UEFA Champions League: Paddy Agnew argues that Manchester United can prevail by sticking to the traditional values of the English game
If you ask AC Milan talisman Paolo Maldini just what images the magical name Old Trafford conjures up for him, the answer is decidedly positive: "Winning the Champions League final at Old Trafford ranks along with my first league title win (1988) and our first Champions Cup trophy (1989) as amongst my favourite nights of football. Forty years after my dad (Cesare) had held up the winning trophy at Wembley, I did it again for Milan."
So when the reigning Italian champions return to Old Trafford next Wednesday night, they will take some good memories with them. Manchester United fans will perhaps object that, had a kinder draw (remember that titanic quarter-final tie with Real Madrid?) seen their side go all the way to meet Milan in that "home ground" final in May 2003, then that Old Trafford night might have been a deal less sweet for Maldini et al.
Man U now have a chance to make their point. This is one tie, too, that is fiendishly difficult to call. When the draw was made last December, Milan were at the peak of a splendid league run which only narrowly saw them fail to peg back league leaders Juventus in a 0-0 head-to-head clash in Turin, in a game dominated from start to finish by Carlo Ancelotti's side.
In the meantime, however, successive league defeats by Livorno and Bologna have taken some shine off Milan's gloss just at the very moment United have put together a formidable Premiership run (10 wins, two draws in 12 games). Were it not for the fact that Juventus, too, hiccupped twice (against Sampdoria and Palermo), then second-placed Milan could well have been looking at an eight, rather than a two-point gap between themselves and their eternal domestic rivals.
The impression that Milan are not firing on all cylinders was confirmed during last Sunday night's 1-0 away win against Reggina. Even if the host team were unbeaten in seven matches, and even if they had already beaten Juventus at home this season, Milan's acting boss, Adriano Galliani, felt obliged to take a little tug at coach Ancelotti's ear, complaining about the poor quality of his team's performance in their victory.
Before we write off AC Milan's chances in this tie, however, a few points are worth bearing in mind. Asked about Milan's current "poor" form, former Italy and current Benfica coach Giovanni Trapattoni put it succinctly last week: "When sides like Milan and Juventus come out to play in the Champions League, they find a whole new range of stimulus and motivation. They pick up their game, especially if they have to play prestige sides like Manchester United or Real Madrid."
For this season, the Milan "game plan" has a familiar 4-3-1-2 look about it. Maldini (36), at left back, Cafu at right back, Jaap Stam and Alessandro Nesta in the centre of defence form the back four. Behind them, they have one of Serie A's best goalkeepers in Brazilian Dida, whilst in front of them they have an ideal midfield trio that sees playmaker Andrea Pirlo flanked by battler Gennaro Gattuso on the right and Clarence Seedorf on the left.
In theory, this sets up the ideal offensive platform for Brazilian Kaka, playing behind the European Player of the Year, Ukraine Bullet Andriy Shevchenko, and Hernan Crespo. Those, at least, are the best laid plans.
Injury concerns about Pirlo, Maldini and others could see changes to that line-out. Yet, standby players such as Rui Costa for Pirlo, Kakha Kaladze for Maldini, Jon Dahl Tomasson for Crespo and Vikash Dhorasoo for Seedorf hardly suggest a weakening in the overall quality of the side.
Ironically, though, against Manchester United, overall quality (too much of) could prove a weak link for Milan. Let us explain. The Milan game is based on possession football, on having the technical competence and self-confidence to knock the ball about languidly in the face of any opposition, just waiting for the moment to strike.
Yet, as even humble units like both Livorno and Bologna recently proved, if you chase and harry this Milan, if you close down their space and leave no room for the "pretty football", they can come unshipped. Put simply, if Man U play a classic, English Premiership game of hard running and chasing, then Milan may lose the thread.
To some extent, that was also the tactic used by Barcelona when they beat Milan 2-1 at the Camp Nou in the group phase, in a game in which the Catalan side showed a rare blend of aggression, tempo and technique.
The evidence of that night in Barcelona, too, would suggest that such as Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and (if fit) Ruud van Nistelrooy could have a fruitful time against a Milan defence which, while rich in experience, is these days a little short of pace, Nesta excepted.
For this evening's home tie with Gianfranco Zola's Cagliari, coach Ancelotti seems sure to rest some of his big guns, players like Shevchenko, Nesta, Kaka, Gattuso and Maldini. The Milan coach knows only too well that he is facing a busy week. After all, next weekend Milan face city rivals Internazionale in the second league derby of the season. This will be a busy footballing week in Milan, one that will not leave too much time for walks down an Old Trafford memory lane. Just as well, say the Man U fans.
