Champions' League final: How the old trafford teams shape up

Tuesday 27 May 2003 19:00 EDT
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JUVENTUS

JUVENTUS

GIANLUIGI BUFFON (1) Goalkeeper. Age 25.
World's most expensive goalkeeper. Signed in 2001 for £32.5m from Parma, where he made his Serie A debut at 17. Agile and safe. Italy's No 1.

LILIAN THURAM (21) Right-back. Age 31.
Formidable presence at full-back or centre. His attacking flank play was key part of French 1998 World Cup triumph.

PAOLO MONTERO (4) Central defender. Age 31.
Uncompromising centre-half dismissed 19 times in Serie A. Son of an international defender he says: "I was born a defender and I'll die a defender."

CIRO FERRARA (2) Central defender. Age 36.
Hugley experienced after 19 seasons in Serie A, beginning alongside Maradona at Napoli. This is his 10th season with Juventus. Successfully converted a penalty in the 1996 shoot-out victory over Ajax.

ALESSANDRO BIRINDELLI (15) Left-back. Age 28.
Replaced veteran Gianluca Pessotto partly through relative youth. Equally adept on either flank.

ALESSIO TACCHINARDI (3) Right midfielder. Age 27.
One of the season's revelations, this defensive midfielder is finally delivering on the promise of his youth at Atalanta.

EDGAR DAVIDS (26) Central defender. Age 30.
Fearsome all-rounder who wears goggles to protect eyes after glaucoma. Ex-Milan. Winner with Ajax in 1995. Incurred four-month ban for nandrolone. Nearly cost Juve with his quarter-final dismissal in Barcelona.

MAURO CAMORANESI (16) Central midfielder. Age 26.
Probable beneficiary of Pavel Nedved's suspension, this Argentinian-born player has faded after a bright start to the season which earned an Italian cap.

GIANLUCA ZAMBROTTA (19) Left midfielder. Age 28.
Outstanding right-wing displays against Roberto Carlos contributed massively to semi-final win. Likely to return to left flank in Nedved's absence.

ALESSANDRO DEL PIERO (10) Striker. Age 28.
Juventus's longest-serving player after a decade at the club. The golden boy of the Italian game is back to form after serious knee injury. Playing his fourth final. Set-piece expert.

DAVID TREZEGUET (17) Striker. Age 25.
Scored winning goal against Italy for France in Euro 2000 final, then joined Juventus for £15m. Scored in both legs against Real Madrid in the semi-final. Lithe and quick, he is able to operate across the front line.

MILAN

DIDA (12) Goalkeeper. Age 29.
He missed the semi-final second-leg with a hand injury but is expected to replace Christian Abbiati despite the latter's subsequent heroics. Understudy to Marcos during Brazil's World Cup win.

ALESSANDRO COSTACURTA (19) Right-back. Age 37.
Indian summer season, having been released in the summer then recalled from New York holiday in September. Converted from centre-back to full-back. This is his fifth final.

ALESSANDRO NESTA (13) Central defender. Age 27
Classy defender signed in the summer for £30.2m in Lazio's fire-sale. As a teenager was tackled in 1994 training-ground accident in which Paul Gascoigne broke a leg.

PAOLO MALDINI (3) Central defender. Age 34.
One of the finest ever left-backs now playing in the centre. Seeking his fourth win in his sixth final. Father, Cesare, played two, winning one. This is his 18th season with Milan. Modelled for Armani.

KAKHA KALADZE (4) Left-back. Age 25
Plays midfield for his country, left-back for club. Won two Georgian titles with Dynamo Tblisi, three in Ukraine with Dynamo Kiev.

GENNARO GATTUSO (8) Right midfield. Age 25.
Former Rangers midfielder who provides bite and drive in midfield. Thumped David Beckham when England played in Turin in 2000.

ANDREA PIRLO (21) Centre midfield. Age 24.
Former playmaker who eviscerated England Under-21s last year but has converted to defensive midfield. Ex-Internazionale, signed for £11.6m in 2001.

CLARENCE SEEDORF (20) Central midfield. Age 27.
Seeking unique third victory with three different clubs after success with Ajax (against Milan) in 1995 and Real (against Juventus).

RUI COSTA (10) Left midfielder. Age 31.
Recently begun justifying huge £28m fee paid to imploding Fiorentina in 2001. Classical No 10 who is keeping Rivaldo out of the team.

ANDREI SHEVCHENKO (7) Striker. Age 26.
Powerful front-running striker who came to fame alongside Sergei Rebrov at Dynamo Kiev before joining Milan for £14.7m in 1999. Made impressive return from knee injury to score decisive semi-final goal.

FILIPPO INZAGHI (9) Striker. Age 29.
Unpopular, greedy but very effective. Signed from Juventus for £26.5m in 2001. Late-starter, reached Serie A at 22. Noted diver. Brother of Lazio's Simone. Has scored 29 goals this season.

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