Stand by for fireworks on what should be a gala occasion at the San Siro tonight when Manchester United meet Inter Milan in a tie which represents another fascinating chapter in the continuing story of Anglo-Italian footballing rivalry.
United manager Alex Ferguson has been engaged in classic pre-match psychological warfare with his almost racist remarks about Inter's readiness to cheat and dive in a typically "Italian" attempt to fool French referee Gilles Veissiere.
In truth, the only irregularity seen in this match-up so far concerns a perfectly good Inter goal from Argentinian Diego Simeone being mysteriously disallowed at Old Trafford.
Ferguson can probably save his energy, too, since all the omens suggest that Manchester United deserve to start just about as hot a favourite for this tie as did Istabraq in yesterday's Champion Hurdle. United not only go into the game with a two-goal lead from the first leg a fortnight ago, but they also arrive at this crucial appointment in a buoyant mood that contrasts sharply with their out-of-form Italian opponents.
Whereas United continue to dominate at home, Inter stagger from defeat to defeat. While United are cruising on top of the Premiership, Inter languish in eighth place in Serie A following a wretched, six-week run that has seen them go eight league and cup games without a win.
While the United side practically picks itself, Inter go into the game with question marks hanging over not only their defensive line-up but also their most famous player, Ronaldo.
Ferguson has laid huge emphasis this season on having his side peak now, rather than earlier, to go all the way this time in the Champions League.
In that context, it may be no coincidence that United go into this match with no major absentees. All the key figures are there: Dwight York and Andy Cole in attack, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs in midfield, Peter Schmeichel, Gary Neville and Jap Stam in defence.
Although he is not crucial to United's success, Jesper Blomqvist could miss the match after he injured his ankle in training. The Swedish international appeared to go over on his right ankle at the San Siro and spent the rest of the session watching from the sidelines holding an ice-pack.
In contrast to Ferguson, Inter coach Mircea Lucescu is forced to gamble on the all too obviously unfit Ronaldo, a wonderfully talented player but one whose game relies on his explosive pace more than anything else. On the evidence of his performances in a 2-1 Italian Cup defeat by Parma last Tuesday and a 2-2 derby draw with AC Milan last Saturday, however, Ronaldo would be hard pressed to catch the 47B, let alone find a way past Stam and Berg at the heart of the United defence.
If, as expected, Ronaldo plays, then Lucescu will have taken a huge gamble on a player who not only has missed the last two months because of his recurrent knee tendon problem but who also has not been fully fit for nine months now, since the World Cup. Furthermore, Ronaldo may not represent the only gamble made by Lucescu in his team selection. Roberto Baggio, lost without trace in the hurly burly of Old Trafford two weeks ago, may again be called on to provide the ammunition up front for Ronaldo and his probable partner, Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano.
If Baggio manages to settle into a game that may well be played at a less frantic rhythm than the first leg, then he could cause problems for United. If, however, passion and emotion turn the opening half hour into a stampede, then Baggio's presence could be entirely irrelevant.
It may well be that Francesco Moriero - a stubborn survivor of that endangered species, the winger - could represent a better bet.
With all due respect to both Denis Irwin and Gary Neville, one can easily envisage Moriero making the byline to send in crosses for Zamorano.
In defence, Lucescu is likely to call on 34-year-old Giuseppe Bergomi, a survivor from Italy's 1982 World Cup winning team. That the old man of the party has been summoned to play as sweeper behind Nigerian Taribo West, Francesco Colonnese and Fabio Galante says much about the Inter defensive shortcomings.
As if Lucescu did not have enough problems, Portuguese midfielder Paulo Sousa literally talked his way out of the side over the weekend with a TV interview in which he said that Inter have not only no basic tactical schemes but also that Lucescu's only advice to his players is to "go out and play".
Inter at the moment are no good, he concluded. Tonight we may just see how right Sousa is.
Inter (Probable): Pagliuca, Bergomi, Colonnese, West, Galante; Zanetti, Simeone, Winter; Baggio; Ronaldo, Zamorano.
Manchester United (Probable): Schmeichel, G Neville, Berg, Stam, Irwin; Beckham, Scholes, Keane, Giggs; York, Cole.
Referee: G Veissiere (France).
