Juve ready to show respect

By Paris Ayiomamatis in Athens

Juventus FC's Alessio Tacchinardi is well aware of the challenge posed by a trip to Athens to face Olympiacos CFP.

Tough tests
Olympiacos gave Juve two tough tests in narrowly losing to the Italian side in the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League and 1999/00 UEFA Cup, and Tacchinardi particularly recalls the first encounter. In the quarter-finals, the Italian side won 2-1 at home but were pushed all the way for a 1-1 draw in the Greek capital.

'A hard time'
"I remember that match, they really gave us a hard time," said the midfield player. "They definitely deserve our respect." It is his team that will be going into the Group D game on a high, though, having seen off Galatasaray SK 2-1 in Turin while the Greek champions were losing 1-0 to a late penalty at Champions League debutants Real Sociedad de Fútbol.

Formidable record
Still, Hellenic National League sides have a formidable home record in the competition, and having won the domestic title for the last seven seasons, there can be no team more daunting to visit in Greece than Olympiacos, as Juve coach Marcello Lippi concedes.

Praise for visitors
"We all know Olympiacos are the best team in Greece," he said. "They are a very serious team with great players like [Predrag] Djordjevic, [Christian] Karembeu and Giovanni and must not be underestimated."

Trezeguet returns
Nonetheless, lying joint top of Serie A with AS Roma and AC Milan after easing past Reggina Calcio with a 2-0 victory on Saturday, everything is running smoothly for Lippi's team. Juventus welcome back French international striker David Trezeguet who will partner in-form Marco Di Vaio, standing in for the injured Alessandro Del Piero. 

Del Piero problem
Lippi added: "Naturally it is a big problem for us to be without Del Piero who is a great and competitive player. But we have the players and the experience to fill the gap he will leave behind." He also dismissed the 2002/03 finalists' status as frontrunners, saying: "It is never good to be called the favourites. Olympiacos, Galatasaray and Real Sociedad have the same chances as us in the group."

Choutos dropped
Olympiacos, meanwhile, lie second domestically, after beating Xanthi FC 3-1 on Saturday. Having only won just two of their seven home matches against Italian visitors, Olympiacos go into Tuesday's match without the fire power of Lampros Choutos whose repeated disciplinary failures have seen him dropped indefinitely.

'Playing for victory'
"We know Juve very well as one of the world's best teams," Olympiacos coach Oleh Protasov said.  "But we are playing for victory and I am not just saying that. At home, Olympiacos should strive to win no matter who we play against."

Attacking lineup
Protasov plans to field an attacking lineup, pushing experienced Frenchman Karembeu further forward. "We will make the most out of Christian to help our attacking game," he said. Hinting he will not just aim for a point, Protasov said: "Everyone knows if you chase a draw, you end up losing."

'Nothing to lose'
The Ukrainian also said he did not believe his players would pass up the opportunity to show they can play and beat well-known sides. "At the end of the day, we have got nothing to lose," he asserted. Serbo-Montenegrin international Djordjevic was also upbeat. "It will not be a miracle if we win," the Olympiacos captain said. "If we play well we can win."