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Chelsea, Liverpool looking to seal last 16 places

November 01, 2005 15:41 IST

After another weekend of toying with Premier League opponents, Chelsea turn their attention to European domination with a place in the last 16 of the Champions League at stake on Tuesday.

The English champions will ease through from Group G if they overcome Real Betis in Seville. European champions Liverpool, who share top spot with seven points, could also advance should they overcome Anderlecht at Anfield and Chelsea also triumph.

Chelsea are missing Argentine striker Hernan Crespo, out with a muscle strain, and Glen Johnson who has a broken hand bone. Betis were thumped 4-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the last round of games and have since suffered three successive league defeats.

Brazilian duo Ronaldo and Julio Baptista and France playmaker Zinedine Zidane miss Real Madrid's trip to Norway to play Rosenborg Trondheim in Group F. Leaders Olympique Lyon will qualify with a victory at Olympiakos as long as Real do not lose.

In Group E, AC Milan will be wary of the threat posed by PSV Eindhoven at their Philips Stadium after losing the second leg of last season's semi-final there 3-1 and only scraping through on away goals.

PSV, who ran Milan ragged that night, are unbeaten in their last 13 European home games and have striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink back from suspension. Milan, who will make a late decision on injured striker Andriy Shevchenko, top a tight group with all four sides still in contention to qualify. Schalke 04 host Fenerbahce in the other tie.

Brazilian striker Adriano, struggling with a niggling shoulder injury, could be rested by Inter Milan as the Group H leaders host Porto at an empty San Siro.

Inter are serving the third of a four-match ban imposed after crowd trouble during their Champions League quarter-final with AC Milan last season.

Source: REUTERS
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