English giants Manchester United and Arsenal, who saw their high-speed Champions League campaigns hit the buffers last time out, aim to get back on track on Tuesday.
Premiership leaders United travel to Celtic still smarting from a humbling 1-0 defeat at FC Copenhagen, which shattered their 100% start.
Alex Ferguson’s team are still overwhelming favourites to make the next stage as they have a three-point lead over Celtic and a five-point advantage over Benfica and Copenhagen with just two games left.
Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, boasted two wins from their first two games, but have since taken just a point from two matches with Group G leaders CSKA Moscow.
Arsene Wenger’s Gunners, who take on already eliminated Hamburg on Tuesday, face a tight race to the finish. CSKA lead by a point from Arsenal and FC Porto going into the last two matches.
”I want to win at Celtic Park because it is important to finish first in the section,” said Ferguson, whose team won the first match 3-2 at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
”But I would also like to see Celtic finish second. It would be great for them and Scottish football.
”I’m keen to finish the job in Glasgow, though. We wanted to do it against FC Copenhagen earlier this month but lost. Celtic are a better side now and this will not be an easy game.”
Celtic, who have won both their home games so against Benfica and FC Copenhagen, slumped to a 3-0 defeat in Portugal last time out but manager Gordon Strachan believes home support will be crucial.
”There is something magical about these types of games at Celtic Park, which has been created over the years, and I want to keep that going by giving the fans a game to remember,” said Strachan, a former United player.
United have a full squad to choose from after Ryan Giggs recovered from a knock he picked up on international duty with Wales to play in the 2-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday.
Celtic have injury worries over striker Kenny Miller, who is struggling with an ankle problem, and central defender Gary Caldwell who limped off with a knee knock during the 3-0 victory of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Guinean international defender Bobo Balde is in line to take Caldwell’s place.
Arsenal could and should have defeated CSKA at the Emirates Stadium three weeks ago but squandered a host of chances. They had 21 shots but were unable to find a way past CSKA goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.
”We had enough opportunities to win that game and at one point the CSKA centre back said to me, ‘There’s only one team on the pitch’. Sometimes that’s not enough, though, and at the end we nearly lost the game,” said striker Thierry Henry.
”Porto have to go to Moscow and we have to go to their ground so we’ll see how it’s going to be. First we must just make sure we beat Hamburg.”
Porto, the champions in 2004 under current Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, go to Russia having persuaded coach Jesualdo Ferreira to sign a one-year extension through to 2008.
In Group H, six-time champions AC Milan need just a point in Greece against AEK Athens to make the knockout round with veteran skipper Paolo Maldini insisting that the team’s poor domestic form could even be a good omen.
On Saturday, Milan, who began their Seria A campaign with an eight-point handicap for their involvement in the Italian match-fixing scandal, drew 0-0 at Empoli.
The result ended a run of three straight defeats but left them on eight points, 22 behind leaders Inter and just four clear of the relegation zone.
”This season reminds me of the 2002/03 season when we had some problems in the league and then had great success in the Champions League,” said Maldini.
In Group E, Real Madrid face Lyon with both sides already assured of their places in the last 16.
Guti, sent off in Saturday’s Spanish league win over Racing Santander, and Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro are both suffering from knee and leg muscle strains.
Midfielder Mahamadou Diarra faces his old team who, in turn, have problems with injuries to strikers Fred and Karim Benzema, who are out until the new year.
Fellow forwards Sidney Govou (thigh strain) and Sylvain Wiltord (gastroenteritis) are also sweating on their fitness. — Sapa-AFP