Real Madrid and Milan are the two teams who have won more European Cups than any other club side on the continent.
Los Blancos are looking for their elusive tenth ever title – now frustratingly known as 'La Decima' – while the Rossoneri are hoping to pick up their eighth crown, and their third this decade.
But while the ambitions are the same, the clubs and the squads are on very different paths. The Spanish powerhouse have been criticised for spending too lavishly to resurrect the Galacticos dynasty, while the Italian leviathans have been slammed for relying on their old stars and not spending enough to rebuild and rejuvenate.
Whatever the case, these two heavyweights ooze superstar quality left, right and centre from back to front, and there will be key battles going on all over the pitch.
Two extremely pivotal players, whose main job is to keep their respective teams ticking like clockwork. While Lass links Madrid’s back line to the attacking midfielders, Seedorf is the bridge between Milan’s midfielders and the forward line.
The Milan veteran still has a remarkable burst of speed in those aging legs of his. But Lass’s job will be to make sure that the ball doesn’t reach him at all, rather than spend the evening chasing after the Dutchman. If the 33-year-old Seedorf can be kept quiet without seeing much of the ball, the 24-year-old Frenchman can better utilise his energy to sneak forward and help out in attack. If Il Diavolo do choose to go ultra-defensive, the ‘Men in White’ will need all the help they can get to penetrate the rearguard.
But make no mistakes... Seedorf is still extremely crafty and he will not hesitate to exploit open spaces. And the Bernabeu faithful will know all about his shooting abilities, having seen him score his fair share of humdingers during his time as a Blanco.
The two midfielders have spent the last six years training and working closely together at Milanello. But on Wednesday evening in Madrid, they will be nothing less than rivals as they put friendship aside to try and overcome each other.
You would think that the Rossoneri captain will know every trick and secret about the Brazilian to stop him in his tracks. But the same applies the other way around, as 'Ricky' will summon all his knowledge, not just about his direct opponent, but also on the entire Milan midfield line and defence to create havoc.
Kaka, like Xabi, has yet to fully click into gear and it may be a while yet before he starts replicating the kind of dazzling form that led Milan to Champions League glory in 2007. But like Ronaldinho, if there’s a time and place for the €67 million man, who picked up the MARCA Leyenda award overnight, to kick-start his ‘Casa Blanca’ career, it is on Wednesday night against his former club. Ambrosini, who will have to do extra dirty work with Gennaro Gattuso absent, could be in for a long night.
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