Last 16 in sight for former champs

PARIS – Former champions AC Milan, Real Madrid, Celtic and Manchester United, plus in-form French champions Lyon, have the chance to book their valuable last 16 ticket in the Champions League tonight.

Celtic’s return to Benfica’s Stadium of Light, where they became the first British winner, is full of nostalgia after the club invited eight of the surviving Lisbon Lions to the match as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of that 1966/67 triumph. Lyon, who have never got past the quarter-finals, are on a run of 15 games unbeaten in all competitions following their 1-0 win over Nancy on Sunday and a draw at home to Dynamo Kiev will earn their spot in the knockout stages from Group E.Real Madrid, who lost to Lyon in their first match, have won their two matches since and will qualify should they beat visitors Steaua Bucharest and Kiev fail to beat Lyon.Sir Alex Ferguson will field his strongest available side as Manchester United look to book their place with a win over FC Copenhagen in Denmark.Three straight wins have left United at the top of group F and a point would be enough to secure qualification if Celtic can take anything from their trip to Lisbon.But Ferguson is determined to maintain the momentum of United’s flying start to the season against the Danish champions, who paid the price of attempting to take on the Red Devils at their own attacking game when they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford on October 17.Should Celtic book their last 16 berth in front of captain Billy McNeil and the eight surviving members of Celtic’s 1967 triumph, it would be an emotional night for the Bhoys.Arsenal have the chance to put one foot into the knockout stages should they win at home against Group G leaders CSKA Moscow and avenge a defeat by the Russians a fortnight ago though Porto would still be in the running in a three-horse race should they beat bottom club Hamburg in Germany to condemn them to last place.Six-times champions AC Milan would go through from Group H with a victory at home to Anderlecht should AEK Athens fail to beat Lille in the Greek capital.Nampa-AFPLyon, who have never got past the quarter-finals, are on a run of 15 games unbeaten in all competitions following their 1-0 win over Nancy on Sunday and a draw at home to Dynamo Kiev will earn their spot in the knockout stages from Group E.Real Madrid, who lost to Lyon in their first match, have won their two matches since and will qualify should they beat visitors Steaua Bucharest and Kiev fail to beat Lyon.Sir Alex Ferguson will field his strongest available side as Manchester United look to book their place with a win over FC Copenhagen in Denmark.Three straight wins have left United at the top of group F and a point would be enough to secure qualification if Celtic can take anything from their trip to Lisbon.But Ferguson is determined to maintain the momentum of United’s flying start to the season against the Danish champions, who paid the price of attempting to take on the Red Devils at their own attacking game when they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford on October 17.Should Celtic book their last 16 berth in front of captain Billy McNeil and the eight surviving members of Celtic’s 1967 triumph, it would be an emotional night for the Bhoys.Arsenal have the chance to put one foot into the knockout stages should they win at home against Group G leaders CSKA Moscow and avenge a defeat by the Russians a fortnight ago though Porto would still be in the running in a three-horse race should they beat bottom club Hamburg in Germany to condemn them to last place.Six-times champions AC Milan would go through from Group H with a victory at home to Anderlecht should AEK Athens fail to beat Lille in the Greek capital.Nampa-AFP