Chelsea v Levski Sofia - Kick-off 8 p.m. (Sky Sports Extra)
Marcel Desailly has only an even chance of leading Chelsea out for their UEFA Cup first-round tie against Levski Sofia this evening.
"He got a little hit on the ankle last Sunday, I'd say his chances of playing were 50-50," Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said after a wet and blustery practice session at the London club's training ground near Heathrow airport yesterday.
The French central defender managed to complete light training with injured team-mate Roberto Di Matteo, but did not join in the main session. If Desailly fails a late fitness test today, his place will be taken by young compatriot William Gallas, who joined Chelsea at the start of the season.
The English premier league side will also be without suspended Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
Hasselbaink, who grabbed two goals in Chelsea's 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday and was last season's top league scorer, will be replaced by Eidur Gudjohnsen.
Ipswich v Torpedo Moscow - Kick-off 8 p.m. (BBC 1)
Ipswich's first-round match with Torpedo Moscow at Portman Road tonight sees coach George Burley return to the competition which provided his finest moment.
Burley was a full back in Bobby Robson's UEFA Cup-winning side of 1981 but he does not expect to repeat that success two decades on.
The former Scotland international admitted: "Expectations have risen because of the tremendous quality we showed last season, week-in, week-out. But we are striving to get there."
Ipswich, who finished fifth in the Premiership in their first season back in England's top flight, should be able to call on a full-strength squad packed with European experience.
Nigerian winger Finidi George, a Champions League winner with Ajax, should start, as should record-signing Matteo Sereni, the former Sampdoria goalkeeper.
Pablo Counaga, the former Celta Vigo striker, and Martin Reuser, a former Ajax team-mate of George, could also feature at some point.
Maritimo v Leeds Utd - Kick-off 9.45 p.m. (Channel 5)
Rio Ferdinand marches Leeds into UEFA Cup battle today desperate to help the club lift some silverware.
United captain Ferdinand is determined to lead the club to glory after two seasons in which they have come so close, yet have fallen at the semi-final hurdle in the UEFA Cup in 2000 and Champions League earlier this year.
Alan Smith, Ian Harte, Eirik Bakke and Gary Kelly have all claimed Leeds can win the UEFA Cup, echoing the confident cry of manager David O'Leary late last season.
Leeds begin their campaign this evening against Portuguese side Maritimo. Ironically, it was at the Estadio dos Barreiros where United's European adventure started exactly three years ago at the same stage of the same competition following a penalty shoot-out victory in the second leg.
There is also the danger of complacency, but Ferdinand is wary of the threat which will be posed by Maritimo. "We're going to have to be on our guard because they've nothing to lose," warned the 22-year-old England international centre back.
Aston Villa v Varteks - Kick-off 7.45
Aston Villa manager John Gregory issued a "remember Bordeaux" message to his squad as they start out on the UEFA Cup trail against NK Varteks at Villa Park tonight.
Gregory has hardly championed the cause of taking part in the Intertoto Cup as a back-door route into Europe, with its commencement in mid-July giving players less time to recharge over the summer.
But he is all too aware of the achievements of Bordeaux, who three years ago also took part in the Intertoto and went all the way to the UEFA Cup final.
And although Gregory has his feet firmly on the ground, he is conscious of the self belief in his squad to compete with the best and knows the importance of gaining his players European experience via a lengthy run.
"The exploits of Bordeaux are why we were in the Intertoto," said Gregory. "We now find ourselves coming up to our seventh European match already this season. It's been a bit of a long journey just to get to this stage - but Bordeaux showed what can be done."
AEK Athens v Hibernian
Hibernian's Canadian international Paul Fenwick believes his side have a big advantage over UEFA Cup opponents AEK Athens - match sharpness. The Greeks, who reached the quarter-finals last season, are the strong favourites for tonight's game, but the Greek season has yet to kick off so Alex McLeish's side will take a seven-game advantage with them.
Kilmarnock v Viking
Kilmarnock captain Frederic Dindeleux believes if former club Lille can give Manchester United a Champions League scare there is no reason why they themselves cannot make strides on the Europe stage.
Dindeleux said: "Their success was down to hard work and like Kilmarnock they have not had a lot of money to spend, but they have good players and the biggest strength is that they work as a team."
