AC Milan hopes pinned on Lyon game
The shock loss to the relegation strugglers has all but ended Milan's Scudetto challenge, and, therefore, Europe's elite club competition is their only chance of silverware this season.
Carlo Ancelotti's side trail defending Italian champions Juventus by nine points, with just six games remaining, and the clash with Gerard Houllier's Lyon, which ended goalless following the first leg at the Stade Gerland, is now a must-win encounter.
At least Ancelotti can recall a host of first-team regulars with the likes of Andriy Shevchenko, Kaka, Clarence Seedorf and Gennaro Gattuso set to return after being rested from the starting XI at the weekend.
Cafu is also likely to line up against Les Gones after making his comeback from a long injury lay-off against Lecce, as a second-half substitute.
The Brazilian captain said: "It all went well on a personal level and the knee is cured. I am 100% optimistic and on Tuesday we have a new game so we must immediately forget this defeat.
"I hope I will be able to help my teammates against Lyon. The team has grit, the desire to do well in order to get through to the next round, and we know we are capable of doing that."
Ancelotti added: "In the Champions League you will see a different Milan.
"In the championship our objective was second place and it still is we are still aiming for it.
"I was optimistic and remain optimistic ahead of this game, we need a great performance to get through and now we must immediately think of Lyon."
Houllier's side extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to 12 points, at the weekend, following a 1-0 win at Troyes and are odds-on favourites to claim the trophy for the fifth successive year.
But the former Liverpool manager knows his men must improve on their first leg display against Milan, especially in the opening 20 minutes, when only some fine goalkeeping from Gregory Coupet kept the scoreline blank.
He said: "We must not have the same start to the match that we did in the home leg. My team showed them too much respect. It's the first time I have seen them do that.
"Milan did have two or three high quality moves, which paralysed us. Then we needed to do two or three good things before the machine started to work again."
Meanwhile Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini remains confident his team are capable of knocking Internazionale out of the Champions League when the two teams meet in the night's quarter-final second-leg tie.
The Spanish outfit must beat the Italians at El Madrigal Stadium in order to book their place in the last four of Europe's elite competition, which would be a historic result for the club.
Pellegrini's side suffered a 2-1 defeat in last week's opener in Milan, but a 1-0 win would be enough to put Villarreal through to the semi-finals, and, for that reason, the Spaniards are in optimistic mood.
"I am convinced that my players will fight for 90 minutes and will play a good game," said Pellegrini.
"We are alive in this competition and we have proved that we merit to be where we are."
Villarreal have yet to be beaten on home soil in their debut season in the Champions League, but Pellegrini's main concern is not whether his team can score but, rather, if they can stop their Italian opponents from finding the target.
"Inter are complicated rivals," he said. "It's always difficult to beat Inter, they have a lot of experience in this competition and they have the result that favours them.
"Not only do we need to score but it will be crucial not to give a goal away, we simply must win."
Pellegrini firmly believes the fact his team need to take the initiative could work in their advantage.
"I think we will keep our character," he said.
"We always play to win and we will go out on the pitch with no fear so I think it will benefit us."
Roberto Mancini's outfit travel to Villarreal, inspired by last weekend's 3-0 Serie A triumph against Messina.
The outcome kept Inter in the race, with AC Milan, to finish second in Serie A.
But Mancini's team would be making a grave error indeed to underestimate Villarreal in that tie.
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