CSKA draw strength for final push

PFC CSKA Moskva may be nearing the end of their domestic campaign but coach Leonid Slutski hopes his side can dip into their energy reserves to beat VfL Wolfsburg and keep alive their hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League knockout phase. CSKA trail Wolfsburg by three points in Group B, but a 3-3 draw with Manchester United FC last time out and Saturday's 3-2 victory to end FC Spartak Moskva's title ambitions has lifted morale as they look to extend their season into the new year. A draw would be enough for the German visitors, but Armin Veh insists he will not be cramping his side's attacking style in Moscow.

Leonid Slutski, CSKA coach
It won't be easy to replace [the suspended] Deividas Šemberas. He has started every game since I took over and has looked very solid. Wolfsburg are not a typical German team. They have good movement up front and a clear leaning towards attacking football, not the stereotypical disciplined German setup, with an accent on defence. It's little wonder they concentrate on attack with players like Edin Džeko, Grafite, Obafemi Martins and Zvjezdan Misimović. Victories like that against Spartak Moskva at the weekend create a positive atmosphere and make it easier for players to ignore their tiredness. It wasn't going well against Spartak, but we found the power to change the course of the game and even up the tempo. Was it our high levels of fitness or high morale? Unfortunately nothing can tell us, but I hope to see the same again.

Armin Veh, Wolfsburg coach
We have to make changes and I won't make a big secret of our starting lineup. I will field Makoto Hasebe and Obafemi Martins will replace Grafite. We underestimated Nürnberg a bit in our last league game, but that won't happen this time. This game will be different to the one in Wolfsburg, as it is Matchday 5 and CSKA are in a different position to us. They must win and they will probably presume we'll be more defensive this time, but we're not going to be because our main strength is up front. This is our philosophy, and the spectators should expect goals. CSKA played well in Manchester, and the first game in Moscow against United was also even. The name of Leonid Slutski is not very well known in Germany, but not everything in football is resolved by names. Players on the pitch decide things.

Weekend results
21/11/09 FC Spartak Moskva2-3 CSKA
(Alex 7pen, Welliton 64; Dzagoev 45, Necid 49 88)

• CSKA's win lifted them to fifth and handed the title to FC Rubin Kazan with a game to spare as Spartak's hopes were ended.

• Tomáš Necid now has seven goals from 13 league starts this term.

VfL Wolfsburg 2-3 1. FC Nürnberg
(Dejagah 59, Grafite 79pen; Bunjaku 56 64, Kluge 90+3)

• Peer Kluge's added-time strike ended Wolfsburg's seven-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, dating back to a 3-2 home defeat by Bayer 04 Leverkusen on 12 September.

• All but five of Wolfsburg's 25 Bundesliga goals this season have come after half-time.

Team news
CSKA
Out: Mark González (ankle), Daniel Carvalho (ankle)
Doubtful: Guilherme (thigh), Nika Piliev (back)
Suspended: Deividas Šemberas
Misses next match if booked: none

• Daniel Carvalho picked up an ankle injury in training on Tuesday and will miss the match, but Guilherme is expected to play after a one-month absence.

Wolfsburg
Out: Jonathan Santana (thigh)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: Grafite
Misses next match if booked: none

Background
• A Grafite hat-trick earned Wolfsburg a 3-1 victory at home to CSKA on 15 September. CSKA's coach that day, Juande Ramos, made way for Slutski after Matchday 3.

• This is Wolfsburg's first trip to Russia and only the second time CSKA have welcomed visitors from Germany. The hosts ran out 1-0 winners the first time, Dudu's second-half strike earning victory over Hamburger SV in the 2006/07 group stage.

• With three goals apiece CSKA's Alan Dzagoev and Wolfsburg's Grafite are among four players second only to four-goal Cristiano Ronaldo in the competition's scoring table. CSKA's problem is not scoring goals but conceding them – only Debreceni VSC, Rangers FC and FC Zürich have shipped more than the eight they have let in so far.

Did you know?
CSKA have not reached the UEFA Champions League's knockout stages since qualifying for the last eight in the inaugural campaign in 1992/93.

For more information on the match in the official press kit, click here.