CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Jinx Ended, Man United Chases Juventus
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
MANCHESTER, England (April 6, 1999 11:05 a.m. EDT http://www.sportserver.com) - After having ended a 44-year-old losing jinx against Italian teams by beating Inter Milan in the quarterfinals, Manchester United will be looking for another Italian scalp when it plays Juventus in the first leg of the European Cup semifinals on Wednesday.
United and Juventus have gotten to know each other very well over the last three years having met in the Champions' League phase of the competition in both 1996-97 and last season.,
Juventus won 1-0 both at home and away two seasons ago, while United won 3-2 at home last season before losing 1-0 in Turin in the return.
That was United's only loss in 18 European games over the last two seasons and coach Alex Ferguson believes his side learned enough and improved sufficiently as a squad, to reach the European Cup Final for the first time since its only, successful, appearance in 1968.
Ferguson, a master of mind-games against opponents, continually plays down his team's achievements and chances at the same time as trying to undermind his opponents' stability, and earned himself a slap over the wrists from UEFA for insulting Italians before the quarterfinal against Inter last month.
But whatever off-field bluster precedes the tie, it will be largely an irrelevance once the two teams take the field at Old Trafford where they produced a classic encounter 16 months ago.
Then United won 3-2 with goals from Teddy Sheringham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs with Alessandro Del Piero and Zinedine Zidane -- with a last minute free-kick -- scoring for Juventus.
Filippo Inzaghi was on target when Juve won 1-0 in Turin in December 1997 and although Juve have the experience gained from three successive appearances in the European Cup Final, United this season have looked a tougher, more solid team than in the past.
The center of its defence, while still not bolt-tight, has improved significantly as Jaap Stam has found his feet in England, and with strikers Dwight Yorke (26 goals), Andy Cole (21) Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (13) having scored 60 times between them in all competitions this season, United have proved more than a match for most defences.
While it is impossible to predict Wednesday's outcome, United's quarterfinal victory over Inter, its first aggregate success against an Italian team since it first enjoined battle in 1957-58, will have lifted any collective self-doubt about United's potential.
Juventus arrived in England, shocked by their 1-0 loss to bottom club Empoli on Saturday -- their first defeat under coach Carlo Ancellotti.
"We must have had our heads in Manchester," Ancellotti said after the morale-dampening defeat.
Juventus played that match without injured World Player of the year Zinedine Zidane of France although he is expected top be fit for the Old Trafford match.
The 1996 European Champions who are looking for their fourth successive appearance in the final and should field their regular starting lineup with Italy's Fillippo Inzaghi leading the attack alongside either Daniel Fonseca, Nicola Amoruso or Juan Esnider of Argentina.
France's Didier Deschamps will look to win control of the midfield together with Italy's rejuvenated Antonio Conte, and Edgar Davids -- but United's Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and David Beckham will have other ideas about that.
Probable lineups :
Manchester United : 1-Peter Schmeichel; 2-Gary Neville, 5-Ronny Johnsen, 6-Jaap Stam, 3-Denis Irwin; 7-David Beckham, 16-Roy Keane, 18-Paul Scholes, 8-Nicky Butt; 19-Dwight Yorke, 9-Andy Cole
Juventus : 12-Michelangelo Rampulla; 3-Zoran Mirkovic, 4-Paolo Montero, 13-Mark Iuliano, 15-Alessando Birindelli; 26-Edgar Davids, 14-Didier Deschamps, 8-Antonio Conte; 21-Zinedine Zidane; 9-Filippo Inzaghi, 34-Juan Esnaider.
