Champions League matches in Group E
Teams news and probable line-ups for Wednesday's Champions League matches in Group E:
Teams news and probable line-ups for Wednesday's Champions League matches in Group E:
PANATHINAIKOS v RANGERS
Panathinaikos are facing injury problems with Romania midfielder Lucian Sanmartean missing training since picking up a knee injury in Saturday's 2-0 win over Ionikos, which kept them top of the Greek league.
Greece goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis will also miss the game after getting injured in the first half of their 5-0 defeat at Manchester United a fortnight ago.
Rangers will be without Scotland striker Steven Thompson, who was told on Monday he is likely to require a knee operation and could be missing for the next six months.
Maurice Ross sustained a hamstring injury in Saturday's 3-1 league win over Dundee and Georgian central defender Zurab Zhizanishvili could replace him at right full back.
Rangers captain Craig Moore has recovered from a hamstring problem and is likely to partner Henning Berg in central defence, but Dutch players Ronald de Boer and Fernando Ricksen remain on the injured list.
Probable teams:
Panathinaikos: 12-Costas Halkias, 3-Nasif Morris, 16-Sotiris Kyrgiakos, 30-Takis Fyssas, 14-Raymond Zaoutoustas, 27-Pantelis Konstantinidis, 20-Angelos Basinas, 35-Jan Michaelsen, 4-Silvio Maric, 11-Dimitris Papadopoulos, 19-Michalis Konstantinou.
Rangers: 1-Stefan Klos, 15-Zurab Khizanishvili, 25-Henning Berg, 3-Craig Moore, 18-Michael Ball, 4-Emerson, 23-Mikel Arteta, 8-Christian Nerlinger, 26-Peter Lovenkrands, 10-Michael Mols, 7-Shota Arveladze.
Referee: Arturo Dauden Ibanez (Spain).
VfB STUTTGART v MANCHESTER UNITED
Stuttgart have no major injury worries and are on a high after extending their brilliant Bundesliga start with a convincing 3-0 win at TSV 1860 Munich on Saturday. Coach Felix Magath's men top the standings and are the only side yet to lose a match or concede a goal seven games into the season.
"We're having a good run at the moment and we believe we can get a result against Manchester United," said Croatian midfielder and captain Zvonimir Soldo. Another man United need to watch is gifted Belarus midfielder Alexander Gleb, who scored a superb goal on Saturday.
Stuttgart, last season's Bundesliga runners-up, started their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 defeat by Rangers but Magath said: "We're not happy with doing well just in the Bundesliga -- we also want to make an impact in Europe."
France defender Mikael Silvestre is set to return for United after recovering from a knee injury that kept him out of United's 4-1 win at Leicester City on Saturday. He is likely to resume his central defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand, with John O'Shea reverting to the left-back role.
With England midfielder Paul Scholes making a successful comeback at Leicester, United are missing only long-term injury victims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (knee), Wes Brown (knee) and Kleberson (shoulder).
Probable teams:
Stuttgart: 1-Timo Hildebrand, 2-Andreas Hinkel, 6-Fernando Meira, 5-Marcelo Bordon, 21-Philipp Lahm, 20-Zvonimir Soldo, 8-Jurica Vranjes, 19-Horst Heldt, 19-Alexander Gleb, 22-Kevin Kuranyi, 18-Cacau.
United: 14-Tim Howard, 2-Gary Neville, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 27-Mikael Silvestre, 22-John O'Shea, 11-Ryan Giggs, 16-Roy Keane, 3-Phil Neville, 25-Quinton Fortune, 18-Paul Scholes, 10-Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
Referee: Cosimo Bolognino (Italy).