it seems we've carried the stamp of a muscular team on our foreheads," Lippi said.

"We were prepared to use our physical strength but that's a compliment because we were playing at the highest technical level.

"In terms of technique this is a great side and we're capable of expressing ourselves at a high physical level as well."

The reputation of Italian teams for producing cagey performances, especially in big games, has led many commentators to predict a dull match tonight but striker Alessandro Del Piero says they will be aiming for a memorable spectacle.

"As a team we need to outperform against Milan, play at the highest level and produce a great match," said Del Piero, who played for Juventus in those three finals from 1996 to '98.

"We lost a couple of finals but I don't think we played badly on those occasions.

"We know what to do in Wednesday's game. We don't have the added factor of being at home or away and we'll be trying to score as many goals as possible."