Group D
Deportivo La Coruna v Basle
two months and after last week’s defeat in Basle, Depor coach Javier Irureta will be relieved to have his playmaker available again.

‘You are normally eased back into action after an injury, but that’s for the coach to decide. I feel great and hope to play,” Valeron said.

Depor bounced back from last week’s defeat with a 6-0 thrashing of Alaves on Saturday. Diego Tristan scored a hat-trick in that game and that should be enough to persuade Irureta to play him alongside Roy Makaay up front.

For Basle, coach Christian Gross has doubts over defenders Murat Yakin and Marco Zwyssig. Captain Yakin missed Saturday’s 3-0 Swiss Cup victory over Yverdon because of flu, while Zwyssig picked up a calf injury in the samegame. Alexandre Quennoz is on stand-by.

Gross seemed unperturbed by the prospect of losing his skipper.

“I never doubt my team and I have full confidence in all of my players,’ he claimed. ‘Quennoz has already shown his qualities in the matches against Liverpool.’

Hakan Yakin, who scored the winner in the 1-0 home win over Deportivo last week, returns to the side after being rested at the weekend, as does fellow striker Christian Gimenez. Midfielders Antonio Esposito and Ivan Ergic are still out injured.

Deportivo are bottom of the group and if they are to reach the quarter-finals they must win tonight.

Probable teams:
Deportivo: Deportivo: Juanmi, Hector, Noureddine Naybet, Jorge Andrade, Joan Capdevila, Lionel Scaloni, Aldo Duscher, Sergio, Juan Carlos Valeron, Diego Tristan, Roy Makaay.
Basel: Pascal Zuberbuehler, Bernt Haas,Alexandre Quennoz, Marco Zwyssig, Thimothee Atouba, Mario Cantaluppi, Scott Chipperfield, Sebastien Barberis, Hakan Yakin, Julio Hernan Rossi, Christian Gimenez.

Juventus v Manchester United

With one eye on next weekend’s Worthington Cup final, Ferguson has left England duo Paul Scholes and Wes Brown in Englannd to nurse injuries. However, Mikael Silvestre has made the trip despite missing Saturday’s draw at Bolton with an ankle injury.

Ferguson has often cited Juventus as the yardstick by which other clubs in Europe should be measured. Hs admiration for the club and coach Marrcello Lippi, is well known and the United boss has predicted an exciting match tonight.

“Juventus are back at their strongest now and that is better for everyone,’ said Ferguson.

‘Sometimes it can be difficult to play against a team you know are under strength, like they were last week, so it should be a fantastic game.”

Juventus, who were hit by a flu bug for last week’s 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, will field a much stronger side this time around.

Edgar Davids and Lilian Thuram are the the only absentees from training nd both are expected to be fit for the match. Long-term absentee Alessandro Del Piero is still injured while midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi is suspended. Croatian defender Igor Tudor could returnto the side in a central midfield role.

According to coach Lippi, Juventus, who currently top Serie A, approach the match in good spirits.

“We are going through a good period now and have several players in good form,” Lippi said.

“United are one of the strongest teams in Europe. It will be a great match and the stadium is likely to be full, which is good.”

Probable teams:
: Buffon, Thuram, Ferrara, Montero, Zambrotta, Davids, Conte (or Tudor), Camoranesi, Di Vaio, Nedved, Trezeguet.
Manchester United (from): Barthez, Carroll, Ricardo, G Neville, Silvestre, Ferdinand, O’Shea, Beckham, Butt, P Neville, Keane, Veron, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer, Forlan, Stewart, Pugh, Richardson, Fletcher.

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