HAMBURG, 24 November 2004 — Defending champions Porto could be eliminated from this year’s Champions League today if they fail to win in Russia against CSKA Moscow.
Sitting at the bottom of Group H with only two points and two games to go, last year’s surprise winners will be knocked out of the competition if CSKA win.
To make matters worse, Porto will have to play in icy conditions they are not used to, but club president Pinto da Costa has tried to brush that aside: “The snow will bring us luck.”
Porto will be without former national team goalkeeper Vitor Baia. “I think that might work in our favor,” says da Costa. “The players will go all out to give him a victory in his absence.”
In the other group game, Paris St. Germain face a key test if they are to reach the knockout phase with a visit to already qualified Londoners Chelsea.
Coach Vahid Halilhodzic and his players have come in for criticism following a recent spate of red cards and the team have already equaled last seasons total of five including four in their last four matches. Halilhodzic was also banned from the touchlines in Friday’s 0-0 draw at home to Lyon after he lost his top following the expulsion of Argentine Mario Yepes. After a terrible start to the season, the club have found some stability climbing to 12th in the table but still some 15 points adrift of leaders Lyon.
Influential winger Jerome Rothen is ruled out and the side will look to Portuguese star Pauleta as their likely source of goals.
Chelsea won the first match 3-0 at the Parc des Princes, but Jose Mourinho is likely to field a weakened team with the group already won and four wins from four matches safely in the bag.
In Group G, Werder Bremen are hoping to put their poor league form aside with a win against Inter Milan, that would see them join the Italian team in the next round.
Inter, however, go into the game in Bremen having just won their Italian cup game and are looking for another victory.
Valencia, the only team that can deny Werder a place in the knockout phase, need to beat Anderlecht in Belgium to stay in the race. Barcelona, who are still reeling from the shock of losing Swedish striker Henrik Larsson for several months through injury, are at home to Larrson’s old club Celtic in Group F.
Equal at the top with AC Milan on nine points, Barcelona need only one more point to go through, while Celtic is still engaged in a battle for third place (and with it an UEFA Cup place) against Shaktar Donetsk, who travel to AC Milan in the other group match.
The final matches sees Arsenal travel to PSV Eindhoven for a top of the table clash in Group E. The Dutch club lead the standings with nine points — three more than Arsenal. Panathinaikos, who are away to Rosenborg, are on five points and could well still take second spot away from Arsenal.
