Champions League matches in Group G

Team news and probable line-ups for Wednesday's Champions League matches in Group G:

CHELSEA v SPARTA PRAGUE

Changes are expected at the back for Chelsea, with France captain Marcel Desailly training again after a six-week absence with a hip injury, while Dutchman Mario Melchiot, unlikely scorer of Saturday's winner against Southampton, may come in for suspended Glen Johnson.

Fit midfielders are in short supply with Frenchman Emmanuel Petit (knee) and Argentine Juan Sebastian Veron (back) both out and France's Claude Makelele (neck) facing a late fitness test. Cameroon's Geremi returns after being left out of the squad for the Southampton game.

Up front, Argentine Hernan Crespo is likely to partner Romanian Adrian Mutu, a sub on Saturday.

Sparta stopper Petr Johana is missing through suspension, putting the team's shaky defence further in jeopardy after the Czech champions suffered a humiliating 4-2 defeat to mid-table Jablonec on Saturday. Jiri Homola is expected to deputise in his European debut.

Experienced midfielder Jiri Nemec is not travelling to London due to a knee injury, while striker Igor Gluscevic faces a late fitness test after a recent sore throat.

Probable teams:

Chelsea: 23-Carlo Cudicini, 15-Mario Melchiot, 13-William Gallas, 26-John Terry, 18-Wayne Bridge, 11-Damien Duff, 14-Geremi, 4-Claude Makelele (or 10-Joe Cole), 8-Frank Lampard, 7-Adrian Mutu, 21-Hernan Crespo.

Sparta Prague: 29-Jaromir Blazek, 4-Pavel Pergl, 16-Tomas Huebschman, 22-Jiri Homola, 3-Vladimir Labant, 8-Karel Poborsky, 15-Radoslav Kovac, 7-Lukas Zelenka, 26-Martin Zboncak, 9-Marek Kincl, 21-Tomas Jun.

Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark).

LAZIO v BESIKTAS

Italy international Massimo Oddo returns from suspension to bolster Lazio's defence, after Sinisa Mihajlovic picked up an eight-match ban for spitting at Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu.

In midfield, Stefano Fiore has recovered from the thigh strain that kept him out of Sunday's 3-1 win over Perugia.

Though surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home by Konyaspor in the Turkish league on Saturday, Besiktas remain top of the table and are the first division's only unbeaten side.

Playmaker Sergen Yalcin, who scored twice against Chelsea and set up their late winner for Brazilian Ronaldo Guiaro against Sparta Prague earlier this month, will be the man to watch for Lazio, though Ilhan Mansiz is the main striker.

Probable teams:

Lazio: 1-Angelo Peruzzi, 22-Massimo Oddo, 23-Paolo Negro, 31-Jaap Stam, 19-Giuseppe Favalli, 14-Stefano Fiore, 4-Demetrio Albertini, 16-Giuliano Giannichedda, 10-Dejan Stankovic, 9-Bernardo Corradi, 21-Simone Inzaghi.

Besiktas: 1-Oscar Cordoba, 4-Ahmet Yildirim, 30-Zago, 5-Ronaldo Guiaro, 3-Tayfur Havutcu, 20-Federico Giunti, 19-Ibrahim Uzulmez, 9-Daniel Pancu, 17-Kaan Dobra, 10-Sergen Yalcin, 26-Ilhan Mansiz.

Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).