Salas set for start against Porto

An abandoned international at the weekend has left Juventus FC with a serious attacking problem ahead of their UEFA Champions League game away to FC Porto.

Trezeguet injured
Their in-form striker David Trezeguet injured his knee playing for the world champions France in a friendly against Algeria - a game which was abandoned when spectators invaded the pitch at the Stade de France - and has been ruled out as the Italian club visit the Das Antas stadium for the first time.

Amoruso out
With Nicola Amoruso also out injured, Marcello Lippi, the Juventus coach, had been hoping to rest his namesake Marcelo Salas after a long journey traveling back from Chile, where he played for the national side against Brazil at the weekend. Now it seems that the Chilean, who has mainly been used as a substitute this season, will have to spearhead the attack.

Nedved suspended
Trezeguet’s injury is a major blow to Juventus, who will also be without Pavel Nedved, who is completing a three-match suspension, although Edgar Davids is set to return from a ban. Lippi’s side had been hoping for a change of fortune coming into this game.

Poor travellers
In recent years, they have not been the best of travellers. In fact they have not won away in the competition since March 1998, a run of ten games - comprising eight draws and two defeats. But with Porto the only side in Group E to have won away so far, it is important that Juventus break that habit and get an away win under their belts, too.

Italians top of the group
Although Juventus lead the group with four points, Porto have already gone one better than their rivals by beating the Norwegian side Rosenborg BK in Trondheim, a week before Juventus could only manage a 1-1 draw there. That said, the Portuguese club do not have a particularly encouraging record against Italian opposition and indeed have won only one of seven home games against them. That was twenty years ago, against AS Roma.

Encouraging start
Juventus have made an encouraging start in Serie A after their bold decision to accept Real Madrid CF’s pre-season world record bid of €76m euros for Zinedine Zidane. So far, it would seem that the Italians have come off rather better in the deal - Madrid having often struggled when Zidane is in the side. At least Juventus cannot do much worse than last season when, with Zidane playing for them, they finished bottom of their group in the opening phase of the Champions League.

Del Piero reborn
While Zidane has been ‘lost’, Juventus certainly seem to have 'found' Alessandro del Piero. One of the great talents of Italian football seems to have rediscovered himself. He has revelled in his new-found responsibility for goalscoring and was on target again at the weekend in helping Italy clinch 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification with the only goal of the game against Hungary.

'Best side in Italy'
Octávio Machado, the Porto coach, is in no doubt that his side will be facing a much more formidable side than the Italians put together last season. "Even if they have lost a great player like Zidane, they have signed some extraordinary talents," he said recently. "I think they have a more solid and organised team than last year. At the moment, in my opinion, they are the best side in Italy."

Legendary forward line
After a season’s absence from the UEFA Champions League, the Das Antas stadium is looking for a triumphant return and Porto are set to give a former Juventus player, Juan Esnáider, his debut in the absence of the Brazilian, Pena. The Swedish international, Fredrik Söderström, is one of several players due to return for the Portuguese after injury, which ought to give them confidence about avenging that defeat in the 1983/84 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final. Juventus could then boast the legendary forward line of Platini, Boniek and Rossi. What they wouldn’t give for that sort of forward strength now.