Champions League Final news

With less than a week to go until the mouthwatering Liverpool-AC Milan final words are flying between the two teams.  Gattuso talks of revenge while Liverpool's Riise said his mates would come out strong and physical.

Gattuso relishing chance for Liverpool revenge
AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso is not letting the memories of the most harrowing defeat of his football career bother him days before his chance for revenge.  The former Rangers man makes no secret of the pain the penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League two years ago has caused him.  However, next Wednesday, he and his Milan team-mates have the chance for revenge in Athens.  Despite all the media attention on a game touted as a revenge mission for the Italians, Gattuso is just taking it all in his stride.

 'I am sleeping fine,' he said. 'I cannot deny there is tension, but I cannot wait for the day of the game.  This club takes defeat with a different class. The players always remain relaxed.'

 The 29-year-old admits he has not summoned up 'the strength and courage' to watch the full 2005 Champions League final again.  'I refuse to watch that type of game,' he added, while admitting that 'Liverpool won it on the field, so they deserved it'.  He added: 'They are a team who make you play really hard - they press you and close the gaps and we will have to make sure those gaps remain open and keep the ball moving quickly.'

 Although sleep deprivation is not yet an issue, Gattuso did divulge what has been occupying his thoughts regularly.  '(Jerzy) Dudek has been our recurring nightmare for two years,' he joked. 'What on earth can I say to him other than congratulations? Actually, I think both teams ought to be congratulated on the way they have reached the final again two years on.'

 He also had praise for the man he is set to come face to face with in midfield, England international Steven Gerrard, who in his own autobiography likened Gattuso to a kitten.

 'I don't think I am, and if I was, I would be a really ugly one with a beard like this,' joked `Rino'. I don't want to respond to provocation. Gerrard is a great player and a champion, and he is showing it this year. I am one who gives it all, gets involved and never gives up. It is difficult to forget that evening, but it could give us the hand to give that little bit more.'

Milan wont relish physical Liverpool
Liverpool defender John Arne Riise said AC Milan would not be looking forward to facing his side's physical style of football in next week's Champions League final.

 '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 when they fight it out for the trophy in Athens on Wednesday.  Riise did not believe AC Milan would lack a goal threat despite losing Andriy Shevchenko and Hernan Crespo since the sides played in 2005 when Liverpool won on penalties.

 '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.'