Marseille and Roma seek to overturn UEFA Cup deficits
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-03-15 06:22

LONDON: Injuries and suspensions have added to the problems of UEFA Cup big guns Olympique Marseille and Roma, who are bidding to overturn deficits in the return legs of their last 16 ties this week.

Marseille, beaten by Valencia in the 2004 final, will be without goalkeeper Fabien Barthez at Zenit St Peterburg on Thursday.

The French international has a calf injury and will be replaced by Cedric Carasso.

Marseille, who lost 1-0 to the Russians at the Stade Velodrome in the first leg, will also be without suspended midfielders Wilson Oruma and Franck Ribery.

"We need to produce the perfect match in Russia," said Marseille coach Jean Fernandez.

"We have nothing to lose. It will be tough, but there's 90 minutes left and in football everything is possible."

Roma have suffered a hangover after their record-breaking Serie A run in recent matches, taking one point from their last two games in between losing 1-0 to Middlesbrough in Europe.

Coach Luciano Spalletti is still without his three first-choice strikers Francesco Totti, Vincenzo Montella and Shabani Nonda, giving Brazilian winger Mancini the responsibility for leading the line again on Wednesday.

Rapid Bucharest are seeking a place in the last eight of a European competition for the first time since 1973.

Rapid, who lost to Leeds United in the quarter-finals of the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup 33 years ago, take a 2-0 lead to Germany on Wednesday and will not lack confidence against a Hamburg SV side lying second in the Bundesliga.

Coach Razvan Lucescu has a few selection headaches with midfielders Marius Maldarasanu and Armenian Artavaz Karamian injured and defender Vasile Maftei suspended.

Hamburg's Dutch international defender Nigel de Jong, who like Maftei, was sent off in the first leg, is also banned.

Abysmal form

Real Betis, whose abysmal league form continues to hamper their fight for Primera Liga survival, start all-square against Steaua Bucharest on Thursday with the tie awaiting its first goal.

Betis, who are third from bottom in Spain, have Uruguayan defender Daniel Lembo out with an ankle injury, while defenders David Rivas and Fernando Varela and midfielder Capi are all suspended.

Steaua coach Cosmin Olaroiu has come under fire with his side failing to score in their last three games, including a 0-0 draw with Arges Pitesti at the weekend.

The 1997 winners Schalke 04 should welcome back Brazilian playmaker Lincoln, who has missed their last two Bundesliga games as well as the 1-0 UEFA Cup defeat in Palermo in the first leg because of a sore left knee.

Schalke climbed a spot to third in the Bundesliga by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 on Sunday. Brazilian defender Marcelo Bordon was substituted at halftime with a stiff thigh muscle, but coach Mirko Slomka said he should be fit to play against the Sicilians on Thursday.

Sevilla, seeking to overturn a 1-0 defeat in Lille, welcome back fit-again keeper Andres Palop. Stand-in Antonio Notario conceded the only goal of the first leg direct from a corner and was diagnosed with a broken bone in his foot after the game.

The Spaniards will be without injured midfielder Enzo Maresca while suspension keeps out midfielder Antonio Puerta.

In other ties, Basel take a 2-0 lead to the short trip to France against Racing Strasbourg while Levski Sofia and Udinese, who drew the first leg 0-0, meet in the Bulgarian capital. The game will be played at the National stadium due to the poor condition of Levski's pitch.

(China Daily 03/15/2006 page16)