Guns blazing

Arsenal targets quarters against weakened Juve

LONDON (AP) -- Arsenal has a complicated list of criteria to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. At least Juventus is giving the Gunners a hand by fielding a second-strength team for Wednesday's Group D match in Turin.

Deportivo de La Coruna, which plays Bayer Leverkusen, has already advanced to the quarterfinals. The Spaniards lead with 10 points, followed by Arsenal (7), Leverkusen (7) and Juventus (4).

Real Madrid, which has already clinched first place in Group C, plays Panathinaikos. The Greek team will advance with a draw. Third-place Porto, which still has a chance to advance, travels to bottom club Sparta Prague.

The other quarterfinal places were being completed Tuesday, with Manchester United and Bayern Munich already through in Group A. AS Roma, FC Barcelona, Galatasaray and Liverpool were fighting it out for final spots in Group B.

A five-point UEFA checklist is needed to determine who will advance.

Juventus, which is eliminated from Champions League contention, goes into the game against Arsenal with a severely weakened team. With the Turin squad only one point behind AS Roma and Internazionale in a tight Italian league race, most of its stars will likely be rested.

"It's our own fault that we're out of the [Champions] Cup," Juventus coach Marcello Lippi said, referring to his club's 3-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen last Tuesday. "[But] we've still got a match Wednesday, even if it's a meaningless game."

Italian national team striker Alessandro Del Piero is resting an ankle injury, while French defender Lilian Thuram, Uruguayan defender Paolo Montero and Chilean striker Marcelo Salas are also out.

"I've got lots of problems for the game of tomorrow," Lippi said. "David Trezeguet is unavailable, [Pavel] Nedved has an ankle injury, as does [Igor] Tudor plus the usual Del Piero, Thuram and Montero and Salas.

"Also we've got [Ciro] Ferrara out suspended for one game. [Alessio] Tacchinardi will probably start from the bench after picking up a right thigh injury.

"I also need to think about the squad for Saturday against Parma which is very important for us."

Arsenal is still on track to win three trophies -- the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions Cup.

"It's in our hands," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "It's March and we're still in all three competitions. Why shouldn't we do it?"

Arsenal beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday, a match marked by a spectacular goal from Robert Pires and an outstanding penalty save by England goalkeeper David Seaman. The Gunners, one point behind leader Manchester United with a game in hand, are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League away games. But Arsenal has not won away in the second phase of the Champions League.

Deportivo needs just one point to clinch first place in the group. Both Arsenal and Leverkusen can advance depending on the other's result.

"They might lack that sharp edge which you have when you can qualify," Wenger said of Juve, who are expected to only attract 10,000 fans to its 69,000-capacity Stadio Delle Alpi.

"But we must still be cautious as they have nothing to lose and can play freely. They might play very well as they could have a few squad players involved who have something to prove."

Striker Thierry Henry is eligible to play despite a domestic suspension, while forward Dennis Bergkamp, who is afraid of flying, did not travel by road to Turin.

Deportivo, which outclassed Arsenal 2-0 at Highbury last week, is bidding to clinch first place by drawing with Bayer Leverkusen.

Coach Javier Irureta says he will make several changes from the side which performed impressively in the 3-1 win over Osasuna on Saturday.

"It could be seven, eight or nine," Irureta said. The club's inform striker Diego Tristan, who scored a hat trick Saturday to take his season's tally to 15, is likely to be on the bench.

Argentine right back Lionel Scaloni and international midfielder Victor Sanchez are suspended for the match.

Bayer Leverkusen wants a win.

"It makes no sense to go for a tie in La Coruna. Only a win takes us through for sure and I am sure that we can clinch it," goalkeeper Joerg Butt said.

Coach Klaus Toppmoeller could reshuffle his 11, perhaps leaving only one striker, Bulgaria's Dimitar Berbatov.

Panathinaikos chases a point against Real Madrid to advance to the quarterfinals. If it loses, Panathinaikos would need for Sparta to win or draw against Porto in Prague. If Panathinaikos loses and Porto wins, Porto qualifies.

Real is likely to rest Raul Gonzalez, Roberto Carlos, Zinedine Zidane and Michel Salgado. In addition, Luis Figo and defender Aitor Karanka are injured, resulting in seven reserve players being called up for the match.

But Panathinaikos coach Sergio Markarian said his team could not get complacent.

"Real is Real with whatever players. This is something that you shouldn't forget," Markarian said.

In Portugal, Brazilian playmaker Deco is back from an ankle injury for FC Porto but first-choice goalkeeper Vitor Baia remains sidelined with a knee injury. Right-back Carlos Secretario is suspended after being sent off against last week's 2-1 win over Panathinaikos, the Portuguese side's only second-phase win.

Sparta may be missing key striker Libor Sionko, who was taken off the field during Sunday's 1-1 tie with Viktoria Zizkov with concussion and a broken tooth.

 

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