Champions League matches on Tuesday
Team news and probable line-ups for Tuesday's matches in the first knockout round of the Champions League:
Team news and probable line-ups for Tuesday's matches in the first knockout round of the Champions League:
SPARTA PRAGUE v AC MILAN
Sparta go into the game after seeing their already fading hopes of retaining the Czech title dealt another blow by a 0-0 draw on Saturday with mid-table Pribram.
On the plus side, Sparta have no injury problems and will look to striker Jiri Stajner for the kind of flair he showed last week by scoring in the Czech Republic's 2-2 friendly draw with Italy.
For Milan, a hip injury to Danish striker Jon Dahl Tomasson should give Filippo Inzaghi the chance to start alongside Andriy Shevchenko.
Behind them, 21-year-old Brazilian Kaka is expected to take the playmaker's role, while in defence Alessandro Costacurta replaces Alessandro Nesta, who picked up a thigh strain during Milan's 3-2 victory over city rivals Inter at the weekend.
Probable teams:
Sparta: 29-Jaromir Blazek, 4-Pavel Pergl, 16-Tomas Huebschman, 17-Petr Johana, 3-Vladimir Labant, 8-Karel Poborsky, 15-Radoslav Kovac, 7-Lukas Zelenka, 10-Rastislav Michalik, 27-Igor Gluscevic, 24-Jiri Stajner.
Milan: 12-Dida, 2-Cafu, 19-Alessandro Costacurta, 3-Paolo Maldini, 4-Kakhaber Kaladze, 8-Gennaro Gattuso, 21-Andrea Pirlo, 20-Clarence Seedorf, 22-Kaka; 9-Filippo Inzaghi, 7-Andriy Shevchenko.
Referee: Graham Poll (England).
CELTA VIGO v ARSENAL
Celta, who slipped to 16th place in the league after their defeat by Malaga on Saturday, are likely to be without Spanish forward Jesuli and Argentine winger Gustavo Lopez for their return to European duty.
Jesuli lasted just 10 minutes on before breaking down with a leg muscle problem, while Lopez is struggling with a left thigh strain and is unlikely to recover in time.
Coach Radomir Antic, who took over from Miguel Angel Lotina last month, will also be without longer-term injury victims Juanfran and Everton Giovanella, while Sasa Ilic, who has looked a class act since his move from Partizan Belgrade in January, will be ineligible.
The only good news is that Alexander Mostovoi should be fit again after suffering a muscle strain in training last week.
Premier league leaders Arsenal have been boosted by the news that captain Patrick Vieira is fit to play after suffering a knock to his knee in Saturday's win at Chelsea.
Brazilian Gilberto hurt his ankle again in that game, though, and is out, opening the way for Swede Freddie Ljungberg to return after his rib injury. Left back Ashley Cole is still out with a back problem. Teenager Gael Clichy will deputise.
Striker Dennis Bergkamp does not travel so Spaniard Jose Antonio Reyes is set to partner Thierry Henry in attack.
Probable teams:
Celta Vigo: 1-Pablo Cavallero, 2-Juan Velasco, 23-Sergio, 6-Eduardo Berizzo, 3-Silvinho, 8-Angel, 22-Peter Luccin, 7-Vagner, 19-Luis Edu, 10-Alexander Mostovoi, 9-Savo Milosevic.
Arsenal: 1-Jens Lehmann, 12-Lauren, 28-Kolo Toure, 23-Sol Campbell, 22-Gael Clichy, 8-Freddie Ljungberg, 17-Edu, 4-Patrick Vieira, 7-Robert Pires, 14-Thierry Henry, 9-Jose Antonio Reyes.
Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden).
LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW v MONACO
Lokomotiv will be without suspended South African defender Jacob Lekgetho for their first competitive outing since a 2-0 defeat by Arsenal in London in their final Group B match on December 10.
Russian international Marat Izmailov, battling a series of back and leg injuries, is doubtful against the French league leaders, although Lokomotiv coach Yuri Syomin indicated that the midfielder might see some action.
Russia striker Dmitry Sychev, who joined from Olympique Marseille last month, is unavailable after having already played for the French club in the Champions League this season.
Monaco, who thrashed Montpellier 4-0 on Friday with a hat-trick by Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor, have been hit by injury problems.
Skipper Ludovic Giuly has not fully recovered from a foot injury and is likely to miss the game.
"It would be too big a risk to play. If I get another knock I'll be out for six weeks," the French international said on Saturday.
Monaco are already without centre back Sebastien Squillaci (leg injury). However, they can count on strikers Dado Prso and Fernando Morientes, who scored nine goals between them in the group phase.
Probable teams:
Lokomotiv Moscow: 1-Sergei Ovchinnikov, 2-Gennady Nizhegorodov, 14-Oleg Pashinin, 16-Vadim Yevseyev, 17-Dmitry Sennikov, 8-Vladimir Maminov, 10-Dmitry Loskov, 28-Dmitry Khokhlov, 99-Jorge Wagner, 32-Mikheil Ashvetia, 50-James Obiorah or 52-Winston Parks.
Monaco: 30-Flavio Roma, 4-Hugo Ibarra, 32-Gael Givet, 27-Julien Rodriguez, 3-Patrice Evra, 14-Edouard Cisse, 15-Andreas Zikos, 7-Lucas Bernardi, 25-Jerome Rothen, 9-Dado Prso, 10-Fernando Morientes.
Referee: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain).
BAYERN MUNICH v REAL MADRID
Bayern playmaker Michael Ballack and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn were both able to train on Sunday and should start the game.
The pair missed Saturday's 1-0 Bundesliga win over Hamburg SV with bronchitis and a sore back respectively. The victory enabled the second-placed German champions to close the gap on leaders Werder Bremen to seven points.
Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld can count on his strongest team -- with the exception of Germany midfielder Sebastian Deisler, who resumed training recently after being treated for depression and hopes to be back before the end of the season.
Real coach Carlos Queiroz should have the luxury of fielding his full complement of big-name players after Luis Figo shrugged off a thigh injury to play the second half of Saturday's 4-2 win away to Espanyol.
Ivan Helguera took a blow to the knee in that game but will be fit to play at centre-back, according to club doctor Juan Carlos Hernandez.
The only question mark will be the choice of partner for David Beckham in the centre of midfield, with Guti and Esteban Cambiasso the candidates.
Probable teams:
Bayern Munich: 1-Oliver Kahn, 2-Willy Sagnol, 4-Samuel Kuffour, 6-Martin Demichelis, 3-Bixente Lizarazu, 23-Owen Hargreaves, 13-Michael Ballack, 11-Ze Roberto, 24-Roque Santa Cruz, 10-Roy Makaay, 14-Claudio Pizarro.
Real Madrid: 1-Iker Casillas, 2-Michel Salgado, 6-Ivan Helguera, 15-Raul Bravo, 3-Roberto Carlos, 10-Luis Figo, 23-David Beckham, 14-Guti, 5-Zinedine Zidane, 7-Raul, 9-Ronaldo.
Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway).