Fortress Highbury

Home form favors Arsenal in deadlocked Group D

LONDON (AP) -- Arsenal finally got its first away point in the Champions League with a draw against Bayer Leverkusen last week. In Wednesday's return match, the Gunners will be relying on their formidable home advantage to break the deadlock in group D.

Juventus, Arsenal, Leverkusen and Deportivo de la Coruna all have four points -- the tightest of the four groups. Juve will be seeking to break a four-year winless streak on the road in the Champions League when it visits Spain's Deportivo.

In Group C matches, Real Madrid will be without four key players when it travels to Portugal's Porto, which is bottom with one point.

After winning all three games in the second phase -- the only team to do so -- Real Madrid has a five point lead over Panathinaikos, which plays third-placed Sparta Prague (3 points).

In London, Arsenal hopes to win its seventh successive Champions League game at Highbury. Since switching its European ties from Wembley to Highbury in 2000, Arsenal has relished playing at home.

The Gunners were foiled last week by a late equalizer by Leverkusen, but won 4-1 against Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.

"That win against Fulham was the perfect preparation," French striker Thierry Henry said. "We are always confident at home. But it'll be tough because Leverkusen can go forward really well and could catch us on the break if we are not careful."

Freddie Ljungberg is out of the match with injury, along with defenders Martin Keown, Tony Adams and Matthew Upson. Ray Parlour is suspended after being sent off in Leverkusen.

"I was disappointed not to win at Leverkusen, but I felt it was important for the team to come back with something," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "The players were fairly happy to get something away from home and they know it's now down to what we can do at Highbury."

Bayer Leverkusen jumped to the top of the Bundesliga with a 4-0 thrashing of then leader Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

"We hope this gives us the confidence to start winning away. We haven't been doing that well away from home," said Leverkusen's Michael Ballack, who scored a goal along with Carsten Ramelow, Oliver Neuville and Dimitar Berbatov.

The last three times Deportivo has played Juventus, the game has ended in a draw - the previous a scoreless tie last week in Turin. The Spaniards have never beaten an Italian opponent in Champions League competition, but have history on their side.

Juve has struggled away from home -- its last away win in the Champions League was in March 1998, 13 matches ago. Juve scrambled to a 2-2 draw against cross-city rival Torino on Sunday, relinquishing top spot in the Serie A.

"After such a furious chase to get to get to the top of the Serie A standings the team has suffered a psychological drop in performance, but importantly not a physical one," said coach Marcello Lippi.

French striker David Trezeguet was optimistic about the team's chances in Spain.

"La Coruna will be a hostile environment, but Juventus is used to this sort of reception and we'll go there to win," he said.

Injured defenders Paolo Montero and Igor Tudor will miss the match. In midfield, Lippi may give 22-year-old prospect Enzo Maresca -- hero of the draw against Torino -- a place in the starting lineup.

After a win over Zaragoza on Saturday, Deportivo is confident against Juventus. The winner was scored by Diego Tristan, his fourth goal in as many matches.

"All I ask for is a little luck," said Deportivo coach Javier Irureta, who believed Juve's away statistics were somewhat misleading. "It's a really important match. Juventus is much more dangerous away from home and it will also benefit from the return of (Pavel) Nedved, a marvellous player."

In group C, Real Madrid will be without Luis Figo with an ankle injury, while coach Vicente del Bosque will also rest striker Raul Gonzalez, Roberto Carlos and Zinedine Zidane. Madrid won 1-0 at home last week.

With the club's leading striker Fernando Morientes doubtful with a bruised foot, 19-year-old Javier Portillo could earn his first start. Wednesday begins a tough week for Madrid -- on Saturday it plays title challenger Celta de Vigo and Wednesday plays Deportivo in the Copa del Rey final.

"We must forget about everything else and just concentrate on ourselves," said captain Fernando Hierro. "We can start by beating Porto and gaining a place in the quarterfinals."

Porto has a confidence crisis after losing against minnow Beira Mar in the Portuguese league last weekend to slip eight points behind leader Sporting. The club must beat Madrid to have any chance of advancing. Coach Jose Mourinho has dropped Brazilian striker Pena and is likely to play Helder Postiga up front.

Panathinaikos' newly hired coach Sergio Markarian fears his club's 0-0 draw with last place Panachaiki on Saturday could affect morale against Sparta Prague. The Greek club won 2-0 in Prague last Tuesday.

"Don't let the win in Prague fool you ... Sparta will be completely different in Athens," Markarian said.

Sparta Prague has defensive problems, with Zdenek Grygera and Pavel Mares out with injury and Tomas Hubschman suspended. Coach Jaroslav Hrebik is likely to field midfielder Jiri Jarosik at the back.

"I can't see any other option," Hrebik said. "It's a risk."

 

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