PSV and Monaco renew rivalry

PSV EINDHOVEN sail into uncharted territory as far as the Champions League is concerned when Guus Hiddink’s men play last season’s beaten finalists AS Monaco tonight.

However the teams know each other well after meeting in the group phase last season a pivotal event in Monaco's season according to their Greek midfielder Andreas Zikos.

PSV go into this first leg of their first knockout round match buoyed by a 4-1 victory over NEC Nijmegen on Saturday, which, taken with AZ Alkmaar's 1-1 draw with Roda JC Kerkrade on Sunday, saw Eindhoven stretch their lead at the top to four points.

Skipper Mark van Bommel is Hiddink's only real injury worry, and although he is slightly bothered by a groin injury and missed Saturday's match through suspension, he should play.

Johann Vogel dropped out early against NEC with a back injury but he is also expected to play in the midfield with Van Bommel and Philip Cocu.

John de Jong (ankle) is out, while newly-signed Brazilian striker Robert, who joined PSV at the end of January but is still waiting to make his debut, is likely to be on the bench.

Monaco coach Didier Deschamps' main concern is in defence, as he might have to do without French international defender Sebastien Squillaci, who twisted his ankle in training and missed the against Olympique Lyon on Friday.

But the pairing of Julien Rodriguez and Gael Givet worked perfectly in the 1-1 draw against Lyon.

Since the winter break, Monaco have only lost one game, a League Cup semi-final against Caen which they did not take too seriously.

"The team spirit has improved since mid-November when the players became free of all their international commitments. We spent more time together. This year's team have only been together six months," Deschamps said.

But Greek midfielder Zikos has been there longer than that and he is looking forward to a return visit to PSV where Monaco won 2-1 last season in the group phase.

"That was the game that made us aware of our strength. Everybody tells us about our games against Real or Deportivo but PSV were the team who impressed us most," he said.

PSV EINDHOVEN (Probable): Gomes; Ooijer, Alex, Bouma, Lee; van Bommel, Vogel, Cocu; Park, Hesselink, Farfan.

AS MONACO (Probable): Roma; Maicon, Rodriguez, Givet, Evra, Zikos, Bernardi, Kallon, Plasil (or Farnerud), Saviola, Adebayor.

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain).