Liverpool defender John Arne Riise believes AC Milan assertions that Rafael Benitez's side are tactically naive are way off the mark, but he claims that the six-time European champions will find it hard to cope with the physical game his side bring to the Champions League final in Athens next week.
"I heard ... that they (AC Milan) think they are the more tactical and we are the more physical side," he told reporters. "We can play football too. We are strong and physical and we will use that to our advantage.
"They hate playing against those sorts of teams, but we have to respect them because they have got class players all over the pitch."
The teams meet in a re-run of the 2005 Champions League final - which Liverpool won on penalties after rescuing a three goal deficit - when they fight it out for the trophy on Wednesday.
Despite losing Andriy Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo since the sides played in 2005 Carlo Ancelotti's men still possess a goal threat, according to Riise.
"Kaka is their top scorer in the Champions League so they are scoring goals and I don't think that will be a problem for them," he added. "We have got two teams who are good defensively and who do not concede many goals.
"So I do not think there are going to be many goals scored in this game. We need to go there and play our game, have respect for them, but try to play our football and play to our strengths."
Meanwhile, another of Liverpool's left-side players admits he could be leaving the club either permanently or on loan, after final.
Mark Gonzalez has struggled to come to terms with the Barclays Premiership after his arrival last summer from a loan spell at Real Sociedad caused by a year-long battle for a work permit.
It is believed Real Betis and several other Spanish clubs are interested in the 22-year-old Chile international, with boss Rafael Benitez considering the winger's future.
Gonzalez said: "I have a three-year contract but you never know what might happen.
"This is football and if I have to go somewhere else then I will have to deal with that, but at the moment I'm here and I'm very focused for the final and what happens in the future will come.
"If I have to go then I will go, but I will arrive there with confidence because I have been at Liverpool and I must have been there for something.
"I would like to stay at Liverpool next season and beyond. But it has not been the best year for me and I know I can do more," he added.
