Blues, Reds in tough ties

PARIS – Premier League leaders Chelsea and Liverpool face compelling ties as they reach the midway point of the Champions League group stage today.

Chelsea, with four points from their first two games, host AS Roma on the back of their highest ever win under Luiz Felipe Scolari, a 5-0 thrashing at Middlesbrough. Roma travel to north London anxious for a quick pick-me-up after Saturday’s sobering 4-0 loss to Inter Milan at their Olympic Stadium.With next weekend’s Liverpool clash looming, Scolari will be calling on all his big game expertise to get through what the Brazilian describes as his most taxing week since taking over at Stamford Bridge.Liverpool take on Atletico without the Spanish side’s former striker Fernando Torres, the Euro 2008 winner who picked up a hamstring injury in Spain’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium last week.This top-of-the-table clash in Group D only goes ahead in the Spanish capital after Uefa lifted its two-match stadium ban on Atletico for the racist abuse directed at Marseille by their fans on October 1.Liverpool, on a 15-match unbeaten run, know a win at the Vicente Calderon will virtually seal their place in the knockout stages.Manager Rafael Benitez said: “We can field a team good enough to beat Atletico.”We have a few minor injury problems to (Yossi) Benayoun, (Steven) Gerrard and (Robbie) Keane, but I do not expect them to be serious, they should all play on Wednesday.”Roma’s weekend nemesis Inter Milan face Anorthisis both clubs locked on points and goal difference at the top of Group B.Cypriot minnows Anorthisis have proved the surprise package in the group, taking four points from their first two games but are up against it here with Jose Mourinho’s Inter buoyant after their four-star display at the weekend.Anorthosis cannot do any worse than their previous clashes against Italian opposition, both times in the Uefa Cup.In 1992/93 they were trounced 10-1 on aggregate by Juventus in the first round and three years ago they went down 6-1 overall to Palermo.Chairman Andreas Panteli though is not getting carried away by his team’s dream start, in which they drew 0-0 in Bremen and then beat Panathinaikos 3-1 at home.Werder Bremen, with two points, take on Greek strugglers Panathinaikos.Barcelona, unbeaten in Group C, are in Switzerland to take on FC Basel without Malian defender Seydou Keita but Euro 2008 best player Xavi Hernandez is back after sitting out Sunday’s 1-0 League win over Athletic Bilbao.In the Ukraine, Shaktar Donetsk host Sporting Lisbon.Nampa-AFPRoma travel to north London anxious for a quick pick-me-up after Saturday’s sobering 4-0 loss to Inter Milan at their Olympic Stadium.With next weekend’s Liverpool clash looming, Scolari will be calling on all his big game expertise to get through what the Brazilian describes as his most taxing week since taking over at Stamford Bridge.Liverpool take on Atletico without the Spanish side’s former striker Fernando Torres, the Euro 2008 winner who picked up a hamstring injury in Spain’s World Cup qualifier against Belgium last week.This top-of-the-table clash in Group D only goes ahead in the Spanish capital after Uefa lifted its two-match stadium ban on Atletico for the racist abuse directed at Marseille by their fans on October 1.Liverpool, on a 15-match unbeaten run, know a win at the Vicente Calderon will virtually seal their place in the knockout stages.Manager Rafael Benitez said: “We can field a team good enough to beat Atletico.”We have a few minor injury problems to (Yossi) Benayoun, (Steven) Gerrard and (Robbie) Keane, but I do not expect them to be serious, they should all play on Wednesday.”Roma’s weekend nemesis Inter Milan face Anorthisis both clubs locked on points and goal difference at the top of Group B.Cypriot minnows Anorthisis have proved the surprise package in the group, taking four points from their first two games but are up against it here with Jose Mourinho’s Inter buoyant after their four-star display at the weekend.Anorthosis cannot do any worse than their previous clashes against Italian opposition, both times in the Uefa Cup.In 1992/93 they were trounced 10-1 on aggregate by Juventus in the first round and three years ago they went down 6-1 overall to Palermo.Chairman Andreas Panteli though is not getting carried away by his team’s dream start, in which they drew 0-0 in Bremen and then beat Panathinaikos 3-1 at home.Werder Bremen, with two points, take on Greek strugglers Panathinaikos.Barcelona, unbeaten in Group C, are in Switzerland to take on FC Basel without Malian defender Seydou Keita but Euro 2008 best player Xavi Hernandez is back after sitting out Sunday’s 1-0 League win over Athletic Bilbao.In the Ukraine, Shaktar Donetsk host Sporting Lisbon.Nampa-AFP