The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Tokyo

Argentina's Boca Juniors aren't looking past Tunisia's Etoile Sportive du Sahel despite being strong favorites to reach the final of the Club World Cup.

Boca will make its 2007 Club World Cup debut Wednesday when it faces Etoile in a semifinals match at Tokyo's National Stadium. Etoile upset Mexico's Pachuca 1-0 in the first round to reach the semis of the Dec. 7-16 tournament, which features the champions of FIFA's continental club competitions. Japan's Urawa Reds take on European champions AC Milan in the other semifinal on Thursday. "A lot of people are talking about a final with Milan, but we know very well that we've got a really tough game ahead of us here," Boca coach Miguel Russo said Tuesday. "This is football and you can never predict what's going to happen."

Boca qualified for the Club World Cup after winning this year's Copa Libertadores. The Argentine side claimed its sixth continental crown at the expense of Brazil's Gremio with a victory in the first leg of the final in Buenos Aires (3-0) and an away win (2-0) in Porto Alegre.

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

Etoile beat Egypt's Al Ahly 3-1 on aggregate in the CAF Champions League final to qualify for the Club World Cup. Etoile coach Bertrand Marchand said playing against the Argentines will be a much bigger challenge that facing Pachuca. "Boca is a very strong side, more so than Pachuca, and they're one of the world's big clubs," said Marchand. "Diego Maradona played for them. Obviously taking them on will be another dream come true for us on this adventure."

Boca will be without the services of midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, who FIFA has ruled ineligible because he was not listed on a preliminary roster submitted by Boca Juniors.

A day after the Buenos Aires club finalized the Argentine's transfer from Villarreal of Spain, FIFA said in a statement posted on its official Web site that Riquelme will have to remain on the sidelines at the Club World Cup.

Boca announced on Nov. 26 that Riquelme had rejoined the team he led to six league and international titles from 1996 to 2002. The deadline to make roster changes was Nov. 23.