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Milan: Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard feels it is a time for a changing of the guard as his side gears up for their Champions League semi-final with AC Milan.

“The moment has come for us to make our mark against them,” Rijkaard was quoted as saying in a sports daily on Monday.

“Milan have experience on their side and we have to see how we handle that. There is always a time when you have to test yourself against a team with more success and experience than you and now it has come.

“It is the time for a changing of the guard. If we can beat them, people will start saying in the future we are the side to beat.”

Barcelona moved a step closer to retaining their Primera Liga title on Friday with a 1-0 win over Villarreal, but face their biggest test this season in Tuesday’s first-leg in Milan.

Rijkaard did not hide his admiration for a side who have reached 10 European Cup finals including two in the last three seasons.

“For 15 years, Milan have worked with the same winning philosophy,” Rijkaard said. “The systems change as the players change but that basic element is always there and that is why they have been at the top for so long.

“But it is vital we focus exclusively on what we want to do and our own philosophy on Tuesday. It is important to score a goal and not to lose.”

Barcelona lost 0-4 to Milan in the 1994 European Cup final and exited at the semi-final stages of the Champions League in 2000 and 2002.

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, meanwhile, says the match has arrived at the right moment for his team.

The Easter weekend results allowed Milan to close the gap on Serie A leaders Juventus to just five points with four games remaining. Milan beat city rivals Inter 1-0 in Friday’s derby and on Saturday Juventus were held 1-1 at lowly Cagliari.

“This is a good moment. The team is in good shape physically, I’ve got the whole squad available and at their best for what will be a huge challenge for us. On top of that the whole club seems to be in perfect shape,” he said.

Brazilian wide-man Serginho and back-up midfielder Massimo Ambrosini are all expected to be fit for tie’s first-leg after taking no part in the derby.

However, striker Filippo Inzaghi has been ruled out of the match due to a high temperature. Inzaghi, who scored twice in Milan’s quarter-final win over Olympique Lyon, was unable to train on Monday after missing Friday’s derby victory over Inter Milan.

Captain Paolo Maldini, recently returned from a three month injury lay off, looked back to full fitness in the derby and could well feature in the starting line-up at left back.

Maldini was part of the Milan side who enjoyed one of their greatest nights with a 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the 1994 European Cup final in Athens.

Ronaldinho was rested for a second league match in a row on Friday, but coach Frank Rijkaard was left with two new injury worries up front after Sweden striker Henrik Larsson hobbled off with a thigh strain and his replacement Santi Ezquerro followed him down the tunnel with a bruised knee.

“We earned ourselves three very important points,” said Rijkaard. “We played well and created plenty of opportunities and now we can focus on the Milan match. The only negative aspect was the injuries, but we hope they aren’t too serious.”

Barcelona are already certain to be without their dynamic Argentine teenager Lionel Messi who has failed to recover in time from a torn thigh muscle and will now miss both legs of the semi-final.

The injury problems up front mean that speedy French winger Ludovic Giuly is favourite to partner Eto’ and Ronaldinho in Barcelona’s three-man attack.

In midfield, the influential Portugal international Deco is suspended after picking up a booking in the 2-0 victory over Benfica in the last round.

That means experienced Dutch international Mark van Bommel, fit-again Brazilian Thiago Motta, talented youngster Andres Iniesta and Brazil’s Edmilson will compete for the three places in midfield.

“We are more beginners than them in the matter of semi-finals, they are more experienced,” said Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes. “We must be careful because the Italians start slowly and then end up scoring against you.