European heavyweights get back in the ring

The eyes of the footballing world will turn to Europe this week for the eagerly-awaited first-leg ties in this season's UEFA Champions League first knockout round, with FC Internazionale Milano-Manchester United FC and Real Madrid CF-Liverpool FC topping the bill.

Home advantage
José Mourinho's Inter meet holders United at San Siro on Tuesday determined to take a step closer to claiming European football's greatest club prize for the first time since 1965. Sir Alex Ferguson, meanwhile, will not have forgotten his team's exit at the hands of Mourinho's FC Porto at the same stage of the competition in 2003/04.

Insider info
Spanish giants Madrid, on a run of nine consecutive wins in the Liga and with captain Raúl González in record-breaking form, welcome Rafael Benítez's Liverpool, who have faded badly on the domestic front in recent weeks. Benítez should welcome back talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard, however, and knows Los Blancos inside out after working at the club as a youth coach.

Derby blow
Fellow Liga outfit FC Barcelona, on course to claim the title they last won in 2005/06 despite slipping up against neighbours RCD Espanyol on Saturday, take on serial French champions Olympique Lyonnais, with the first leg to be played at Stade de Gerland on Tuesday. Another Liga side also get their knockout bid underway on Tuesday, with Atlético de Madrid and new coach Abel Resino welcoming two-time European champions Porto, under Jesualdo Ferreira, to the Vicente Calderón.

Winning pedigree
Guus Hiddink, who guided PSV Eindhoven to European Champions Clubs' Cup glory in 1987/88, will need all his experience when Chelsea FC welcome Juventus to Stamford Bridge for Wednesday's first leg. Coached by former Blues' boss Claudio Ranieri, Juve will be hoping to use their underdog status to catch the west London side cold.

Scoring struggles
Across the English capital at the Arsenal Stadium, Arsène Wenger's team host Luciano Spalletti's AS Roma in Tuesday's first leg determined to put their domestic troubles behind them. The Gunners have been held to goalless draws in their last three Premier League games, and will be unable to count on cup-tied new signing Andrei Arshavin against Francesco Totti and Co.

Confidence boost
Sporting Clube de Portugal, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their 3-2 derby victory over SL Benfica when they welcome FC Bayern München, beaten in three of their last four league games, to the Estádio José Alvalade. Last but not least, 2005/06 semi-finalists Villarreal CF take on a Panathinaikos FC side which qualified from Group B ahead of Inter Milan.