Italian Trio in UEFA Assault
By Ossian Shine
LONDON, Nov 24 (Reuters) - A trio of Italian clubs continue their assault on the UEFA Cup on Thursday, hoping to fare better than a pair of their fellow Serie A sides earlier in the week.
Holders Parma, Juventus and Roma go into third round, first leg action and, while Udinese lost 1-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen and Bologna were held 1-1 at home by Galatasaray on Tuesday, the omens look better for their compatriots.
Roma are in euphoric mood for Newcastle United's visit to the Olympic Stadium where on Sunday Fabio Capello's fast-improving side trounced neighbours Lazio 4-1 in the Rome derby.
On Monday alone the club sold 16,700 tickets for Thursday's tie and are expecting a crowd of over 40,000 fans. Captain Francesco Totti, who had an inspired derby, skipped training on Monday with a minor muscle injury but will be fit to take his place against Bobby Robson's team.
The only definite change to Capello's side from Sunday will be the introduction of Alessandro Rinaldi for Amadeo Mangone, who is suspended.
Roma have scored eight goals in their last two matches and are unbeaten in their last six league and UEFA Cup games. Newcastle have a full squad to choose from but know they will have their work cut out for them in the Italian capital.
CONVINCING WIN
Juventus enter their third round clash in Athens buoyed by a
convincing 3-1 win over AC Milan in the league at the weekend
but without midfielder Antonio Conte.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti will be seeking at least a draw at Olympiakos but will also have half an eye on next Sunday's
top-of-the-table Serie A clash with Lazio in Rome.
Conte, Argentine striker Juan Esnaider and Uruguay's Daniel
Fonseca are all staying at home to be fresh for the weekend.
Ancelotti is also likely to keep French international Zinedine Zidane, Alessando Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi on the
bench for the start of the match.
Parma, who have recovered from a disastrous start to the
season to win eight of their last nine matches, host Austria's
Sturm Graz.
Their latest victory was a 3-1 victory over struggling
Cagliari on Sunday. Striker Marco Di Vaio, who scored a hat-trick in his side's second round, second leg victory over Sweden's Helsingborg, is likely to keep his place in the front line.
But French midfielder Alain Boghossian is out with a strained knee and midfielder Paolo Vanoli is also injured. Parma coach Alberto Malesani wants to keep Ariel Ortega, Hernan Crespo
and Diego Fuser fresh for the Sunday's match at AC Milan. He is
also likely to keep either Lilian Thuram or Fabio Cannavaro in
reserve.
High-flying English club Leeds United will be without their
suspended captain Lucas Radebe for their trip to Spartak Moscow.
Manager David O'Leary has drafted 4.5 million pounds ($7.3
million) summer signing Michael Duberry into the centre of
defence.
RUSSIAN CHAMPIONS
The Russian champions will also be without their captain,
Andrei Tikhonov, who was red carded in Spartak's last match
against Sparta Prague, but they welcome back rugged defender
Yuri Kovtun, who sat out the previous game with suspension.
England's third representative, Arsenal, welcome French side
Nantes to Highbury.
The Londoners revert back to Highbury from Wembley, where
they hosted Champions League matches, and the narrower pitch
should suit their defence.
Benfica travel to Celta Vigo and need to bounce back
strongly after their 2-0 drubbing by reigning champions Porto in
the Portuguese league on Saturday.
Coach Jupp Heynckes, who knows Celta de Vigo well from his
spells with Spanish clubs, said there was no doubt that Vigo
were favourites in a match that brings together the leaders of
the two Iberian leagues.
Vigo and neighbours Deportivo La Coruna are joint top of the
Spanish league.
Deportivo host Greek club Panathinaikos while Real Mallorca
visit Ajax Amsterdam.
Two German clubs travel to France -- Kaiserslautern visit
Lens and Werder Bremen are at Olympique Lyon. Borussia Dortmund
travel to Glasgow to take on Rangers.
