Keith Duggan sets the scene in Manchester for tonight's Champions League final

It is six in the evening and light drizzle falls over Old Trafford. On the field, the players of AC Milan are gently kicking a ball about. High, high above the turf at the Stretford End, a small group of Milanese chant and clap hands. In this vast and superb arena, they look positively lonely.

Manchester has not allowed itself to become too fussed by this occasion. The Italians are merely borrowing their house. Here and there on the high streets, the famous Juve shirts could be seen but it felt like any other Tuesday in the city. Like the teams gracing tonight's final, the crescendo will be slow and measured.

There are small concessions to the occasion, however. A vendor named Scappaticci hawks authentic ice-cream. Novelty English Bobbies on stilts wander around shouting "Allo, Allo, Allo". UEFA referees sprint around brandishing red cards at innocent shoppers. A young Manchunian busker, all fringe and chains, stares insolently back at one official.

"Imagine," he says to his friend, "how much of a tit you'd feel if you had to run around lookin' like that."

Earlier in the afternoon, Bobby Charlton and Eusebio meet and greet at the Old Trafford cricket ground. A shy and reticent local man, a rotund and smiling grandfather from Portugal. Gods of the game both but sitting in their spectacles and suits it is hard to imagine them as young men. Bobby is asked to reminisce about his favourite memories of this European competition. Charlton speaks wonderfully and lucidly.

"I could go on all evening," he confesses.

"My first experience was in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid. I was in the reserves and sat way up in the stands and I was just mesmerised by this man in white, Di Stefano, who totally controlled the game. And I remember being in Hungary watching the final in Glasgow between Real and Frankfurt that ended 7-2. That was a game that won't be forgotten."

Effortlessly, Bobby shares his thoughts, culminating in a story from Manchester United's last-gasp 2-1 win over Bayern Munich four years ago. He was sitting in the VIP area with three minutes to go when Lennart Johannson, the UEFA president, passed him by. "Hard luck, Bobby." "C'est la vie, Mr Johannson."

Hours afterwards, Johannson confessed he emerged from the lift down to where he would present the trophy and thought he had entered a parallel universe where the losers celebrated wildly and the victors fell about in despair. As he travelled down two levels, United had won. Charlton laughed about that. Only when the questions turned to himself, to his own legend, did he clam up. In this town, history speaks for itself.

To its credit, Old Trafford at least retains the veneer of its roots. Matt Busby Way begins with an off-licence, followed by a chip shop and moves onto a row of red terrace houses. Then comes the ground, with the bronze statue of the venerable manager and the old clock commemorating the Munich disaster. It is the simple clock, attached to a simple metal front that the Italian visitors seem most taken with. Here is the tradition and the tragedy, the life and death importance they attach to their own game. It is a perfect venue for the last aria of the season.

Head-to-head:

How they match up

Juventus

European Champions: 2

Finals: 7 (including 2003); Semi-finals: 10

Previous finals

1973 v Ajax Amsterdam 0-1

1983 v Hamburg SV 0-1

1985 v Liverpool 1-0

1996 v Ajax Amsterdam 1-1

(won on penalties)

1997 v Borussia Dortmund 1-3

1998 v Real Madrid 0-1

Last six European matches: W L D W L W

Leading European scorer in current squad: Alessandro Del Piero (31)

Leading European scorer this season: Del Piero/Pavel Nedved (5)

All-time leading scorer: Del Piero (31)

Coach: Marcello Lippi

AC Milan

European Champions: 5

Finals: 9 (including 2003); Semi-finals: 10

Previous finals

1958 v Real Madrid 2-3

1963 v Benfica 2-1

1969 v Ajax Amsterdam 4-1

1989 v Steaua Bucharest 4-0

1990 v Benfica 1-0

1993 v Olympique Marseille 0-1

1994 v Barcelona 4-0

1995 v Ajax Amsterdam 0-1

Last six European matches: L L D W D D

Leading European scorer in current squad: Andrei Shevchenko (17)

Leading European scorer this season: Filippo Inzaghi (12)

All-time leading scorer: Jose Altafini (20)

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti