Weary Milan look for Kaka boost

LONDON – Holders AC Milan hope the return of three key players, including World Player of the Year Kaka, will give them the edge over Arsenal and a place in the Champions League quarter-finals today.

Milan host the Premier League leaders at the San Siro with the first knockout round tie awaiting its first goal. Since the Champions League format was introduced in 1992-93, no tie in any knockout round has finished goalless after two legs.In their search for a goal the European champions are set to recall Kaka, midfielder Andrea Pirlo and defender Alessandro Nesta after they missed the weekend Serie A draw with Lazio through injury.”Kaka is doing very well, Pirlo and Nesta will certainly be back in time for Tuesday’s game,” said Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.Arsenal, held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa on Saturday which cut their lead to one point over Manchester United, could welcome back Dutch striker Robin van Persie to their squad after being plagued by injuries for much of the season.Real Madrid have to overturn a one-goal deficit against AS Roma tomorrow if they are to avoid defeat in the first knockout round for a fourth successive year.The Italian side, in second place in Serie A, came from behind to win the first-leg 2-1 but will be without full back Marco Cassetti who will be sidelined for three weeks with a shoulder injury.Chelsea welcome Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday with the tie awaiting its first goal after a dull stalemate in Athens.The London club boosted under-fire manager Avram Grant with a 4-0 away win over West Ham on Saturday.Grant reacted to last weekend’s League Cup defeat against Tottenham Hotspur by accusing the English media of lying about the club.The Israeli was furious about media reports Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was trying to influence team selection, that Barcelona’s Frank Rijkaard was about to take his job and Grant had lost the support of his employers and confidence of the players.Barcelona hold a 3-2 lead over Celtic for their second leg in Spain, and it will need a huge performance from the Scottish side on Wednesday to eliminate the 2006 champions.Celtic have never won away from home in the Champions League – their 16 previous away games in the competition proper, excluding qualifying round ties, having produced 15 defeats and one draw – against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 2004.In other ties tonight, Manchester United and Olympique Lyon begin all-square at 1-1 at Old Trafford and Fenerbahce take a 3-2 lead to Spain to face Sevilla, while Porto host Schalke 04 tomorrow needing to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat.The remaining last 16 second-leg match between Inter Milan and Liverpool will be played on March 11.Nampa-ReutersSince the Champions League format was introduced in 1992-93, no tie in any knockout round has finished goalless after two legs.In their search for a goal the European champions are set to recall Kaka, midfielder Andrea Pirlo and defender Alessandro Nesta after they missed the weekend Serie A draw with Lazio through injury.”Kaka is doing very well, Pirlo and Nesta will certainly be back in time for Tuesday’s game,” said Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.Arsenal, held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa on Saturday which cut their lead to one point over Manchester United, could welcome back Dutch striker Robin van Persie to their squad after being plagued by injuries for much of the season.Real Madrid have to overturn a one-goal deficit against AS Roma tomorrow if they are to avoid defeat in the first knockout round for a fourth successive year.The Italian side, in second place in Serie A, came from behind to win the first-leg 2-1 but will be without full back Marco Cassetti who will be sidelined for three weeks with a shoulder injury.Chelsea welcome Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday with the tie awaiting its first goal after a dull stalemate in Athens.The London club boosted under-fire manager Avram Grant with a 4-0 away win over West Ham on Saturday.Grant reacted to last weekend’s League Cup defeat against Tottenham Hotspur by accusing the English media of lying about the club.The Israeli was furious about media reports Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was trying to influence team selection, that Barcelona’s Frank Rijkaard was about to take his job and Grant had lost the support of his employers and confidence of the players.Barcelona hold a 3-2 lead over Celtic for their second leg in Spain, and it will need a huge performance from the Scottish side on Wednesday to eliminate the 2006 champions.Celtic have never won away from home in the Champions League – their 16 previous away games in the competition proper, excluding qualifying round ties, having produced 15 defeats and one draw – against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 2004.In other ties tonight, Manchester United and Olympique Lyon begin all-square at 1-1 at Old Trafford and Fenerbahce take a 3-2 lead to Spain to face Sevilla, while Porto host Schalke 04 tomorrow needing to overturn a 1-0 first-leg defeat.The remaining last 16 second-leg match between Inter Milan and Liverpool will be played on March 11.Nampa-Reuters