Inter Milan v Manchester United
The much waited match of the day contesting between the champions of Italy with the Champions of World, Europe and English football playing each other . It will be the battle between the two best managers in Europe – Ferguson the long serving coach of United and Mourinho the new one in the block who can claim to be Fergie’s real successor . With his spells with Porto , Chelsea and now with Inter the Portuguese has shown that he is also a genius
Defensively United are in trouble now with Vidic suspended and Evans & O’shea injured United does not have two experienced centre backs in the back. With Neville and Brown also injured United somehow have got a defensive crisis. But otherwise they are flying high in their league and it is a chance for van der Sar to break the European record for keeping maximum hours without conceding
Battles will be fought between the United forwards and their counterparts. Though it is seen as a battle between Ronaldo and Ibramovic Rooney and Berbatov will have main hand on the outcome on the match. Rooney is in fine form and he is not showing any signs of the hamstring problem which sidelined him for 7 matches.
Inter coach Jose Mourinho has similar, if less extreme, problems to negotiate.Argentine defender Walter Samuel is unlikely to make his starting line-up after missing the weekend's 2-1 victory over Bologna with a calf injury. With Italy international Marco Matterazzi also struggling to recover in time for the Italian champions, the heart of their backline will be selected from Ivan Cordoba, Cristian Chivu and Nicolas Burdisso.
Atletico v Porto
Atletico have lost six of their last 11 games in an alarming slide that has already cost coach Javier Aguirre his job.
Replacement Abel Resino won his opening fixture but has since overseen a draw and a defeat as Atletico slipped to seventh in the table.
But none of that will count for anything in the eyes of Lopez when they take the field on Tuesday.
"The path that we're following is the right one and the team's attitude was good," captain Lopez said..
"When you concede a goal at the end of the match you get down, but we can't drop our heads. We have another final on Tuesday against Porto.
"We have to try and forget about the bad things and focus on Champions League.
"We have to put league play aside and approach Tuesday's encounter with a different mentality. We have to win in any way possible in front of our supporters."
While problems have been mounting in the league, Atletico - who have never lost to Portuguese opposition at home - have been strong at the Vicente Calderon, winning two and drawing one of their European matches there this season.
While there is plenty of talent in the Atletico squad, it is thin in places and Resino must find a balance with tough league fixtures coming up against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Villarreal.
Star striker Sergio Aguero was a substitute at the weekend after becoming a father for the first time earlier in the week, but is expected to start tomorrow night.
Luis Garcia and Ever Banega are out injured, as is Colombia defender Luis Perea who was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured cheekbone in a frightening collision early in the Sevilla match.
While Atletico are slumping, Porto travel to Madrid in buoyant mood after starting the year with five wins and two draws to move four points clear at the top of the Lig table.
Coach Jesualdo Ferreira last week claimed he was not looking ahead to the Atletico match as he planned for the weekend fixtures, but nevertheless rested key players Lucho Gonzalez and Cristian Rodriguez for the 2-0 win over Pacos de Ferreira on Friday night.
Porto have an impressive array of attacking options available with Lisandro Lopez and the Brazilian Hulk also making the trip.
A knee strain will keep left-back Nelson Benitez on the sidelines, making room for young Frenchman Aly Cissokho.
Uruguayan Jorge Fucile is available after shaking off an ankle injury.
Lyon v Barcelona
Barcelona will be trying to keep their fine form when they take on Lyon. They have never lost any match to Lyon .They will be trying to erase their recent defeat to Espanyol . Lyon will be hoping for a magic performance from Benzema . The striker is currently the joint top scorer in the competition .
Primera Liga leaders Barca have been installed as heavy favourites to see off Les Gones, who are constant under-achievers in Europe's elite competition.
Puel believes his team have the ability to cause an upset but admits it is a tough ask to get the better of the Blaugrana over two legs.
"It's the most difficult draw we could have faced, given that Barca is the best team in the world at the moment," Puel said ahead of tomorrow's first leg, which takes place at the Stade Gerland.
"Barca are stronger than us. It's a pleasure to watch them play - they have everything in their team to produce great football.
"They have some great individual players, but they play with a team spirit and a strong mindset. It'll be tough for us but I think we have a chance if we play as a team.
"Obviously we don't have as many stars as Barca, but we have our own resources."
The teams come into the match having experienced contrasting fortunes in their respective leagues at the weekend.
Barca were beaten 2-1 at home by neighbours Espanyol and saw their lead at the top of the table cut to seven points as a result of second-placed Real Madrid's 6-1 win over Real Betis.
Lyon, meanwhile, extended their cushion at the summit of Ligue 1 to six points thanks to their 2-0 victory at Nancy.
They have won four of their last five league games and their confidence has flooded back after a sticky spell before the winter break.
Their backline has also improved since the start of the season, with Jean-Alain Boumsong and Cris proving an obdurate central-defensive partnership.
Barca captain Carles Puyol is confident his team-mates will have forgotten about the Espanyol defeat - and the draw against Real Betis a week earlier - by the time they run out at the Stade Gerland.
"Losing always hurts, you feel it in the dressing room. But we're looking forward to the next match," said the Spain defender.
"We haven't had good results in the last two games, but we haven't lost our self-confidence. We know where we are going and we have to continue playing in the same style."
On the match against Lyon, he added: "It's 50/50. They're a solid team with some great players."
Barca will be without France left-back Eric Abidal, who has been ruled out for at least two months with an adductor injury sustained against Espanyol.
Key Lyon players Karim Benzema, Juninho, Ederson and Fabio Grosso started on the bench against Nancy, with the first three coming on as second-half substitutes.
They will all return to the starting line-up, as should winger Kader Keita, who was an unused substitute at the weekend.
The right-back position is still a major concern for Puel, with Anthony Reveillere and Francois Clerc still out with long-term knee injuries.
Midfielder Fabio Santos has been filling in there over the past few weeks but he is also out injured. Centre-back John Mensah should move over to the right
Arsenal v Roma
Injury plagued Arsenal will be hoping to overcome Roma. Arsenal will be without Andrey Arshavin for their last 16 Champions League first-leg tie against Roma on Tuesday.
The Russian is ineligible having played for Zenit St Petersburg in the competition, while strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Eduardo are injured.
Boss Arsene Wenger is already without key players Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott.
Abou Diaby should be fit after a thigh problem, while Niklas Bendtner is set to start alongside Robin van Persie.
With his potential firepower severely curtailed, Wenger is more concerned about conceding a vital away goal against a Roma side boasting the attacking threat of Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi and former Gunner Julio Baptista.
While Luciano Spalletti's side are 16 points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan, Wenger believes Brazilian Denilson will have a key role to play in nullifying Roma's strong midfield.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Gallas, Toure, Clichy, Nasri, Denilson, Eboue, Bendtner, Van Persie, Fabianski, Djourou, Gibbs, Wilshere, Vela, Song, Ramsey, Diaby.
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