Below par Real still above the rest: Solari

REAL Madrid may have been less than impressive in the Champions League, yet they are still strong favourites going into tonight’s clash with Borussia Dortmund, according to midfielder Santiago Solari.

Real were lucky to beat Dortmund 2-1 at the Bernabeu last week when Raul scored a bizarre goal to equalise Jan Koller’s opener and Ronaldo’s weak shot squeezed through the hands of Jens Lehmann for the winner.

Vicente del Bosque’s side then turned in one of their worst home displays of recent seasons yet still managed to beat a woeful Valladolid side 3-1 with goals from Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo and Javier Portillo.

Another victory over Dortmund would put the reigning European champions back on course to reach the quarter-finals with seven points from four Group C games and Solari is convinced the result will come even if the side’s form fails to pick up.

“We always start as favourites,” the Argentine midfielder said before the squad left Madrid. “That’s not just because we’re the European champions but because of all the titles we’ve won in recent years. Of course it’s better to win while you’re playing well but playing badly and still winning is vitally important. If we play badly and win in Germany I’ll be delighted. If we play well then so much the better but I believe we are going to win and that’s the attitude we’ll be taking into the game.”

Real coach Del Bosque will welcome back French midfielder Zinedine Zidane, who missed Saturday's 3-1 league win over Valladolid because of a back problem, and Luis Figo, who was suspended at the weekend.

Fernando Hierro is still missing with a knee injury, meaning Francisco Pavon will continue alongside Ivan Helguera at centre back, but otherwise Del Bosque should be able to name a full-strength side.

Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer has no major injury worries for a game the Germans cannot afford to lose.

In tonight's other Group C game, Lokomotiv Moscow face AC Milan, with rugged right back Vadim Yevseyev returning for the Russians after sitting out last week’s 1-0 defeat at San Siro due to suspension.

Lokomotiv’s Brazilian striker Julio Cesar, who missed the game in Milan with a thigh injury, should be fit but the Russian champions will be without influential South African midfielder Jacob Lekgetho due to suspension.

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, seeking a win that will clinch qualification, is without striker Andriy Shevchenko again. The Ukrainian has a thigh injury, so Filippo Inzaghi will probably play as a lone striker.

Centre back Alessandro Nesta missed Saturday’s game at Torino with a fever but is expected to have recovered in time for the trip, but midfielder Andrea Pirlo has a heavy cold and like Shevchenko did not travel to Moscow.

In Group D, Deportivo warmed up for their meeting with Basel, a match they must win, with a 6-0 demolition of Alaves on Saturday, a result that keeps them within five points of the leaders in Spain.

Juan Carlos Valeron played the final 35 minutes of that game, his first competitive action in two months, and the Spanish international playmaker could be back in the starting line-up.

Diego Tristan scored a hat-trick against Alaves and that should be enough to convince coach Javier Irureta to play him alongside Roy Makaay up front.

Basel coach Christian Gross is without captain Murat Yakin for the trip to Spain and also has a doubt over Marco Zwyssig.