Laid-back Lippi looks forward

Even contest expected
The smiling, silver-haired Juventus coach was modesty personified, even insisting that the respective team bosses would count for little on the night. He stressed that the two Italian giants held no surprises for each other. "Each team have their particular characteristics; Juve have theirs, and so do Milan. This will be a match in which each side brings to the game what it knows best, things which they have demonstrated on many occasions throughout the season. It will be very even because there aren't any secrets between the teams, they have met twice this season, with both of them wining once each. It will be very even."

No homework needed
Lippi has no special concerns about Milan's gameplan. "There will be nothing to study. It will just be a question of recovering those who are carrying niggles, it will be about physical condition, and psychological condition. From the psychological aspect certainly these [two teams] are among the best. It will be a question of just recovering energy. It will be the same for Milan. But there will be nothing to study."

High emotion
Despite his immense previous successes, Lippi admitted that this was a special week for both himself and his players. Not since Juve's last European final in 1998 have emotions been running so high. "There was a feeling that we had achieved everything, but now the players have shown that they still have the enthusiasm and the will to win."

Hoping for success
In his first two seasons back at Juventus, after two years away, Lippi has now brought them the coveted Serie A title in successive seasons. But he was modest when asked if he could now go on to also repeat his past European victories: "Let's hope that myself and the players can relive the same satisfaction. In the past [I] have won only one European cup. Honestly, in four finals only winning one trophy wouldn't be so much."

Clear idea
Throughout this season's Champions League, Lippi has demonstrated his tactical ability to get the most from his side, switching players and formations when necessary. But he gave little away about his lineup for Manchester, where he goes into the final deprived of midfield dynamo Pavel Nedved. "There are hundreds of different options, with different hypotheses. But I have a clear idea of what I will do. The match could start off in one way, then take a different direction."