Champions League matches in Group A
Team news and probable line-ups for Wednesday's Group A matches in the second phase of the Champions League:
Team news and probable line-ups for Wednesday's Group A matches in the second phase of the Champions League:
INTER MILAN vs. BARCELONA
Inter coach Hector Cuper will be without two key players through suspension -- Colombian defender Ivan Cordoba has a one-match ban while Uruguayan forward Alvaro Recoba begins his three-match suspension.
Central defender Marco Materazzi has a muscle strain and is unlikely to be fit so Cuper will ask Paraguayan Carlos Alberto Gamarra to partner Fabio Cannavaro in the heart of the defence.
Turkish midfielder Buruk Okan has a knock on his knee but should be fit to play while Cuper will have to choose between Luigi Di Biagio and Frenchman Stephane Dalmat in the centre of midfield.
Cuper has no choice about his front two -- with Recoba suspended, Gabriel Batistuta not eligible and Hernan Crespo and Nicola Ventola both injured, Sierra Leone striker Mohammed Kallon will partner Christian Vieri with no recognised forward on the bench.
Group leaders Barcelona will be without injured Dutch winger Marc Overmars as they attempt to secure a place in the quarter-finals and set a new record of 12 consecutive victories in Europe.
Fabio Rochemback is likely to come in for Overmars on the right side of midfield, with Gabri replacing Juan Pablo Sorin, the Argentine full back who is ineligible.
Another win on Wednesday would ensure a place in the last eight for Barca and set a new best for consecutive wins in any European club competition.
They currently share the record with Ajax Amsterdam, who won 11 straight games over two seasons of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1987 and 1988.
Probable teams:
Inter: 1-Francesco Toldo, 4-Javier Zanetti, 24-Carlos Alberto Gamarra, 13-Fabio Cannavaro, 77-Francesco Coco, 22-Buruk Okan, 6-Cristiano Zanetti, 14-Luigi Di Biagio (or 18-Stephane Dalmat), 10-Domenico Morfeo, 32-Christian Vieri, 3-Mohammed Kallon.
Barcelona: 1-Roberto Bonano, 18-Gabri, 5-Carles Puyol, 3-Frank de Boer, 2-Michael Reiziger, 15-Fabio Rochemback, 8-Philip Cocu, 6-Xavi, 31-Thiago Motta, 7-Javier Saviola, 9-Patrick Kluivert.
Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland).
NEWCASTLE UNITED vs. BAYER LEVERKUSEN
Captain Alan Shearer will return to spearhead the Newcastle attack alongside Shola Ameobi after completing a two-match Champions League suspension.
Fellow striker Lomana Lua Lua will be relegated to the substitutes bench while Wales international Craig Bellamy is still banned.
With Jermaine Jenas (Achilles) and Nolberto Solano (thigh) both injured, Scotsman Brian Kerr will operate on the right side of Bobby Robson's midfield.
French defender Olivier Bernard will regain his place at left back at the expense of Andy Griffin after missing the 3-0 win at Leeds on Saturday through suspension. Defender Jonathan Woodgate is ineligible.
Leverkusen, last season's losing finalists, are all but eliminated and need to concentrate on their struggle to avoid relegation from the German Bundesliga.
Jens Nowotny (knee), Bernd Schneider (flu), Dimitar Bebatov (thigh), Juan (knee) and Daniel Bierofka (rib) are all sidelined. On top of that midfielder Hanno Balitsch in suspended.
Leverkusen, who sacked coach Klaus Toppmoeller on February 16 and replaced him with former player Thomas Hoerster, ended a run of five Bundesliga defeats when they fought back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at Hanover 96 on Saturday.
Probable teams:
Newcastle: 1-Shay Given, 18-Aaron Hughes, 19-Titus Bramble, 5-Andy O'Brien, 35-Olivier Bernard, 25-Brian Kerr, 8-Kieron Dyer, 11-Gary Speed, 32-Laurent Robert, 9-Alan Shearer, 23-Shola Ameobi.
Leverkusen: 1-Hans-Joerg Butt, 6-Boris Zivkovic, 21-Radoslav Kaluzny, 47-Thomas Kleine, 35-Diego Placente, 27-Oliver Neuville, 28-Carsten Ramelow, 10-Yildiray Basturk, 8-Jan Simak, 19-Marko Babic, 11-Franca.
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark).