Juventus lost 3-2 to Monaco in the European Cup semi-final, second leg in Monaco last night but still reached their third consecutive final by virtue of a 6-4 aggregate win. It was hardly a classic match and the Juventus keeper, Angelo Peruzzi, made numerous saves to keep the Italian side in the game.

Nicola Amoruso hit the opener for Juventus, Belgium's Philippe Leonard equalized and Thierry Henry then put Monaco 2-1 ahead. Alessandro Del Pierro effectively killed off the game with an equaliser, although substitute Robert Spehar hit a late winner for Monaco.

Monaco, who crashed 4-1 in the first leg in Turin two weeks' ago, were without injured defenders Martin Djetou, Muhamed Konjic, Franck Dumas and Christophe Pignol as well as the suspended Francisco Da Costa, who scored their only goal in Turin.

With Sylvain Legwinski and Japhet N'Doram long-term casualties and Ludovic Giuly not qualified for European play, they were severely depleted.

Leonard forced a diving save from Perruzi during the opening minutes and Juventus had a further scare when Filippo Inzaghi went off injured on a stretcher after a clash with Senegal's Djibril Diawara. Amoruso came on in Inzaghi's place.

Inzaghi scored a hat-trick in Juventus' last tie against Dynamo Kiev and the late winner against Manchester United in December which put Juventus into the quarterfinals.

It was substitute Amoruso who effectively put Juventus into the final in the 15th minute. Del Pierro got away from his marker on the left of Monaco's area and crossed to the unmarked, Amoruso who easily slotted the ball home with his left foot.

That left Juventus 5-1 ahead on aggregate and must have crushed the spirit among Monaco's ranks.

Algeria midfielder Ali Benarbia then had an astonishing miss from a Lilian Martin cross. Benarbia connected with a header from close in and, amazingly, the ball hit grounded Peruzzi's hip and shot up over the bar.

Leonard, with the help of deflection, equalised from a free-kick well outside the area on 39 minutes to give Monaco some hope.

Then Henry nearly earned Monaco the lead in first half injury time, but Peruzzi made his third important save as he smothered Henry's attempted shot.

Peruzzi also pushed a Benarbia shot, which took an awkward deflection, past his left hand post after the break. But minutes later the Italian goalkeeper was again beaten.

Henry chipped the grounded in the 50th minute to put Monaco 2-1 ahead on the night and moments later he nearly had another goal as he forced yet another magnificent save from Perruzi.

Defender Fabio Pecchia came on for striker Zinedine Zidane as coach Marcello Lippi attempted to plug the gaps in defence which had been leaving Peruzzi exposed.

Monaco coach Jean Tigana brought on Spehar on for Nigerian Viktor Ikpeba and Lippi brought on Dutchman Edgar Davids for Amoruso in late changes.

Then, in a wonderful piece of skill from Del Pierro, Juventus made absolutely sure of qualification in the 74th minute. Moreno Torricelli crossed from the right and Del Pierro volleyed home at waist height with the ball taking a slight deflection off Martins's knee.

Monaco keeper Fabien Barthez was well beaten and his personal despair was obvious as he scowled in disgust.

Spehar scored with a looping header in the 83rd minute but it was far too late to be anything other than a consolation effort. Monaco have now failed for a fourth time to beat an Italian side in the semi-finals of a European competition. Sampdoria, in the 1990 European Cup Winners' Cup, AC Milan in the 1994 Champions' Cup and Inter Milan, in the 1997 UEFA Cup, have all beaten Monaco in the past.

Juventus have yet again reached a European Cup final. They have won the event twice, in 1985 after the Heysel tragedy against Liverpool in Brussels and on penalties in 1996 against Ajax. They have also been runners-up three times in 1973, 1983, and 1997.

The result now sets up a classic European Cup final between two of the world's most glamorous clubs, Juventus and Real Madrid, in Amsterdam on May 20th. Juventus and Real have now reached 24 European club competition finals between them but have never previously met in a final.

Monaco: F Barthez (capt); L Martin, P Christanval, D Diawara, P Leonard (W Sagnol 64 mins); M Djetou, A Benarbia, J Collins; V Ikpeba (R Spehar 70 mins), D Trezeguet, T Henry.

Juventus: A Peruzzi; M Torricelli, A Birindelli; M Iuliano, M M Dimas; A Conte (cap), A Tacchinardi, Z Zidane (Pecchia 60 mins), G Pessotto; A Del Piero, F Inzaghi.