Dep La Coruna v AC Milan: Deportivo La Coruna will be looking to the history books for comfort as they set about the daunting task of overturning a 4-1 deficit against AC Milan in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tonight.
Three years ago the Galicians were 3-0 down after 55 minutes against Paris St Germain, but went on to stage a remarkable recovery to claim a 4-3 win which secured a place in the last eight.
Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani, who scored a hat-trick as a substitute against PSG, is hoping his side can repeat the trick against the European champions at the Riazor. "It would be a dream if I could score another hat-trick," he told Spanish sports daily AS. "I know I can do it, but the key for us will be to get a goal in the first 15 minutes."
Argentine defender Lionel Scaloni is almost certain to miss out because of a groin injury and in-form winger Victor is doubtful with an ankle injury.
Although Pandiani put Deportivo ahead after 11 minutes of the first leg at the San Siro, Milan stunned the visitors with a four-goal blitz either side of half-time that left them with one foot firmly in the semis.
Since then Milan have drawn against Chievo and Modena in Serie A. Striker Filippo Inzaghi missed crucial chances in both games and Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti will be pondering whether the Italy international or Danish forward Jon Dahl Tomasson should be given the role alongside top scorer Andriy Shevchenko.
The Brazilian Kaka returns after starting on the bench at Modena and central defender Alessandro Nesta, who missed the first leg with injury, is fit again and will partner captain Paolo Maldini in the centre of defence.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA: Molina; Pablo, Andrade, Naybet, Capdevila; Sergio, Duscher, Silva, Luque; Valeron, Pandiani.
AC MILAN: Dida; Cafu, Nesta, Maldini, Pancaro; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Kaka; Inzaghi (or Tomasson), Shevchenko.
Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland)
Olympique Lyon are determined to make up for underperforming in a 2-0 defeat in Porto when they host the Portuguese side in the return leg of their Champions League quarter-final tonight.
"Of course, no game is like any other. But what Porto are not aware of is that they did not see the real Lyon in the first leg. We know we can make it," said Lyon's Belgian defender Eric Deflandre.
"Impossible is not French," added goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, quoting Napoleon Bonaparte.
Porto have only lost twice this season in Europe - against AC Milan in the European Super Cup and against Real Madrid in the Champions League first phase.
They suffered a surprise first league defeat of the season against Gil Vicente on Saturday but Lyon captain Patrick Mueller says the loss will have no bearing on tonight's game.
Porto coach Jose Mourinho is confident his side will progress to the last four. "I'm an optimist," Mourinho told reporters as the squad left for France.
"The defeat at the weekend was an accident but it won't affect our morale. If we were a good team with good players a week ago we haven't suddenly lost all that because of one defeat.
"We're ready for a Lyon side that will be trying to turn the game around. We're the favourites because we're winning 2-0 but plenty of teams have lost from that position."
Lyon will be without injured Brazilian defender Claudio Cacapa and playmaker Eric Carriere. French international striker Sidney Govou, who suffered a left thigh injury at the weekend, has also been ruled out.
Porto's South African striker Benni McCarthy is a doubt with an ankle injury.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
OLYMPIQUE LYON: Coupet; Deflandre, Edmilson, Mueller, Berthod; Diarra, Juninho, Essien; Lyindula, Malouda, Elber.
FC PORTO: Baia; Ferreira, Costa, Carvalho, Nuno, Costinha, Mendes, Alenitchev or Ribeiro, Souza, Alberto, Jankauskas or McCarthy.
Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden)
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