English pair face their tricky away Champions ties
PARIS: English giants Arsenal and Liverpool face tricky away ties on Wednesday as they bid to join Europe's top 16 clubs in the group phase of the Champions League.
Arsenal travels to Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round first leg in a far from confident mood following its patchy 2-1 win against Fulham on Sunday.
And Liverpool faces the tough task of traveling to a sweltering Toulouse to tackle a side that is on a high after beating French champions Lyon 1-0 on Saturday.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was relieved to win his first match of the season having previously complained that his team was at a disadvantage in the title race because of their Champions League qualifying round commitments.
While they and Liverpool are in European action, Chelsea, who travels to Reading, and Manchester United, hosted by Portsmouth, will both be looking to pick up three Premiership points.
But even if both win, Arsenal cannot find itself more than a single point behind the reigning champions come Thursday following United's draw against Reading at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Of more concern to Wenger is his goalkeeper's concentration after German Jens Lehmann gifted Fulham the lead in the first minute on Sunday, before late goals from Robin van Perise and Alexander Hleb saved his blushes.
"First of all, I was surprised he had made the mistake," said Wenger. "He's an experienced keeper and you want to deal with your first ball.
"Jens changed his mind, but wasn't quick enough to respond to his brain. He lost his co-ordination."
"Every goalkeeper can make a mistake. He made one. If you are an outfield player you are not punished, but you are in goal."
He will have to be at his best against Sparta if Arsenal is to repeat the double it scored against the Czechs in the 2005-06 Champions League.
Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez revealed he was delighted with the start Spanish forward Fernando Torres has made at Anfield and he could again partner his 26 million pound signing with Dirk Kuyt in attack in France.
"I was happy with what Fernando did (in Sunday's 2-1 win over Aston Villa). He worked very hard. Him and Kuyt were a problem for their defenders. That was the idea," said Benitez.
"The movement and understanding was good and he showed the touches and class that I would expect from him.
"Normally players when they arrive need a little time to settle in but the understanding with Kuyt was good from the start."
In other games Scottish champions Celtic travels to Russia to face Spartak Moscow, who could be in hot water with the Russian Federation over racial abuse dished out by their supporters to one of their own players.
Spartak fans unfurled a banner containing racist abuse against Brazilian striker Soares Morais Welliton during a match at Samara, which they won 2-0, on Saturday.
Any such repeat in European competition could put Spartak's continued participation in doubt.
Meanwhile, double UEFA Cup winner Sevilla begins its bid to reach the Champions League group phase with a tough home tie against AEK Athens.
Germans Werder Bremen also starts off at home against Croatians Dinamo Zagreb while four-time former winner Ajax hosts Slavia Prague.
History could also be made as three countries look for their first ever participation in the group phase, with their teams all beginning with home advantage in the first legs.
Bate Borisov of Belarus hosts Romania's former champions Steaua Bucharest, Finland's Tampere United entertains Norway's Rosenborg and Bosnia's FK Sarajevo welcomes Dynamo Kiev of Ukraine.
AFP
(China Daily 08/15/2007 page23)
