REAL MADRID and their manager Jupp Heynckes must be cursing Manchester United right now. Real face Juventus in tonight's European Cup Final in Amsterdam but their chances of lifting the trophy for the seventh time, and of Heynckes' survival, would have been far greater if United had applied themselves in their final Champions League fixture last December, which saw them play Juve in Italy. If United had drawn that game, or even beaten Juve as they did at Old Trafford, then the Italian champions, and arguably the world's greatest team, would have been out of the competition. As it is, Filippo Inzaghi scored the game's only goal late on and with other results going their way, Juve scraped into the quarter-finals, at the expense of the Norwegian part-timers Rosenborg. Former German international Heynckes, whose job is on the line at Real after one season and an unsatisfactory fourth place in the league, must be turning that over in his head Rosenborg or Juve. If he loses tonight and gets the sack, Alex Ferguson will presumably not be on his Christmas card list. Real, who won the European Cup in the first five years of its existence from 1956-60 and then won a record sixth in 1966 have gone 17 years without even reaching the final of the competition they regard as theirs by right. In that last final, in 1981, an Alan Kennedy goal saw Liverpool triumph at Real's expense. That poor track record gives Heynckes no option other than to win tonight. Not just to placate the 100,000 fans who regularly fill the Bernabeu Stadium and to maintain their place among the world's biggest clubs but also to make the club president Lorenzo Sanz eat the dark words he has been muttering recently. Sanz has been unhappy with Real's and Heynckes' failure to challenge Barcelona for the league title this season, or even finish second and gain automatic entry into the Champions League. Sanz said: Juventus have an advantage because they have already qualified for the Champions League next season. We are not in that position, so for us to win is that much more important. As for who will manage Real next season I will not say just yet. Let's just play the final and see what happens then. But the result will not count as to my choice for manager next season. Heynckes has been hit hard in the league this season by the loss of form of Raul, who was voted fifth in FIFA's World Player of the Year poll in January yet hasn't even made the top 20 in the vote for Spanish Player of the Year. Troubled by a groin injury for several months yet still picked to play, he has been a virtual passenger and it has shown, as Real ended the league season on a run of four months without an away win. That poor form on the road has also been in evidence in the Champions League since the turn of the year. They only drew in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, the weakest of the quarter-finalists, and then in the semi-finals a goalless draw in the second leg, again in Germany against Borussia Dortmund, was enough to see them through. Without their fanatical home support they have suffered, a problem which could cost them dearly against Juve. The Italians, by contrast, have not found goals a problem anywhere this season. Alessandro del Piero has scored 31 goals in all competitions and his strike partner Inzaghi has hit 24 in Serie A and Europe, as Juve finished as champions and the highest scorers in Italy. In their last four matches in Europe they have scored 11 goals. Not that Juve, two-times winners and in their third consecutive European Cup Final, are taking tonight's game lightly. Last year's experience, when as holders they started out as favourites and then lost to Dortmund 3-1, has taught them a serious lesson. And Juve's Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids, a winner with Ajax three years ago, has explained the problem with being favourites again. Real have five world class players in Raul, Predrag Mijatovic, Roberto Carlos, Fernando Redondo and Clarence Seedorf. If you ignore them for a second they'll score and Raul and Mijatovic are the most dangerous in attack. We'll play this game with the anger from losing last year but I hope our renewed hunger can be decisive. We must not think about being favourites or about having more experience than them. A final is like bingo or a lottery and is a game like no other. Coach Marcello Lippi has seen Juve's status as favourites helped by being able to pick a full-strength side, except for central defender Ciro Ferrara, who broke his leg in February, but whose stand-in Mark Iuliano is now a contender for the World Cup. Real have a few injury problems but both captain Fernando Hierro and Christian Karembeu are expected to recover in time. The new idol of Real, striker Fernando Morientes, is also a slight doubt so Davor Suker stands by.

THE MEN WHO MATTER   JUVENTUS Angelo Peruzzi (age 28). Italian national team first-choice keeper. Hero in 1996 European Cup Final with penalty saves but blamed after last year's final for errors. Moreno Toricelli (28). Long-haired former carpenter discovered in 1992. Tough right-back who can also play midfield. Back to fitness after succession of injuries. Mark Iuliano (24). Emerged as solid central defender when replacing injured sweeper Ciro Ferrara. Now on fringe of World Cup squad. Paolo Montero (26). Hard as nails Uruguayan international central defender. Form has suffered since February due to absence of Ferrara. Gianluca Pessotto (27). Versatile product of AC Milan youth system. Will play left-back but can play on both flanks. Angelo Di Livio (31). Spent nine years in lower divisions before joining Juventus in 1994. Known as ‘little soldier' for tireless running on right flank. Didier Deschamps (29). Lippi's onfield ‘manager'. Won European Cup with Marseille in 1993 as well as with Juve in 96. Has superb ball-winning qualities and forms crucial central midfield axis with Zidane. Edgar Davids (25). Winter transfer from AC Milan has worked for both him and Juve. Known as ‘pitbull'. European Cup winner with Ajax in 1995. Zinedine Zidane (25). Arrived in 1996 with ‘new Michel Platini' tag. Play-making central to last two Serie A titles. Juve's form tends to fluctuate with his own. The match-winner who Alex Ferguson couldn't find a position for at Manchester United. Alessandro Del Piero (23). First injury-free season has allowed him to add consistency to his repertoire. Scored 31 league and cup goals this season. Penalty taker and brilliant from free kicks. Filippo Inzaghi (24). Finished as league's top scorer in 1996-97 season with Atalanta. Joined Juve last summer and has quickly gelled with Del Piero. Still seen as lightweight despite 24 league and European goals this season. REAL MADRID Bodo Illgner (age 31). Brought in last season by previous manager Fabio Capello. The former German international missed the start of the season but is extremely reliable. Fernando Hierro (30). The foundation on which the Real defence is built, but has had an injury-plagued season. Is strong in the air at set pieces and can both blast and curl free kicks. Injury doubt tonight. Christian Panucci (25). Right-back signed from AC Milan for £4.6m in December 1996. Showed ability in European Cup Final for Milan four years ago, helping keep Barcelona's attack quiet. Manuel Sanchis (32). Son of a 1960s Real star, Sanchis set a club record with his 462nd appearance in February and the former midfielder is now in central defence. Roberto Carlos (25). Diminutive Brazilian left back who is arguably the best taker of free-kicks in the world. Was voted second best player in the world in FIFA poll last year. Fernando Redondo (28). Midfield lynch-pin and former Argentine international with a delicate touch who played an outstanding game in the semi final at Borussia Dortmund. Clarence Seedorf (22). Surinam-born Dutch international who from his central midfield position has been one of Real's most consistent players. A European Cup winner in 1995 with Ajax. Christian Karembeu (27). Right-sided midfielder whose transfer from Sampdoria turned into an 18-month tug-of-war with Barcelona. Has saved his best appearances, and goals, for the European Cup. Raul Gonzalez (20). Precocious and talented but fighting to recover his form after his first slump since shooting to prominence in 1994. Can play in the hole or as a striker. Predrag Mijatovic (29). Voted runner-up in last year's European Footballer of the Year but the Yugoslav has yet to score in this season's Champions League. Fernando Morientes (22). Started the season on the bench but the new darling after scoring in semi-final against Dortmund and in recent debut for Spain. Possible doubt through injury.

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