United, Juve Face Tough Test Going into Wednesday's Games
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
PARIS (Oct 19, 1998 - 19:03 EDT) - Both sides were expected to have a major say in the destination of this year's European Cup -- but the hopes of Manchester United and Juventus hang by a thread going in to Wednesday's program.
United certainly looked the part in the league at the weekend, thrashing Wimbledon 5-1 to go second in the English Premiership. And the Red Devils might have been tempted to regard upcoming opponents Brondby as a Danish equivalent of the Dons.
But things are not quite working out as expected in the Group of Death and the United camp know all about Brondby's capabilities following the Scandinavians' shock opening win over Bayern Munich.
United let slip a two-goal lead in their opening match against Barcelona at Old Trafford and then suffered a late Bayern late equaliser in Munich last month to leave themselves with work to do.
However, they do have a spy with knowledge of the Danish camp as goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel used to play for Brondby.
The blond giant has been out for three weeks with a stomach muscle strain but said Monday he was ready to play.
"I trained on Sunday and I feel fine. I am 100 percent sure that I will be in goal on Wednesday," said the 34-year-old Dane.
United will still have to rotate their huge squad as England men Nicky Butt and David Beckham are suspended. Denis Irwin is doubtful with a heel injury and Ronny Johnsen is ruled out with an ankle ligament problem.
The importance of three points cannot be underestimated for United, who have been chasing the trophy for 30 years, because if Barcelona fail to win in Munich Alex Ferguson's men will go top.
Barcelona are without ineligible Dutch forward Patrick Kluivert, whose place goes to Mario Alberto Rosas. Bayern hope Markus Babbel and Thomas Helmer can shake off injuries to make the starting line-up and bolster a defense that will be lacking the suspended Lothar Matthaus.
Juventus, beaten in the last two finals, travel to play Athletic Bilbao looking for their own first win. And the San Mames stadium, with its ear-shattering noise levels, will not be an easy place to get it in front of 40,000 fiercely-parochial Basque fans.
Juve striker Alessandro Del Piero admits that win-or-bust time has arrived after draws against Galatasaray and Rosenborg.
"This match is going to be virtually a decider. It's not quite a question of either being in or out of the competition -- but almost," Del Piero warned his teammates.
Coach Marcello Lippi also made it clear that with only two points on the board, this was no time to look for a calculated draw.
"We're going to Bilbao and we'll be going there to win," he said.
Wednesday's game will be a special one for France's World Cup-winning captain Didier Deschamps, a Basque from Bayonne.
"We absolutely have to win this one if we are going to get anywhere in the Champions League," he said.
Bilbao coach Luis Fernandez promises his men will attack as they have nothing to lose following defeat at Galatasaray.
Defender Rafael Alkorta and midfielders Bittor Alkiza and Josu Urrutia all return to the squad following injury.
Reigning champions Real Madrid, stunned by a loss at Spartak Moscow which virtually negated the good work of their opening win over Inter Milan, face Group C tailenders Sturm Graz of Austria.
The Spaniards must now come from behind as Spartak are looking good after two wins in two games.
Real will face the Austrians without Fernando Redondo and Christian Panucci, missing with thigh and knee injuries. But Croatian midfielder Robert Jarni is fit for the Spanish league leaders.
Inter Milan, meanwhile, hope to welcome back Brazilian ace Ronaldo, out for a month with knee problems, to face Spartak at San Siro.
"I am in the squad -- so it's possible I'll play. I feel much better now but I don't know if I'll last the 90 minutes," the Brazilian sharpshooter said.
Inter will be without Roberto Baggio, who has yet to recover from knee tendon trouble of his own.
Arsenal continue their Group E campaign against Dynamo Kiev at Wembley but will do so without French midfielder Patrick Vieira, who is suspended after two bookings.
Compatriot Emmanuel Petit will almost certainly have to sit it out owing to a hamstring injury he collected playing for France in Russia last week.
Stephen Hughes is likely to deputise for Petit and Remi Garde could come in for Vieira.
Despite forming the backbone of the Ukrainian national team, going well in the Euro-2000 qualifiers, Dynamo have not proved so dynamic thus far, losing at Panathinaikos of Greece and then drawing at home to French champions Lens.
In contrast, the Gunners' win over Panathinaikos has put them in the driving seat.
Dynamo's head coach Valery Lobanovsky celebrated his 30th anniversary as a football coach on Friday and his squad wants to give him something to celebrate at Wembley.
In other matches, Galatasaray will attempt to steal a march on Juventus in Group B by beating newly-crowned Norwegian champions Rosenborg in Norway.
The Turks are sweating on the fitness of Romanian playmaker Gheorghe Hagi, while defender Julian Filipescu is suspended along with midfielder Kerimoglu Tugay.
Four-times champions Ajax have injury problems aplenty before hosting Olympiakos of Greece in Group A with skipper Danny Blind still getting over a knee injury.
Finnish striker Jari Litmanen has a strained left ankle, Nigerian midfielder Sunday Oliseh a back injury and striker Peter Hoekstra a thigh strain. Ronald de Boer is another doubt with a knee problem as is his twin brother Frank, who has a wrist strain.
The two sides are level on points and the winner will have one foot in the next round with Porto and Croatia Zagreb, who meet in Portugal, currently lagging well behind.
Group F leaders and German champions Kaiserslautern travel to Holland's PSV Eindhoven, who won the trophy a decade ago.
PSV, coached by former England boss Bobby Robson, lost at Benfica in their last tie and have selection problems as defenders Stan Valckx and Ernest Faber, as well as Romanian midfielder Ovidiu Stinga, are out with injury and defender Andre Ooijer is doubtful.
Brazilian defender Joaquim "Marcos" Dos Santos and Portuguese Abel Xavier are suspended.
Kaiserslautern, the only unbeaten side in the group, are, like PSV, hoping to overturn poor league form.
Graeme Souness' Benfica, meanwhile, travel to winless outsiders Helsinki.
