Arsenal and Liverpool return to Champions League action this week
seeking to recover from what could be crushing Premier League losses.
Arsenal is desperate for a morale-boosting victory over visiting
Fenerbahce after a defeat at lowly Stoke left the Gunners six points
off the top of the Premier League and fading from title contention.
Liverpool will be especially keen to beat Atletico Madrid after its
first loss of the season at Tottenham cost it first place.
Both English teams look well placed to rebound, with Arsenal having
won 5-2 at Fenerbahce two weeks ago and the Liverpool team that drew
1-1 in Madrid likely to be strengthened by the return from injury of
star striker Fernando Torres.
"Hopefully he will be ready," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said.
"If he cannot start the game then he will be on the bench if everything
is OK. It's good we have another important game on Tuesday and the
reaction of the players has to be to play well and win the game.
"We just have to keep going and keep playing the same way."
Liverpool and Atletico share the lead of Group D and both look
likely to advance to the next round irrespective of the result,
although the loser at Anfield on Tuesday could still be caught by PSV
Eindhoven or Marseille - who meet in the group's other match.
PSV is expected to have a full strength side at Marseille, with
defenders Mike Zonneveld and Jan Kromkamp set to return from injury and
winger Nordin Amrabat hoping to pass a late test on a groin problem.
"In general, Marseille has a lot of quality but if we are
well-organized, we stand a chance to beat them," PSV coach Huub
Stevens said.
Chelsea, England's Premier League leader, is at AS Roma in another
of Tuesday's eight matches. The Blues lead Group A by three points from
unheralded Romanian side CFR Cluj, which hosts Bordeaux.
Roma is in the midst of its worst start to a Serie A season for 35
years after losing four straight games, and could be without captain
Francesco Totti because of a sore knee.
Also Tuesday, Group B leader Inter Milan is at Anorthosis Famagusta
while Panathinaikos travels to Werder Bremen with its morale lifted by
a 2-1 win at Panionios on Saturday. Coach Henk Ten Cate has all his
players at his disposal except for midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz, who
is doubtful because of a leg injury.
Panathinaikos has one point from three games and Tuesday's match is vital if it wants to remain in the race.
"We believe in ourselves," midfielder Giorgos Karagounis said. "We
play with our backs to the wall. We will fight, despite the fact we
know it will be a difficult night against an attacking team."
Inter manager Jose Mourinho has hinted that Brazil striker Adriano
might be dropped as punishment for arriving late to practice, while
defender Cristian Chivu injured his knee in Saturday's 3-2 win over
Reggina and could be out for a month.
Barcelona, the only one of the 32 teams with a perfect record after
three matches, hosts FC Basel in Group C, which also features Shakhtar
Donetsk's trip to Sporting Lisbon.
Arsenal's task against Fenerbahce on Wednesday was probably made
tougher by the injuries it sustained Saturday rather than the
disappointing result. Striker Emmanuel Adebayor and defender Bacary
Sagna limped off the field and winger Theo Walcott was carried off with
a shoulder injury.
"We have very bad injuries to Adebayor and Walcott, and there is Sagna," Wenger said. "One or two have knocks as well."
Dynamo Kiev hosts 2004 champion FC Porto in the other Group G match.
Defending champion Manchester United will expect to maintain its
recent good form when it visits Celtic - with a draw possibly enough to
send the Red Devils through from Group E to the next round - and
Aalborg hosts Villarreal.
The Danish team's chances of the victory it desperately needs to
maintain its interest in this year's tournament look unlikely. It fired
coach Bruce Rioch last month after slipping to third-last in its
domestic standings, without a win since the end of August.
However, it has had two draws since assistant coach Allan Kuhn took
over two weeks ago, including a 1-1 draw with league leader Odense
on Saturday.
Record nine-time European champion Real Madrid has the chance to
avenge a 2-1 loss at Juventus when it hosts the Italian team on
Wednesday, when BATE Borisov hosts Zenit St. Petersburg in the other
Group H match.
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