Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard believes his team are the underdogs when they face Milan in Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final, first-leg match.
“If you have to say now, looking at the history, Milan are favourites. Over the years they have shown they are very hard to beat,” the former Milan player told a news conference.
“But being favourites means nothing, you need to go out and prove it on the pitch. It will be a great game and we’ll see who wins.”
The Barcelona coach said his side wanted to play their own game.
“We will not think about that – if we score one and Milan score 10 it doesn’t count for much. What counts is imposing ourselves on the game,” said the Dutchman.
“It will be great to play a side like Milan – I expect a great match with both sides trying to impose their own game and score goals.”
Rijkaard and Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti played alongside each other in Milan’s European Cup triumphs in 1989 and 1990.
“I respect Ancelotti very much but we are both working for our own roles and objectives and tomorrow we won’t think about anything else,” said Rijkaard.
Subscribe to World Soccer – The essential football magazine.
