INTER MILAN's Maurizio Ganz, top scorer in the UEFA Cup this season, believes tonight's second leg of the final against Germany's Schalke will be his big date with history.

The 28-year-old striker, who has become a San Siro crowd favourite after scoring eight times in the cup, is one of the Milan club's few players never to have won an international trophy. Some, such as defender Giuseppe Bergomi, in his 17th season at Inter, have won the UEFA Cup twice.

This year, Ganz, who has been overlooked by the Italian national team, feels it carries his name. "It's my big opportunity, my date with history," said Ganz. "If we fail, all my goals will have been in vain."

Inter, third in the Italian league, have won the UEFA Cup twice in the past decade in 1991 and 1994 and must be fancied to overturn the 1-0 deficit from the away leg.

But it will be the first time in this season's competition that they play a second leg having to make up ground. Their opponents have scored away in every round so far.

Inter return to full strength after missing French attacking midfielder Youri Djorkaeff, compatriot Jocelyn Angloma and England's Paul Ince through suspension.

Schalke also have a near first-choice line-up having rested a number of key players in Saturday's 2-1 defeat at 1860 Munich in which Martin Max scored on his return from injury. Veteran 31-year-old libero Olaf Thon, nursing a thigh strain, will play.