The Guardian profiles the teams

Introducing Liverpool

Formed when Anfield's original tenants, Everton, fell out with their landlord, Liverpool have won more League titles, European Cups, Uefa Cups and League Cups than any English club and are the third most successful club in European Cup history, with five wins. The squad includes 12 Spanish-speaking players plus three Spanish coaches and they qualified for the Champions League by finishing fourth in the 2005-06 Premiership.

REINA, Pepe Goalkeeper Youthful gloveman with a reputation as a spot kick stopper supreme. Played against Liverpool for Barcelona as an 18-year-old in the Uefa Cup in 2001. Holds Liverpool club records for most clean sheets in a row (eight) and least goals conceded in his first 50 games (29).

Champions League 06-07 statistics: Apps 11 Goals against 5 Yellow/red cards 1/0

FINNAN, Steve Right-back Fans' favourite Irish international known for his right-wing raiding. Has appeared in every English league from the Conference to the Premiership. Is no stranger to European success even before 2005 - he won the Intertoto Cup with Fulham in 2002.

Apps 9 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/0 Assists 4 Fouls 8 Yellow/red cards 1/0

AGGER, Daniel Centre-back Silky Danish stopper with an eye for goal. A big money signing at £5.8m last year, the most the Reds have paid for a defender and the most any foreign club has paid for a Dane. Won his third cap in Denmark's 4-1 defeat of Sven-Goran Eriksson's England before the 2006 World Cup.

Apps 10 Goals 1 Shots on/off target 2/1 Assists Fouls 10 Yellow/red cards 2/0

ARBELOA, Álvaro Right-back Hard-working full-back with an attacking bent. Began his career as a teenager at Real Madrid, where he was under the care of the youth team coach, Rafa Benítez. Impressed this season with his performance against the Barcelona forward Lionel Messi in the quarter-finals.

Apps 4 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/1 Assists Fouls 7 Yellow/red cards 1/0

RIISE, John Arne Left-back/left- wing Rampaging carrot-topped left-footer with a cannonball shot in his power-packed boots. Missed a penalty in the 2005 final but scored another in the 2006 FA Cup final shoot-out against West Ham. Voted Norwegian "Knicksen" (ie. player) of the year in 2006.

Apps 10 Goals 2 Shots on/off target 6/8 Assists Fouls 8 Yellow/red cards 0/0

CARRAGHER, Jamie Centre-back Home grown lad with a never-say-die attitude and a reputation as Liverpool's tough-tackling Mr Consistency. Once helped make an anti-bullying music video called Stand Tall. Awarded the freedom of Sefton, which permits him to drive a herd of sheep through the streets of Bootle.

Apps 11 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 1/2 Assists Fouls 15 Yellow/red cards 0/0

PENNANT, Jermaine Right-wing Pacy wide man with a box of tricks, a spring in his heels and a large collection of tattoos. Will be looking to tie his full-back in knots with a shimmy, some sleight of foot and a touch of wing wizardry. Scored a hat-trick on his full league debut but has scored only seven in 162 games since.

Apps 11 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 5/1 Assists 2 Fouls 11 Yellow/red cards 2/0

MASCHERANO, Javier Midfielder Tenacious midfield pivot renowned for his fierce tackling. Known in his native Argentina as "the Little chief", he also holds an Italian passport. Made his international debut in a friendly against Uruguay before he had played a single minute in the first team for his club River Plate.

Apps 3 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/0 Assists Fouls 9 Yellow/red cards 2/0

ALONSO, Xabi Midfielder Cultured scurrier and ball-playing ace with a dead-eye from set pieces and a reputation for spectacular long- range strikes on goal. Scored the equalising goal in the 2005 final. His father played for Barcelona. His brother Mikel is a midfielder with Real Sociedad. His other brother, Jon, is a referee.

Apps 12 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 4/6 Assists Fouls 23 Yellow/red cards 1/0

SISSOKO, Mohamed Midfielder Loping midfielder who evokes memories of Patrick Vieira in his prime. Born in France but a Malian international, 'Momo' was taken to Valencia by Benitez as an 18-year-old striker but was swiftly and succesfully transposed to midfield.

Apps 7 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/2 Assists Fouls 15 Yellow/red cards 3/0

ZENDEN, Boudewijn Left-wing Flying wing-man with a power-packed left foot who can also ply his trade in the midfield engine room. His father was a judo master and Zenden is a black belt and three-time champion in his home province. Scored the winner for Middelsbrough in the 2004 Carling Cup final - the only trophy they have ever won.

