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 Serie A champions Juventus and Italian Cup finalists AC Milan vie for the Super Cup Friday in Doha, enjoying a well-paid deal as they escape Italy's chilly winter for the balmy climate of Qatar's capital.   The game at the Jassim bin Hamad stadium is the fourth this year between the long-time rivals, who then join the other Italian teams in a two-week break.
     Juve won last May's cup final 1-0 to clinch a record second straight double, but October saw the Devils prevail 1-0 in league action. The Bianconeri also won 2-1 in April during the 2015-16 league.
     The two sides clashed in a US-hosted Super Cup game already in 2003, with Juve prevailing in a shoot-out at the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
     Juve have lifted the trophy a record seven times since it was established in 1988, with the Rossoneri trailing on six.     “We played even with Juve in all the 2016 games,” Milan director general Adriano Galliani said. “We did not get much from the latest (league) games (losing 1-0) against Roma and (drawing 0-0 with) Atalanta.

    “The great strength of Juve is to have above average players. In this moment in Italy only (Gonzalo) Higuain can score as he did Saturday (in a 1-0 defeat of Roma). It is like when (in the 1990s) we had (Marco) van Basten. Juve are solid and ferocious.”

     The Devils look to have striker Carlos Bacca fit from injury, but logistic problems marred their run-up to the game as their charter flight was cancelled Tuesday due to technical problems. They were to leave Wednesday, thus having one less day of acclimatization than the rivals.

    Juve key defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Dani Alves miss the game as Miralem Pjanic and Stephan Lichtsteiner are doubtful.

    Club director general Giuseppe Marotta seemed to recall the October defeat from a goal scored by young substitute Manuel Locatelli and sounded wary of Milan's dynamism despite the recent poor showings and the looming sale to Chinese investors.

    “Milan are a young side and the club is giving its all at this point following the change of ownership,” he told Radio Rai this week.     “It’s a different setup to that of the 1990s, but they’re doing very well, especially in terms of giving their young stars a chance to shine.      In six of the past eight editions, money seems to have convinced Lega Serie A to play abroad, with China being chosen four times.
    Qatar organizers are said to have offered about 3 million euros (3.1 million dollars) to be split between the clubs, minus 10 per cent going to the Lega, while at least 2 million euros are expected from broadcasting rights.
   A first Super Cup match took place in Doha in December 2014 with Juve playing as league champions to be defeated by cup winners Napoli on penalties.