Group C
Milan v Borussia Dortmund
With one point separating the two teams, Sammer is looking for a good display to give his team a fighting chance.
“We have nothing to lose,” he said. “We can only give our all and show what we can do.”
Dortmund though are missing the influential Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky who has a thigh injury. Also doubtful is his compatriot Jan Koller. The giant striker is struggling with a calf problem. If Koller is pronounced fit, Sammer will pick him in a three-pronged attack with Brazilians Ewerthon and Marcio Amoroso.
Having already qualified for the next stage, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has resisted the temptation to rest his key players for the visit of Dortmund, instead vowing to pick his strongest side.
He said: “Every game is important for us and this one especially so. We want to raise morale and the belief of the squad ahead of Saturday’s game and I will of course play my best team.”
Ancelotti though is without several key players going into this game. Missing will be defenders Kakha Kaladze, Thomas Helveg, Jose Chamot and Roque Junior.
Midfielders Serginho and Massimo Ambrosini are also out due to injuries. Andrei Shevchenko and Jon Dahl Tomasson are set to start up front.
Probable Teams
Milan: Christian Abbiati, Dario Simic, Alessandro Nesta, Alessandro Costacurta, Paolo Maldini, Samuele Dalla Bona, Clarence Seedorf, Fernando Redondo, Cristian Brocchi, Rui Costa, Andriy Shevchenko.
Borussia Dortmund: Jens Lehmann, Christoph Metzelder, Christian Woerns, Evanilson, Stefan Reuter, TorstenFrings, Sebastian Kehl, Dede, Ewerthon, Jan Koller, Marcio Amoroso.
Lokomotiv Moscow v Real Madrid
Having not wona match in Russia for 11 years, Vicente del Bosque’s side can ill afford any slip ups against Lokomotiv. Anything less than victory will leave Madrid relying on Dortmund’s result in Milan.
Dortmund, currently one point behind Madrid, could go through with Milan if they get the right result in the San Siro.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has warned his team against complacency as they fight for Champions League survival.
“It’s all going to be decided on the turn of this card,’ said Casillas. ‘One stupid mistake or a poor piece of play could see us knocked out.”
Madrid’s task is made all the more difficult due to an injury sustained by influencial defender Ivan Helguera. Ruben Gonzalez is set to replace him if he fails to recover in time.
Roberto Carlos is suspended and will be replaced by Argentinean Santiago Solari. Claude Makelele is set to return to Madrid’s midfield after missing their game against Villareal at the weekend.
Lokomotiv in the meantime will be without Costa Rican striker Winston Parks who joins James Obiorah, also out after injuring himself in a league game at the weekend.
Captain Dmitri Loskov is back from suspension and striker Maxim Buznikin is also set to return from injury.
Probable teams:
Lokomotiv Moscow: Sergei Ovchinnikov; Gennady Nizhegorodov, Jakob Lekgetho, Sergei Ignashevich, Oleg Pashinin, VadimYevseyev, Marat Izmailov, Vladimir Maminov, Dmitry Loskov, Julio Cesar, Ruslan Pimenov.
Real Madrid: Iker Casillas, Michel Salgado, Francisco Pavon, Ivan Helguera, Santiago Solari, Luis Figo, Claude Makelele, Flavio Conceicao, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo.