Apps 9 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 3/5 Assists 1 Fouls 9 Yellow/red cards 2/0

GERRARD, Steven Midfielder Mr Consistency, Mr 100% and Mr Liverpool. A rampaging box-to-box midfielder with a thirst for goal, a hunger for tackling and an appetite for hard work. Has played for Liverpool in every position except left- back and goalkeeper. Aged 14 he almost lost a toe in an accident with a garden fork.

Apps 9 Goals 3 Shots on/off target 13/13 Assists 2 Fouls 12 Yellow/red cards 0/0

CROUCH, Peter Centre-forward Gangling beanpole target man with, it has been said, a surprisingly delicate touch for such a big man. Sharp-shooter Crouch is the tallest man ever to pay for Liverpool or England. His many nicknames include Robocrouch, Crouchinho, La Jirafa, Pantera Rosa, Mr Roboto and El Asparagusas.

Apps 11 Goals 6 Shots on/off target 7/10 Assists Fouls 20 Yellow/red cards 0/0

BELLAMY, Craig Forward Feisty Celtic goal-grabber with a fearsome turn of speed and an even more fiery temper. A boyhood Liverpool fan, Bellamy signed for the club in June 2006, with his most notable performance to date coming away to Barcelona in the quarter-finals. His paternal grandfather is an ethnic Malteser.

Apps 10 Goals 1 Shots on/off target 6/2 Assists 3 Fouls 9 Yellow/red cards 1/0

KUYT, Dirk Centre-forward Bustling hitman who likes to scheme from deep and impresses with his workaholic style. Extremely fit, he missed only seven games between 1999 and 2006, once playing 179 matches in a row for Utrecht and Feyenoord. His first amateur team was called Quick Boys and his father was a village fisherman

Apps 10 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 14/10 Assists 2 Fouls 19 Yellow/red cards 3/0

FOWLER, Robbie Centre-forward Predatory veteran goal sniffer with an ear for poaching and a predatory nose for the net. If selected, the final will be his 237th and last game for Liverpool, during which he has scored 120 goals. A boyhood Everton fan, he once scored a hat-trick against Arsenal in four minutes and 33 seconds.

Apps 4 Goals 2 Shots on/off target 2/3 Assists 1 Fouls 1 Yellow/red cards 0/0

Introducing Milan

Founded as a cricket club by an English expatriate in 1899, Associazione Calcio Milan have won 17 Serie A titles and six European Cups - second only to Real Madrid. Milan are called Rossoneri from the red-and-black stripes of their shirts and they qualified for this season's Champions League by coming third in Serie A. The club received an eight-point penalty deduction for its part in last season's domestic match-fixing scandal.

DIDA Goalkeeper Hulking last line of defence who has played over 200 games for Milan and 91 times for Brazil. A beach volleyball fan who also has a Swiss ping pong tournament named after him. He is Serie A's only black goalkeeper. Milan fans call him 'The Black Panther'.
Champions League 06-07 statistics: Apps 10 Goals against 7 Yellow/red cards 0/0

CAFU Right-back Seasoned rampaging full-back. Joined Roma in 1997, where his touchline surges earned him the nickname "The Commuter." Signed for Milan in 2003. The most capped Brazilian of all time with 142 appearances. When he lifted the World Cup in 2002 he shouted "Regina I love you." Regina is his wife.

Apps 6 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 3/1 Assists 1 Fouls 4 Yellow/red cards 0/0

ODDO, Massimo Right-back No- frills defender for club and country who packs a punch in his shooting boots. First joined Milan in 1993 but never made the first team. Rejoined from Lazio in 2006. Is a trained barber and cut the hair of his team-mates at the 2006 World Cup, earning the nickname the Barber of Berlin.

Apps 6 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 1/4 Assists 1 Fouls 8 Yellow/red cards 0/0

SERGINHO Left-back Marauding wing-back who joined Milan in 1999 from Sao Paulo and has played 10 times for Brazil. His nickname is Il Concorde, a tribute to his speed and energy. Scored for Milan in the victorious 2003 Champions League final penalty shoot-out but missed in 2005. He will be 36 in June.

Apps 1 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/0 Assists Fouls Yellow/red cards 0/0

JANKULOVSKI, Marek Left-back Czech flyer with an eye for goal and a power-packed left foot. Joined Milan in 2005 from Udinese, having started his career at Banik Ostrava in his native Czech Republic. Has 58 international caps. His father, Pando Jankulovski, emigrated to Czechoslovakia from Macedonia.

