First tests for former champions
Tuesday, 10 August 2004
A trio of former European champions are playing for their places in the UEFA Champions League group stage when the third qualifying round begins tonight. Juventus FC, Liverpool FC and SL Benfica are all in action as six of the 16 ties get under way, marking the first competitive match for these clubs' respective new managers, Fabio Capello, Rafael Benítez and Giovanni Trapattoni.
Nedved absent
In the case of Capello, who led AC Milan to Champions League success in 1994, his Juventus side face Sweden's Djugårdens IF without midfield players Pavel Nedved and Mauro Camoranesi and suspended defender Jonathan Zebina. Paolo Montero and Igor Tudor are also doubtful for the visit of Djugården, who overcame Lithuania's FBK Kaunas in the previous round.
Benítez bow
The last European assignment for Liverpool's new coach Benítez was May's UEFA Cup final, when his Valencia CF side defeated Olympique de Marseille. Three months on, Benítez is hoping to restore Liverpool's standing at home and in Europe, and his first task is to get past Austrian double winners Grazer AK.
Gerrard recovery
Reds captain Steven Gerrard should recover from a tight hamstring to play at the Arnold Schwarzenegger stadium and his presence will be vital given the absences of suspended Igor Bišcan, injured Vladimír Šmicer and Danny Murphy, who is leaving the club. "We don't have the competition level they have as they've already played some matches and we have not," warned Benítez.
Owen doubt
If media reports are to be believed, Michael Owen's participation and future at the club are also in doubt. The striker has yet to sign an extension to a contract due to expire next summer and Liverpool do not want to risk losing him on a free transfer. Benítez, however, insisted: "I have nothing to say about his contract. Michael has travelled and I can use him if I want."
GAK boost
GAK won their derby against SK Sturm Graz on Friday, a morale-boosting victory for Walter Schachner's team. Schachner, who has worries over Rene Aufhauser and Martin Amerhauser, described his side as "clear underdogs" but was hopeful they could do better than this time last year when they lost 3-2 on aggregate to AFC Ajax. "Maybe we'll be more lucky this time," he said. If so it will be the first success for an Austrian side over English opponents in 13 attempts.
Trapattoni names team
It is over 40 years since Benfica won the European Champion Clubs' Cup - and six seasons since they were in the Champions League group stage. Coach Trapattoni, a European champion with Juventus in 1985, named his starting lineup to face RSC Anderlecht 24 hours in advance of his first match at the Estádio da Luz and handed debuts to goalkeeper Yannick and full-back Alessandro Dos Santos. Trapattoni said: "Anderlecht are a very dangerous team on the counterattack."
Broos changes
Nuno Gomes, Carlitos, Alcides, Geovanni, Luisão and Mantorras are unavailable. Anderlecht coach Hugo Broos, meanwhile, is expected to make changes after the 2-0 defeat by R. Excelsior Mouscron on Friday. Pär Zetterberg and Junior could lose their places in midfield to Walter Baseggio and Govran Lovré, but "the defence will stay the same" according to Broos.
PAOK sell-out
Elsewhere, the Gipedo Toumbas stadium is a 28-000 sell out for FC PAOK Thessaloniki's home leg against Maccabi-Tel Aviv FC. Dimitris Salpingidis has delayed joining Greece's Olympic squad and the same goes for Ghanaian international John Pantsil who will feature for the visitors.
Trabzonspor miss trio
FC Dynamo Kyiv face Turkish visitors in Trabzonspor, who overcame FC Skonto in the last round but will be without a trio of first-team players in Volkan Belkiroglu, Erdinç Yavuz and Tolga Seyhan. In the night's final match, PFC CSKA Moskva turn their attentions to Scottish visitors Rangers FC having overcome PFC Neftchi last week.
That's gotta hurt. Reminds me of Man U's CL final win over Bayern. That must've been truly heartbreaking for Bayern fans.
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