Totti wants prestigious win over Manchester United

ROME: AS Roma is fired up for Wednesday's Champions League clash against Manchester United even though the game is a dead rubber, the Italian club's captain Francesco Totti said.

English champion United has 15 points and is sure to finish top of Group F, while the Serie A side has already qualified for the knockout stage of the competition in second place with 10.

"The game counts for nothing in terms of the group standings, but it means a lot to us," Totti told reporters. "If nothing else, it is a question of prestige."

Roma is still sore about losing 7-1 at Old Trafford in the quarterfinal stage last season, so is unlikely to treat the game as a friendly.

Totti missed training on Monday with flu symptoms but is keen to take part in the game to regain match fitness after recovering from a foot problem that sidelined him for over a month.

The striker, who scored 26 league goals last season to pick up the European Golden Boot, started Sunday's 1-1 draw at Livorno and last Wednesday's 2-0 win over Cagliari, but completed neither game.

"I'm the first one to know that I'm still not at 100 percent. I need to play to get back to my usual level," he said.

French defender Philippe Mexes should be back after missing the Livorno game with a knee problem and midfielder Simone Perrotta is battling to return from a groin strain.

But Perrotta's Italy teammate Alberto Aquilani is likely to be absent again with the thigh injury that has kept him out for two months.

Fullback Marco Cassetti is also injured and is suspended for the match anyway.

Both coaches are expected to rotate their squads, with United boss Alex Ferguson likely to use younger players in order to rest regulars such as Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

United's plans to bring back captain Gary Neville on Wednesday have been shelved after he suffered complications last week with the ankle problem that has kept him out since March.

The authorities hope the low-key nature of the game will reduce the risk of a recurrence of the violence that marred both quarterfinal ties between the sides last season.

Visiting fans are being encouraged to use free shuttle services from the center of the Italian capital to the Stadio Olimpico to stop them from encountering Roma supporters before kickoff and United's website (www.manutd.com) features advice from the British Embassy in Rome.

Top scorer doubtful

PSV Eindhoven could be without striker Danny Koevermans for Wednesday's must-win clash against holder Inter Milan after he pulled a hamstring in training.

The loss of its top domestic scorer would be a big blow to PSV, which needs to beat Group G leader Inter to have any chance of making the knockout stage of the competition for the fourth consecutive year.

However, even victory over the already-qualified Italians will not suffice if Fenerbahce beats CSKA Moscow in Istanbul. If PSV draws and Fenerbahce loses, the Turks will still go through because they have the better head-to-head record.

Inter leads the group with 12 points from five games, Fenerbahce has eight, PSV seven and CSKA props up the standings with one point.

PSV coach Jan Wouters is without Ghanaian defender Eric Addo, who is serving the third of a four-match ban, while Portuguese defender Manuel da Costa has a knee injury.

The Dutch champion can take heart from the fact that Inter will also be missing many regulars.

Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who scored both goals in Inter's 2-0 win over PSV at the San Siro fixture, is suspended along with Argentine defenders Walter Samuel and Nicolas Burdisso.

Inter's injury list includes goalkeeper Francesco Toldo, midfielders Olivier Dacourt, Luis Figo, Patrick Vieira, Dejan Stankovic and Luis Jimenez, who pulled up in Sunday's 4-0 win over Torino after scoring his third goal in four competitive games.

Despite their injury problems, Roberto Mancini's men have been in fine form.

The home triumph over Torino maintained Inter's unbeaten record in Serie A and stretched its lead over second-placed AS Roma to five points.

Its only defeat so far this term was the Champions League opener against Fenerbahce in September, a 1-0 loss that it followed with four straight European wins.

PSV warmed up for Wednesday by losing 4-2 to Roda JC Kerkrade, surrendering leadership of the Dutch domestic standings in the process.

Probable teams:

AS Roma: 32-Doni; 3-Cicinho, 5-Philippe Mexes, 21-Matteo Ferrari, 22-Max Tonetto; 9-Mirko Vucinic, 7-David Pizarro, 16-Daniele De Rossi, 14-Ludovic Giuly, 20-Simone Perrotta,; 10-Francesco Totti.

Manchester United: 1-Edwin van der Sar; 22-John O'Shea, 23-Jonny Evans, 19-Gerard Pique, 3-Patrice Evra; 33-Chris Eagles, 16-Michael Carrick, 24-Darren Fletcher, 8-Anderson, 17-Nani; 9-Louis Saha.

PSV Eindhoven: 1-Heurelho Gomes; 24-Dirk Marcellis, 3-Carlos Salcido, 2-Jan Kromkamp, 5-Mike Zonneveld; 8-Edison Mendez, 6-Timmy Simons, 28-Otman Bakkal, 20-Ibrahim Afellay; 17-Jefferson Farfan, 9-Danko Lazovic.

Inter Milan: 12-Julio Cesar; 4-Javier Zanetti, 2-Ivan Cordoba, 23 Marco Materazzi, 13-Maicon; 19-Esteban Cambiasso, 26-Cristian Chivu, 6-Maxwell, 21-Santiago Solari; 29-David Suazo, 18-Hernan Crespo.

Agencies

(China Daily 12/12/2007 page23)