Apps 12 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/4 Assists Fouls 16 Yellow/red cards 1/0

KALADZE, Kakha Defender Uncompromising hard man and captain of Georgian national team. Became the most expensive Georgian player ever by his £10m move from Dynamo Kiev in 2001. After Milan's 2003 Champions League win the Georgian postal service created a stamp bearing his likeness.

Apps 6 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/0 Assists Fouls 2 Yellow/red cards 1/0

MALDINI, Paolo Centre-back Veteran defensive mainstay and club talisman. Maldini has won seven Serie A titles and four Champions League trophies. He made his Milan debut in January 1985, a month after Daniel Agger was born. Milan will retire the No3 shirt when Maldini retires.

Apps 8 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 3/0 Assists 1 Fouls 7 Yellow/red cards 2/0

NESTA, Alessandro Centre-back Defensive hub and forbidding aerial presence. Joined from Lazio for £20m in 2002. Has had his three World Cups ended by injury, but is considered by many the best defender in the world. Married the Italian FA official who looked after him following his injury at France 1998.

Apps 7 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 0/1 Assists Fouls Yellow/red cards 0/0

SEEDORF, Clarence Midfielder Scurrying Dutch dynamo who sets the tempo for the Rossoneri. Joined in 2002 from Internazionale. Is the only player to win the Champions League with three clubs, Ajax, Real Madrid and Milan. In 1997 folk singer Freek de Jonge wrote the song Life After Death about his penalty miss at Euro '96.

Apps 11 Goals 2 Shots on/off target 10/12 Assists 4 Fouls 9 Yellow/red cards 1/0

GATTUSO, Gennaro Midfielder Man of steel renowned for takes-no-prisoners style. "The Growler" came to prominence at Rangers under Walter Smith. Joined Milan in 1999 and has only scored six goals for them. After Italy's 2006 World Cup win he ran around wearing only his Y-fronts and then shaved his head.

Apps 11 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 1/3 Assists Fouls 22 Yellow/red cards 2/0

AMBROSINI, Massimo Midfielder Perpetual motion midfield terrier who joined Milan in 1995 but took four years to earn a regular first- team place. Scored the goal that took Milan to the 2005 final, but missed the game through injury. Ambrosini captains the team in the absence of Maldini. He is also a big fan of American football.

Apps 9 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 2/5 Assists 2 Fouls 24 Yellow/red cards 2/0

BROCCHI, Cristian Utility player Journeyman bit-part player who joined Milan in 2001 and made his debut for the national team in a friendly against Turkey in 2006. Has scored only six Serie A goals in seven years. Opened a café in Milan with former goalie Christian Abbiati and also helped set up the Italian clothing brand, Baci & Abbracci.

Apps 7 Goals 0 Shots on/off target 1/1 Assists 1 Fouls 5 Yellow/red cards 0/0

KAKA Midfielder Mercurial Samba superstar with a box of tricks that lights the touch paper of the Milanese creative firework. Joined in 2003 after Milan's Champions League victory and has scored 78 goals in 132 games. Gives a tithe of his income to the church every year. He was a virgin when he got married. His favourite book is the Bible.

Apps 12 Goals 10 Shots on/off target 28/16 Assists 2 Fouls 13 Yellow/red cards 1/0

PIRLO, Andrea Midfielder Cultured dead-ball maestro and midfield pass master. Joined Milan in 2001 and assumed deep-lying playmaker role despite his slight physical stature. He won the Bronze Ball at the 2002 World Cup, as the third best player behind Zinedine Zidane and Fabio Cannavaro. His father owns two ironworks

Apps 11 Goals 1 Shots on/off target 11/10 Assists Fouls 10 Yellow/red cards 0/0

INZAGHI, Filippo Centre-forward Impish, waif-like goal-grabber with a poacher's nose for a half-chance. Joined Milan in 2001 after four years at Juventus. Johan Cruyff once said "he can't play football at all." Alex Ferguson said he was "born in an offside position," and Jaap Stam called him a "diving cheat" in his autobiography.

Apps 9 Goals 2 Shots on/off target 11/9 Assists Fouls 11 Yellow/red cards 0/0

GILARDINO, Alberto Centre-forward Mobile hitman with a dead eye for goal. Signed form Parma for £12m in 2005, he didn't score at all in 12 Champions League games last season, but has 29 in 62 Rossoneri games overall. Celebrates goals by pretending to play the violin. Was born the same day as Italy's epic 3-2 defeat of Brazil at the 1982 World Cup.

Apps 8 Goals 2 Shots on/off target 4/4 Assists 1 Fouls 12 Yellow/red cards 3/0

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