YOKOHAMA (AP) -- AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini wants the Italian giants to exact some revenge upon Argentina's Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Milan lost to Boca on penalties in the 2003 Toyota Cup, the forerunner of the Club World Cup, and the European and South American champions are favorites to meet again in the Dec. 16 final in Yokohama.

"It's not pleasant to think about matches we have lost in the past," Maldini said Friday. "But we lost to Boca and that's the team I think about the most."

The Dec. 7-16 Club World Cup features the champions of FIFA's continental club competitions. African champion Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, CONCACAF champion CF Pachuca of Mexico, Asian winners Urawa Reds, Oceania winner Waitekere United of New Zealand and Asian runner-up Sepahan of Iran are the other clubs participating.

Brazil's Internacional beat European powerhouse Barcelona 1-0 in last year's final.

Milan and Boca join the competition at the semifinal phase, with the Italians playing on Thursday against either Japan's Urawa or the winner of Friday's playoff between Sepahan and Waitekere.

Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said winning the tournament will mean as much as the 2-1 victory over Liverpool in May's Champions League final.

"We have to put in all our energy to win the trophy," said Galliani. "It's a major objective to take this trophy home."

Maldini won the Toyota Cup with Milan in 1989 and 1990, but has been on the losing side in Japan in 1993, 1994 and 2003.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti said he is concerned about the physical repercussions the tournament will have on his team, which is in eighth place in Serie A and trailing city rival and league leader Inter Milan by 16 points.

"There are three matches waiting for us at home right after this tournament and we have to recondition ourselves immediately so we are at our best." said Ancelotti.

The 39-year-old Maldini, retiring at the end of the season after spending his entire career with Milan, gave Ancelotti a boost when he confirmed he will not stop playing before then.

"I have a contract till August 2008 and I am feeling in top condition so I will not abandon my contract," said Maldini.

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