Historic date awaits determined BATE

Having lost to nine-time European champions Real Madrid CF a fortnight ago, minnows FC BATE Borisov face another continental powerhouse on Matchday 2 in the shape of Juventus. However, with their forward line back and an expectant Belarussian crowd awaiting a first glimpse of UEFA Champions League football, Viktor Goncharenko insists his side can only "play for a win".

Madrid lessons
BATE's 2-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu was no embarrassment for a team making their bow in European football's élite competition, especially one missing their first-choice attack of Gennadi Bliznyuk and Vitali Rodionov through suspension. "The Madrid match taught us a lot and I hope we can play with more confidence against Juventus," said coach Goncharenko, who is deprived of the services of the suspended Anri Khagush following the full-back's Matchday 1 dismissal. "The players felt the atmosphere of the big game and now understand the targets they have been set. It is easier to explain the demands of top-level football now."

Blunt attack
Much of Juventus's stellar squad needs little introduction to the highest echelons of the game, with coach Claudio Ranieri underlining that the club are "woven into the history of European football". They have had their problems on the domestic front, however, with Saturday's goalless draw at UC Sampdoria meaning they have scored just four goals in five Serie A outings this term. It also took a late free-kick from Alessandro Del Piero to edge out FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the Bianconeri's Group H opener, and hopes of finding some rhythm in attack were not helped by the loss of David Trezeguet for up to four months after surgery on both knees. Ranieri is considering a three-man forward line but admits the "final decision is not yet made"; Amauri will certainly feature having scored four goals in Juve's last seven fixtures.

Forward threat
"Results show that our form isn't the best, but I am not really concerned about the goals as they will come," continued Ranieri, who is also without injured trio Jonathan Zebina, Cristiano Zanetti and Gianluigi Buffon while Nicola Legrottaglie is doubtful. "We respect BATE as they have a very dangerous trio up front with [Sergei] Kryvets, Bliznyuk and Rodionov – and two fine central defenders." Bliznyuk and Rodionov in particular could pose a threat. They may have missed the trip to Madrid, but they have since made up for lost time: contributing six of the Vysshaya Liga leaders' seven unanswered goals in the victories against FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk and FC Gomel.

Giant strides
Now there is history to write as Belarus's first ever UEFA Champions League match takes place in the capital Minsk, home to rivals FC Dinamo Minsk, and where Goncharenko hopes that domestic rivalries can be put to one side, for the moment at least. "Hopefully our presence in the group stage will prove to be a huge step forward for Belarussian football as a whole, not just for BATE," said the 31-year-old, whose most experienced player, midfielder Aleksandr Ermakovich, is expected to be out for the season after a knee operation. "Taking into account the quality of our opponents, a draw would be a decent result, though we will still play to win."