LONDON: 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.
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 today 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.
Chelsea, England’s Premier League leaders, is at AS Roma in another of today’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 today, 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 today’s match is vital if it wants to remain in the race.
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.
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 tomorrow, when BATE Borisov hosts Zenit St. Petersburg in the other Group H match.
Since defeating Madrid two weeks ago, Juventus has turned around its Serie A fortunes with three straight victories, but will be without goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and striker David Trezeguet because of injuries.
“In Spain, I hope we will already be able to reach qualification for the next round, but it will be a very difficult game,” forward Alessandro Del Piero said.
In Group F, Fiorentina hosts Bayern Munich, and Lyon hosts Steaua Bucharest.
