Sofia defeat unthinkable for champions Barca
Levski, thrashed 5-0 by Barca in the opening game of the group stage, have lost all four of their games and are unlikely to upset the Spanish champions, meaning the final group game against Bremen next Tuesday will decide who joins Chelsea in the last 16, with the Premiership champions needing just a point at Bremen tonight to progress.
A win for the Bundesliga side at the Weserstadion, coupled with an unlikely defeat for Barca in Sofia, would see Frank Rijkaard’s side face a battle with the Bulgarian champions for a place in the UEFA Cup.
“If we don’t win on Wednesday, we can wave goodbye to the Champions league. A lot is being said here about the Werder Bremen match, but first we have to win in Sofia,” said Barca defender Oleguer Presas.
“A place in the next round is at stake and it would be unthinkable for us not to be motivated for a game like this.”
Oleguer believes Chelsea will take their match with Bremen seriously.
“They are professionals and any professional wants to win every game,” he added.
Rijkaard has only striker Eidur Gudjohnsen available to lead Barca’s attack, with Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o and Argentinian duo Javier Saviola and Lionel Messi sidelined.
Gudjohnsen scored twice as Barca beat Real Mallorca 4-1 on Sunday to leave Oleguer in a confident mood, insisting there is no need to add to Rijkaard’s squad in the January transfer window despite recent media criticism of the former Chelsea striker.
“The boss and the rest of the team know how good he is and nobody should lose their confidence in him,” he added.
“We have the capacity to improve and that’s what we are working on. It is important to stay at the top. It is always important to win.
“When there is a positive dynamic you are better suited going into the next matches. I don’t see any need to sign anybody. We have enough players doing well, and if not, there is always the reserve team.”
The 26-year-old Spaniard, who started Sunday’s La Liga match against Mallorca at right back but ended the game playing in the middle, is prepared to fulfil any role required to achieve the right result for the team.
“I don’t mind. I just want to play wherever the coach puts me. They are different positions, but I can enjoy both,” he added.
Levski will be without striker Emil Angelov, but Bulgaria U21 international Valeri Domovchiyski, Georgi Ivanov and the versatile Hristo Yovov are all available after recovering from injuries.
Angelov, 26, scored twice in Levski’s four qualifying games prior to the group stage but has failed to fully recover from a thigh injury.
HAVING booked their place in the knockout stages, Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath can rest several key players and full back Philipp Lahm will take his first real break since the World Cup.
A win will guarantee Bayern top spot in Group B.
Magath switched training onto the artificial surface at Bayern’s training ground on Monday to acclimatise to conditions at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium.
“Everything is faster and you have to play to feet,” said Bosnian midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic.
Spartak can claim third place and a UEFA Cup spot. Coach Vladimir Fedotov is without his first-choice goalkeeper Woijech Kowalewski, with a head injury, while his understudy Dmitri Homich is doubtful with a hip injury.
That leaves Fedotov with no option but to give a rare appearance to third-choice keeper Aleksei Zuev.
INTER Milan will have to overcome the absence of striker Julio Cruz in tonight’s must-win showdown against Sporting Lisbon.
Cruz sustained ligament damage to his right knee at the weekend.
The Argentinian netted all three goals in their back-to-back victories against Spartak Moscow that revived Inter’s hopes of progress to the knockout stages.
Hernan Crespo, ZlatanIbrahim ovic and Adriano are all available for selection.
Inter lie second in Group B, one point clear of Sporting and four behind leaders Bayern Munich.
While a defeat would see Porto crash out of the tournament, a draw in Milan would give Paolo Bento’s outfit the upper hand.
With attacking duo Liedson and Yannick Djalo out of action, the former suspended and the latter out injured, Sporting will play with striking pair Alecsandro and Carlos Bueno up front.
FRESH from their 7-0 thrashing of Catania on Sunday, Roma will be full of confidence for tonight’s clash at Shakhtar Donetsk.
A point will be sufficient for the Eternal City giants to qualify for the knockout stages provided Olympiacos fail to beat Valencia.
Roma lie second in the group, three points behind leaders Valencia and five points clear of Shakhtar.
Roma are without injured midfielder Max Tenet.
Midfield duo Alessandro Mancini and Rodrigo Taddei are expected to provide attacking support for inspirational captain Totti.
Shakhtar will be without suspended Czech defender Tomas Hubschman and Brazilian playmaker Matuzalem is out until next year but are boosted by the return of defender Viacheslav Sviderskiy and midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk.
The Ukrainian champions must win to keep alive any hopes of progress.
VALENCIA enter their penultimate Group D fixture assured of qualification, and will seal top spot if they better second-placed Roma's result tonight.
Despite their comfortable group position, Valencia host Olympiacos low on confidence after dropping to eighth in La Liga following a slump in form.
The Spanish club have also suffered a string of serious injury setbacks in recent weeks, with midfielder Edu becoming the latest victim with a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Midfielder Ruben Baraja is set to return after recovering from a muscle tear in his right le g, although nine squad members remain on the injured list.
Olympiakos midfielder Marco Ne is ruled out of action with an inflamed appendix.
Ieroklis Stoltidis is also doubtful with a viral complaint while defender Michalis Kapsis required eight stitches in a leg wound and is left out.
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