AC Milan said Thursday they hope to fulfill Michel Platini's forecast that they will give Liverpool a dose of their own medicine in the Champions League final.
The UEFA president has predicted Milan will come back from 3-0 down to win the May 23 Athens showdown - a rerun of the 2005 final which Liverpool won on penalties after being three goals behind at half-time.
"We hope everything goes as Platini predicts," said Vice Chairman Adriano Galliani, the day after an awesome 3-0 victory over Manchester United took Milan to their 11th European Cup final.
Milan chairman and former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi said was rooting for Liverpool in the other semi on Tuesday - against Chelsea - so his side will have the chance to "take back the cup we let the English have two years ago".
But several of his stars played down talk of avenging the most traumatic defeat in the club's history.
"Milan were perfect against Manchester and having the opportunity to face Liverpool in the final is unique," said Kaka, the author of Milan's opener on Wednesday.
"But I don't believe in revenge. What happened is in the past. Now I'm only thinking about playing well in the final".
Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso also said that "the final against Liverpool should not be about revenge".
Coach Carlo Ancelotti does not think the past will affect the match either.
"This will be a totally different story," he said.
"We will not have any pressure on us and I don't think Liverpool will gain a psychological advantage from having won in 2005".
Ancelotti also predicted the final will be much tighter than the semi against Manchester United.
"Liverpool are a very well organized team and they certainly will not allow us to attack with the space Manchester gave us," he said.
Milan have been crowned European champs six times, most recently in 2003 when they beat Juventus in a penalty shoot-out in the final.
Their third Champions League final in five years takes place at the venue of one of their greatest triumphs.
Athens played host to the 1994 final, when Milan thrashed 4-0 the Barcelona 'dream team' coached by Johan Cruyff which included Hristo Stoichkov, Josep Guardiola and Ronald Koeman.
