ROME (AP)— Ghanian midfielder Stephen Appiah watched last season's Champions League final between Juventus and AC Milan and decided that he too would get a chance to play for Europe's most prestigious club trophy. Appiah was only a member of provincial Italian club Brescia at the time, but his mind was made up.

"After I saw Juve-Milan I called my manager and asked him to find me a club that would be playing for that Cup, because it has an irresistible spell," said the 22-year-old from Accra, Ghana's capital.

"Since that night in Manchester I've been waiting for this. I didn't think it would happen so soon, though."

Appiah was transferred to Champions runner-up Juventus in the offseason and with several top players for the Turin powerhouse injured, he will likely start in Juve's match against Turkish side Galatasaray on Wednesday.

When Appiah was 16, his efforts to join Galatasaray were rejected. Instead, he found an opening in the Italian league, beginning his career with Udinese and moving to Parma and Brescia before hitting the big time.

Two of Juve's more established midfielders - Mauro Camoranesi (right calf) and Edgar Davids (right knee) - are suffering from minor injuries, and new midfield-striker Fabrizio Miccoli is still recovering from an appendectomy.

That leaves Appiah as a likely replacement.

"I'm not afraid," Appiah said of the opportunity. "It's not part of my character to worry."

Appiah's character has been praised by none other than legendary striker Roberto Baggio, who teamed with the African at Brescia.

While Appiah gives Juve coach Marcello Lippi another option in midfield, his real worry entering the match at Turin's Stadio delle Alpi is in attack.

French striker David Trezeguet, who has scored four goals in his last four matches (three for Juve and one for France), is unlikely to play because of a right leg injury.

Trezeguet worked out Monday and his official status for the match remained uncertain as of Tuesday. Although with Juve hosting AS Roma on Sunday night in the first big clash of the Italian league season, Lippi was leaning toward resting Trezeguet.
Lippi's only real choice to replace "Trezegoal" is backup Marco Di Vaio, who has seen hardly any action so far this season.
The soccer pundits at the Gazzetta dello Sport declared in Tuesday's edition that Juventus has "no real substitution for Trezeguet."
"Di Vaio will have to do what is necessary and hope that (Alessandro) Del Piero and (Pavel) Nedved, in particular, are able to stay close," Gazzetta said.
Del Piero has been scoring almost as regularly as Trezeguet lately. He has two goals for Juventus and one for Italy in his last four matches.
Lippi said he had no worries about Del Piero getting tired so early in the season.
"In this phase (of the season) players can manage three matches per week," he said.
Defender Nicola Legrottaglie also may miss the game with a muscle problem, likely giving way for 36-year-old Ciro Ferrara to play yet another European match for Juventus.
Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim was headed to Turin furious over his club's 1-0 loss to Konyaspor on Saturday in the Turkish league.
"Just watch. Juventus will tear us into pieces if we play like this," the daily Hurriyet quoted Terim as saying. "Everyone is paid well, we do everything you want. But no one shows any effort on the field."
"No one should tell me they were thinking about the Juventus game. From now on, I will only use those players who spend effort, who run," the daily Takvim quoted Terim as saying.
Terim told players the Juventus game was their last chance to prove themselves.
"Those who don't play, will go," Takvim quoted Terim as saying.
Sabri Sarioglu, Brazilian midfielder Joao Batista, striker Maboula Ali Lukunku and defender Orhan Ak were each suffering from injuries and their status for Wednesday was uncertain.
Hakan Sukur, Hasan Sas and Arif Erdem lead Galatasaray's attack and the club also has Dutch defender Frank de Boer.
No Turkish club has ever won a match in Italy and Galatasaray, the 2000 UEFA Cup and European Super Cup champion, would be hard-pressed to beat Juventus in its current state.
The other two clubs in Group D are Olympiakos of Greece and Real Sociedad from Spain.
Juve visits Olympiakos and Galatasaray hosts Sociedad in the next group-phase matches on Sept. 30.