Liverpool and Real Madrid, with an astonishing 13 European
titles between them, face the humiliating prospect of being dumped
out of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Liverpool, who has lifted the continental crown five times, is
in the most precarious position having to travel to France where
only a Group A win will suffice against 1993 winners Marseille in
the imposing Stade Velodrome.
Eight-time champion Real is in a better position. It tackles
Lazio at the Bernabau needing only a draw to make the knockout
rounds but wary that a heavy defeat could send it heading for the
exit from Group C.
In Group B, Chelsea, who has already made sure of its place in
the last 16, welcomes struggling Valencia who can only hope to aim
for a UEFA Cup place.
Liverpool, runner-up last season and champion for the fifth time
as recently as 2005, suffered the worst possible preparation for
its trip to the south of France when it was beaten 3-1 by Reading
in the Premiership at the weekend.
But manager Rafael Benitez is confident his team, who has
reignited its European campaign with 12 goals in its last two ties,
can secure the three points it needs.
"We have experience of finals so we will do the same thing we
were doing before. It is an important game but the players have
experience of those," said Benitez.
"Since I have been here we have been in seven finals. We have
won four so we have enough experience and quality in the squad to
win."
Both Marseille and Liverpool have seven points, one behind group
leader Porto, but a draw could be enough for the French side to
qualify after Eric Gerets' men won the first match between the two
at Anfield.
Marseille warmed up for the do-or-die clash with a 2-0 win over
Monaco in the French championship on Saturday.
Gerets believes his team's occasionally fickle fans could be key
on Tuesday. "There's been a change in the behavior of our fans,"
said the former Belgian international.
"I was pleasantly surprised by the support we had throughout the
90 minutes on Saturday. On Tuesday, against Liverpool, we will need
even a little more."
Porto, the 2004 champion, needs just a draw at home to Besiktas
to make the last 16. The Turks, crushed 8-0 by Liverpool on their
last Champions League trip and are bottom of Group A, need to win
to qualify.
Besiktas coach Ertugrul Saglam said: "Our total focus is on the
Porto game which is important both for us and Turkish football. Our
aim is to write a new page in the club's history."
Real is confident Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will be fit
to face Lazio and fire it into the next stage.
Van Nistelrooy limped out of Saturday's 1-0 win over Athletic
Bilbao after scoring his seventh league goal of the season.
"I had some problems with my calf muscle towards the end of the
game but I'll definitely be ready for Tuesday," said the
31-year-old.
Madrid needs just a point to ensure qualification and with four
goals in the competition van Nistelrooy has a crucial role.
Olympiakos and Werder Bremen meet in the other Group C game with
the Greeks, who won 3-1 in Germany in the first meeting, favorites
to join Real in the next stage.
Chelsea, who reached the semifinals last season, is already
assured of top spot in Group B with three wins and two draws in its
five games.
The Londoners will again be missing Ivory Coast striker Didier
Drogba who has undergone knee surgery with the player battling to
be fit for the African Nations Cup in Ghana, which kicks off on
January 20.
Schalke 04 of Germany faces Rosenborg in the battle for the
second qualifying place with the Norwegians needing just a point to
go through.
(Agencies via China Daily December 11, 2007)