Champions League matches in Group H
Factbox on Wednesday's matches in Group H of the Champions League:
Factbox on Wednesday's matches in Group H of the Champions League:
AJAX AMSTERDAM v CELTA VIGO
Ajax started their preparations for their third Group H match without defenders Zdenek Grygera and Julien Escude, who both trained separately from the squad.
Czech international Grygera made his comeback last Friday against Volendam after a month's absence with a hamstring injury, while French defender Escude had a minor back problem but both are expected to be fit for the match.
Midfielder Jari Litmanen is likely to make his return in Ronald Koeman's squad but will start on the bench for the Amsterdam side.
Celta coach Miguel Angel Lotina will be able to play Peter Luccin in the Champions League for the first time after the French midfielder completed his suspension in the side's goalless draw with AC Milan.
Lotina will be forced into changes from the side that lost 2-0 at home to Real Madrid on Saturday, however, with Jose Ignacio still suspended and Gustavo Lopez injured.
Everton Giovanella is likely to come in for Jose Ignacio in the centre, with Jesuli deputising for Lopez on the left.
Probable teams:
Ajax: 1-Bogdan Lobont, 2-Hatem Trabelsi, 3-Petri Pasanen, 4-Julien Escude, 15-Maxwell, 8-Steven Pienaar, 6-Tomas Galasek, 10-Rafael van der Vaart, 19-Wesley Sonck, 9-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 7-Tom Soetaers.
Celta: 13-Jose Manuel Pinto, 2-Juan Velasco, 4-Fernando Caceres, 15-Pablo Contreras, 14-Juanfran, 7-Vagner, 5-Everton Giovanella, 22-Peter Luccin, 20-Jesuli, 10-Alexander Mostovoi, 9-Savo Milosevic.
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).
AC MILAN v CLUB BRUGES
European champions AC Milan will be without the tireless running of Italy midfielder Gennaro Gattuso who is serving the second game of a two-match ban after being red-carded during Milan's opening match against Ajax. Gattuso is likely to be replaced on the right by Cristian Brocchi.
Brazilian world champion Rivaldo is recovering from influenza and makes way for Rui Costa in the playmaker's position behind Filippo Inzaghi and Andriy Shevchenko.
Bruges coach Trond Sollied is likely to switch from his favoured 4-3-3 system to a 5-4-1 line-up at the San Siro.
Sollied is still without injured Gaetan Englebert, but his fellow midfielder Alin Stoica has recovered from a twisted ankle and resumed training with the squad.
Serhiy Serebrennikov, who has overcome a bout of influenza, and Gert Verheyen, who had was sidelined for 10 days because of a knee problem, are also available again.
Norwegian forwards Bengt Saeternes and Rune Lange are fully fit and will be on the bench.
Probable teams:
AC Milan: 12-Dida, 19-Alessandro Costacurta, 13-Alessandro Nesta, 3-Paolo Maldini, 26-Giuseppe Pancaro, 32-Cristian Brocchi, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 22-Kaka, 10-Rui Costa, 9-Filippo Inzaghi, 7-Andriy Shevchenko.
Club Bruges: 1-Dany Verlinden, 2-Olivier De Cock, 26-Birger Maertens, 3-Timmy Simons, 4-David Rozenhal, 5-Peter Van Der Heyden, 10-Nastja Ceh, 6-Philippe Clement, 17-Ivan Gvozdenovic, 11-Sandy Martens, 18-Andres Mendoza.
Referee: Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norway).