On the eve of Liverpool's highest profile game in years, I have to say I don't know so much about Juventus or Italian football in general, because I don't like the Italian style of play.
On paper, Juventus look formidable. Buffon is apparently the best goalkeeper in the world. Nedved is a former European player of the year. Cannavaro is called by some the best central defender in the world. Zambrotta is considered the best left-back. Del Piero, well we all know about him. Same applies for Trezeguet. Emerson is the captain of Brazil. Abrahimovitch is considered one of the world's best strikers. Manager Capello has seen and done it all before. And Juventus are currently joint-top of the Italian league.
On paper, we're bunched.
I'm going to agree with the conventional wisdom on this game: Liverpool need to avoid conceding any goals in the first leg. I'd add one thing I haven't seen mentioned on Red and White Kop or elsewhere: we desperately need to avoid injury in the first leg, especially of central players, be they in defense, midfield or attack. We have no cover.
If the Man. Utd/AC Milan game was a harbinger for tonight's encounter, the message it brings is one of doom. AC Milan laughed at Man. Utd. Their defense was almost rock solid (apart from one chance from Fortune in the first leg and one from Giggs in the second). And United, whatever else they might be, are not a team who can't create chances.
We got the draw we didn't want and things look bad. If we get a hiding over two legs, not many non-Liverpool fans would be surprised.
But.
We're going to make one or two chances, especially at Anfield. Here's hoping those chances fall to Garcia, Riise, Gerrard, or Biscan (yes, you're not reading that wrong).
There are some worries about Hyppia's confidence coming into this big game. I wouldn't worry about it. I think Hyppia will do a job on the big smiling Swede, leaving Carragher to deal with Del Piero and the rest of us hoping Trezeguet never gets onto the pitch.
This is a big chance for Baros up front. Despite his enthusiasm and ability to get past defenders, I'm not convinced that he's much of a striker at all, but tonight is his big chance to shine like he did at Euro 2004.
I do have faith in Benitez, though, who certainly won't be daunted by the occasion. Expect Liverpool to play a very tight game tonight and Juventus to do the same. It's going to be low scoring and possibly boring, with either team winning by the odd goal, or more likely a 1-1 draw.
Smicer to start, Garcia to score, Liverpool to go out bravely over two legs, AC Milan to win the tournament.