Ajax will be without several key players when they play host to Roma in Amsterdam tonight.

Midfielder Rafael vander Vaart and striker Victor Sikora have joined an absentee list that includes captain Cristian Chivu and midfielder Tomas Galasek (both suspended), defenders John O’Brien and Johnny Heitinga, and keeper Bogdan Lobont (all injured).

Van der Vaart tore a muscle in his left thigh during Saturday’s Dutch League match against DeGraafschap and will be sidelined for up to two weeks. Sikora will be out for at least six weeks after damaging knee cartliage in the same match.

Roma will be without striker Marco Delvecchio and midfielder Damiano Tomassi. Delvecchio has a muscular injury in his left leg while the combative Tomassi is nursing a bruised foot.

However defender Christian Panucci did travel after recovering from the hip injury he sustained in the 1-0 defeat at Milan on Saturday. Captain Francesco Totti returns to the Roma side after being suspended against Milan.

Probable teams:
Ajax: Didulica – Trabelsi, Bergdolmo, Pasanen – Maxwell, Pienaar, Witschge, De Jong – Jari Litmanen – Van der Meyde or Ibrahimovic, Mido.
Roma: Antonioli – Zebina, Samuel, Aldair or Dellas, Panucci, Cafu – Lima, Emerson, Candela – Totti, Montella.