Lippi Prepares for 'Hard' AFC Champions League Final

World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi prepares for a 'hard' Asian Champions League final as the Italian stands on the brink of winning football's top club titles on two continents.

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5 months ago

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Sports

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Marcello Lippi

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China, South Korea, Italy, Europe, Seoul, Asia, Guangzhou

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SHOTLIST: GUANGZHOU, CHINA, NOVEMBER 8, 2013 SOURCE: AFPTV SOUNDBITE 1: Marcello Lippi (man), Guangzhou Evergrande head coach, (Italian, 29 secs): "This is not going to be an easy match. A final is never easy whether in Europe or Asia. It is going to be a hard match for both teams as both clubs have the capabilities and the will to win tomorrow's match. So hopefully we can also count on the support of our fans to help us and guide us to victory tomorrow night." -Various of journalists at the Tianhe Sports Centre Stadium, Guangzhou. /// --------------------------------------------------------- AFP TEXT STORY: Football: No difference between Europe, Asia success; Lippi Guangzhou (China) • - 08 November 2013 Marcello Lippi compared AFC Champions League victory with winning Europe's equivalent Friday, as he stood on the brink of clinching football's top club titles on two continents. The silver-haired Italian -- who won the UEFA Champions League with Italy's Juventus in 1996 -- said there was "no difference" between his previous achievements and winning the Asian title. Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande are just 90 minutes from continental glory as the Chinese champions prepare to face FC Seoul in the second leg of the final in China on Saturday. However, the 65-year-old stopped short of saying the achievement would eclipse that of winning the World Cup with Italy in 2006. "Honestly, I think there is no difference in winning tomorrow's match and becoming Asian champions, compared to the other competitions I won previously in my career," Lippi told reporters ahead of the crunch game. It was "quite reasonable to understand", Lippi added, that World Cup victory was more difficult to achieve. Evergrande are aiming to clinch an unprecedented continental and domestic treble, after the Guangdong outfit stormed to their third Chinese title with ease and as they prepare for the domestic FA Cup semi-finals later this month. Guangzhou reached the AFC Champions League final in stunning form, scoring eight goals against their semi-final opponents, Japan's Kashiwa Reysol. But questions have been raised over defensives frailties after Seoul scored a late equaliser in the previous leg, which finished 2-2 in South Korea. "This is not going to be an easy match," Lippi said. "It is going to be a hard match for both of the teams but both teams have the capabilities and have the will to win. "So hopefully we can also count on the support of our fans to help us and guide us to victory tomorrow night." China's last success at this level was Liaoning's 1990 victory in the former Asian Club Championship, while FC Seoul could become the Champions League's fifth Korean winners since its inception in 2003. Lippi reached four UEFA Champions League finals with Juventus. nc/st