JUVENTUS, who have just clinched the Italian title to add to the World Club Cup and European Supercup wins, could crown their centenary year with the most sought-after club prize of all in Munich tonight the European Cup.
No Italian team has won a similar grand slam in one season, and for Marcello Lippi's team to do that against Germany's Borussia Dortmund would simply confirm what is already beyond any doubt: that Juventus are currently the greatest club side in the world.
Victory would vindicate Lippi's decision last year to jettison the heart of the team which had beaten Ajax on penalties to become European champions for the first time in 11 years only a few weeks previously.
Within a week of that final captain Gianluca Vialli had left for Chelsea, and soon goalscorer Fabrizio Ravanelli had followed him to England and a season of unstinting drama at Middlesbrough. Defenders Pietro Vierchwod and Paulo Sousa - ironically sold to Borussia - were gone soon after that.
In their places came Croat Alen Boksic, Uruguyan Paolo Montero, Frenchman Zinedine Zigane and Italians Christian Vieri and Nicola Amoruso.
A real indication of how far Juventus have progressed came in the semi-final of this season's competition against Ajax. In last season's final, Juventus outplayed Ajax but could only draw 1-1 and had to settle for an unsatisfying victory on penalties.
Last month Juventus beat Ajax 2-1 away and 4-1 at home for a defeat that left Ajax defender Frank de Boer conceding: "I have no doubt Juventus will win in Munich. I can't remember when we last let in four goals in a European match. Juventus are like a team from another planet."
There have been other examples of Juve's devastating, criss-cross attacking play this season. At the start of the year they demolished Paris St Germain 9-2 on aggregate in the European Supercup, which included a 6-1 away win in Paris.
Then, on April 6th, came an unprecedented 6-1 win over AC Milan in Milan. It was Milan's heaviest defeat in their 98-year history, and if nothing else had been achieved this season, that result would have been enough.
But although Lippi's side start as overwhelming favourites to defeat Dortmund and retain the trophy, they are taking absolutely nothing for granted against a squad containing five former Juve players.
Dortmund have made steady if unspectacular progress towards the final, but with players such as European Footballer of the Year Matthias Sammer and experienced internationals Juergen Kohler, Stefan Reuter, Andreas Moeller, Karlheinz Riedle and Switzerland's Stephane Chapuisat, they will be no pushover.
Unlike Juventus, who retained their domestic title at the weekend, Dortmund lost theirs to Bayern Munich, and have an extra incentive to win the match on home" territory to get back into the European Cup next season as holders.
History favours Juventus, who have beaten Dortmund three times in Europe over the past few seasons, including a record 6-1 aggregate win in the UEFA Cup final four years ago when no fewer than four of the five former Juventus players now at Dortmund played for the Italians.
Juventus are on a high octane mix of power, passion and sheer talent, driven from midfield by the French duo of Zidane and Didier Deschamps, who won the European Cup with Marseille in the Olympic Stadium in 1993.
Zidane has been a revelation after a slow start following last summer's transfer from Bordeaux and could well prove to be the difference between the sides.
Whether Vieri and Boksic play up front, or Vieri and Amoruso, or Amoruso and Boksic, it makes no difference to the Frenchman who has lived up to all of the faith and confidence former Juventus captain Michel Platini had in him a year ago.
Zidane will make goals tonight, and Juventus should score them. Both teams look great going forward and both like to attack, having scored 40 goals between them in European play this season.
