THE foreign legion which invades the Scottish Cup final today includes two Italian players who have an old score to settle.
Lorenzo Amoruso, of Rangers, will come up against Hearts' Stefano Salvatori, both men already having met in an Italian Cup final three years ago.
That day, Amoruso, playing for Fiorentina, came out on top over two legs against Salvatori's Atalanta side. However, this time around, the Hearts midfielder hopes to turn the tables. Salvatori, who has expressed surprise at Craig Brown's decision to take only David Weir from the current Hearts squad to the World Cup, also has finished on the losing side for AC Milan in another Italian Cup final.
He believes that Scotland's national cup competition has more prestige than the ones he played in during his time in Italy, and made it clear it would be an honour to lift the trophy.
The pair are just two of the many foreigners who are likely to be on show at some stage today and which include Denmark's Brian Laudrup, Stephane Adam and Gilles Rousset, of France, Jose Quitongo of Angola, and Austrian Thomas Flogel.
Any one of them can turn the game, and Amoruso, who scored for Fiorentina against Atalanta in the Italian Cup final, has made it clear that he believes the Ibrox club has the strength in depth to finish the season on a high.
''We have a great chance of winning the cup which would be a good gift for the fans after the disappointment of the league,'' he said.
''This club walks in the same direction on the same road, and if we win the cup final today it will be great for the club and for the players who are leaving after the game.''
The remainder of the foreign contingent at Rangers are no doubt preparing for a day of mixed emotions, with some limbering up for their first Scottish Cup final, while others prepare to say their farewells to the Ibrox faithful.
Depending on the fitness of the out-going No.1, Andy Goram, who is bound for Serie A strugglers Brescia should they maintain their top-flight status this weekend, Finland's first choice 'keeper Antti Niemi stands by to make only his eighth start of the season, one which has been blighted by a recurring finger injury.
The Finn's #750,000 move to Ibrox from FC Copenhagen during the summer has quickly turned into nightmare. He started the first two games of Rangers' European campaign, against GI Gotu, and looked set to provide a stern test for Goram, but the finger injury meant he missed a large part of the season.
The signing of Borussia Dortmund's international keeper Stefan Klos now ensures that for next season, the task of claiming the No.1 jersey will be just as difficult, perhaps even more so, for the 25-year-old.
Norwegian defender Stale Stensaas also seems certain to be a feature in the Ibrox back line. Like Niemi, Stensaas' Rangers career has also been interrupted by injury, and he has only recently returned to the fold.
With the imminent arrival of Dutch internationalist full back Arthur Numan from PSV Eindhoven, Stensaas will be hoping to use the final as a platform to show both the fans and the incoming manager, Dick Advocaat, that he deserves a place in the new Rangers era.
Three of Amoruso's compat-riots go into the game looking to taste victory and for one in particular, it will definitely be his last game in a Rangers jersey.
Marco Negri, who is uncertain of even a place on the bench, will be heading back home in the summer, with Udinese favourites to benefit from his scoring ability.
Sergio Porrini, whose future is also far from secure, will undoubtedly feature at the heart of the defence, while 19-year-old Rino Gattuso will be hoping for a starting position in midfield with both Jorg Albertz and Jonas Thern missing.
Finally, Brian Laudrup will take his final bow before he heads down to London to play for European Cup-winners' Cup champions, Chelsea. Regardless of the result it will surely be an emotional day for the Dane, who has spent four years at Ibrox.
It will also be an important day for Hearts' French keeper Gilles Rousset, who by his own admission gifted Rangers a couple of goals in their 5-1 defeat by the Ibrox club in a recent Scottish Cup final.
Rousset said that he accepted he had made mistakes in that final, but that was over two years ago and it had been forgotten.
''We are on a high going into the game,'' said the big keeper. ''We played well at Aberdeen and very well against Dunfermline and we can't wait till today's game.
''In the first cup final, Rangers were far too strong for us but it was still an achievement for us to get there. I accept I made mistakes in that game but that is in the past.
''We are going into the final full of confidence. Hearts supporters have waited a long time to win a trophy and we would like to see the fans in tears of joy after the game. We are certainly up for it.
His French compatriot, striker Stephane Adam, said he hoped to have another cup final win under his belt following a victory for Metz in the French equivalent, Adam said: ''It has been a good season for the club and the spirit going into the cup final has been brilliant.
''There are a lot of quality players in the team and everyone is looking forward to the game.''
Adam said Hearts had a family atmosphere about it and said everyone at the club had made it easy for the foreign players to adapt to Scottish football.
He said the last Scottish Cup final between the sides was not in their minds and said the only thing that mattered was the game today.
Adam conceded that Rangers had a number of quality players in their ranks but said his own team had players to match them.
He singled out Jim Hamilton, who is set to make a comeback after a three-match suspension, as a player who will be fresh and ready for the fray.
Adam also said that if John Robertson was in the squad, he would be looking to perform well on the big stage and add to his goalscoring record for Hearts.
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