Liverpool v Juventus: One final question was tossed half-heartedly towards Fabio Capello and Alessandro Del Piero at last night's press conference in Anfield's heaving trophy room.
"What would constitute a good result for Juventus?" came the inquiry, almost demanding a dead-batted response. The replies were immediate and barked simultaneously, the player offering a fairly non-committal "victory", his manager a resounding "3-0".
So much for approaching a trip to these parts with trepidation, although Capello, more than anyone, can travel to arenas such as this in confidence. Arguably European football's most successful manager over the past 15 years, the 58-year-old has had 12 seasons as a head coach during which time he has won six league championships in two countries with three clubs, as well as a Champions League with Milan.
It should come as no surprise that his Juve side arrived on Merseyside yesterday joint top of Serie A, boasting the most miserly defence in the Champions League this season and with their only minor worry revolving around whether David Trezeguet would be fit enough to dislodge the excellent Zlatan Ibrahimovic or the established Del Piero up front. Capello must have slept well last night.
He will greet Rafael Benitez at Anfield this evening as an old friend. "My idol was Arrigo Sacchi, but Capello did a fantastic job after he had left Milan," recalled the Spaniard, who spent time while on sabbatical in the mid-1990s visiting Capello in Milan to pick up coaching tips.
They talked tactics, argued over the 4-4-2 system and shared a passion for Spanish cured ham. "It must have been very difficult for him at Milan to win trophies after Sacchi's team, but Fabio is a winner. You can see that in him."
That has rubbed off on every club - Milan, Real Madrid and Roma - at which Capello has coached, with Liverpool's Champions League campaign now facing its most daunting opponents yet. Juve have already seen off Bayern Munich, Ajax and Real Madrid from the group and knockout stages.
Painful memories of Heysel have dominated the build-up to this match, but Liverpool's players will need their focus to be solely on their impressive visitors tonight if they are to force a way through to the semi-finals.
Capello oozed confidence last night. "There could be a problem with continuity or concentration given that we have not played since March 19th, but that really shouldn't be a problem against Liverpool," he said.
The fact that he lost on his last visit here - with Roma to Gerard Houllier's side in 2002 in the Frenchman's first game back after open heart surgery - was completely forgotten. "There are no other supporters in England who are as vociferous as Liverpool's, but we must play carefully, with intent, and with great personality. We will."
His team are likely to defend deep with the manager's ruthless streak, then biting on the break. Capello had his players practising long-range shots last night, belting the ball at Gianluigi Buffon from distance presumably with the idea of embarrassing the occasionally error-prone Jerzy Dudek. One mistake from the Pole could prove disastrous; Juve won five of their group games by a solitary goal. "There is something satisfying about winning 1-0," added the manager.
Not that the Italians lack attacking options. Indeed, in Ibrahimovic and Del Piero, they boast more than Benitez, with the Spaniard reduced to fielding Milan Baros - his one fit and eligible striker - on his own this evening. "But I know Rafael Benitez's game plan well from his time at Valencia, when he'd always play with one man up front," added Capello.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
LIVERPOOL: Dudek; Finnan, Hyypia, Traore, Carragher; Smicer, Gerrard, Biscan, Riise; Baros, Garcia.
JUVENTUS: Buffon; Zebina, Cannavaro, Thuram, Zambrotta; Camoranesi, Emerson, Blasi, Nedved; Del Piero, Ibrahimovic.
Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)
