Army Men plot final Inter offensive

Leonid Slutsky hopes PFC CSKA Moskva can make up for the absence of suspended first-teamers Evgeni Aldonin and Miloš Krasić as they bid to turn the tables on FC Internazionale Milano in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final decider following a 1-0 defeat in Italy last week. Expecting "a very difficult match", his opposite number José Mourinho refused to give the hosts any clues as to his tactical approach.

Leonid Slutsky, CSKA coach
It's always difficult to cope with losing two starters but we have more than 11 people in our team. We have to make the changes to the lineup, but I really hope the quality of our game will not suffer. I don't think the artificial pitch at Luzhniki Stadium gives us any advantage. Judging by the Russian national team's games at this arena and the way Russian clubs have played here in Europe, I really don't think it makes much difference. The most important thing is to get the result.

If we qualify without playing spectacular football I'm sure everyone at the club will be happy, but obviously we need to score and in order to do that we need to play more aggressively up front. However, we can't afford to forget about the defence because if we concede a goal our mission will become almost impossible. So we will have to find the right balance between defence and attack.

José Mourinho, Inter coach
I expect a very difficult match in which CSKA will give it all to improve the result. They are only 1-0 down. It's not the same as being 3-0 down. As for our game plan, we can either defend a 0-0 draw or try to score one or two very important away goals. We will see tomorrow.

It's true [that we are less prolific in Europe than Serie A], but don't forget that we have managed to win last our last four games in the Champions League, including beating Chelsea twice in a row. In the group stage we were up against the champions of their respective countries. You cannot compare Chelsea or CSKA with Bologna. Inter and Bayern München are the only two clubs remaining in Europe that can still win three trophies. These are more important facts to me than the lack of goals.

Team news
CSKA
Out: Uroš Ćosić (left leg)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: Evgeni Aldonin, Miloš Krasić,
Misses next match if booked: Aleksei Berezutski, Mark González, Chidi Odiah

Speaking at the pre-match conference, Slutsky said he was "not ready" to say who would replace the suspended Aldonin and Krasić, although reports suggest Elvir Rahimić and Alan Dzagoev will come in.

Inter
Out: Davide Santon (knee)
Doubtful: Wesley Sneijder (ankle)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Walter Samuel, Maicon, Javier Zanetti

• Mourinho said he will "wait until the very last minute" before deciding whether Sneijder will be fit to play after the Dutch international injured his ankle during training in Russia on Monday.

Weekend results
03/04/10 CSKA P-P FC Zenit St. Petersburg

• Slutsky said: "The match was postponed due to the acts of terrorism in Moscow last week as the police were concerned that they might not be able to guarantee the normal level of security."

03/04/10 Inter 3-0 Bologna FC
(Motta 29 85, Balotelli 52)

• Inter remain top of the table having not conceded in six Serie A home games since a 4-3 defeat of AC Siena on 9 January. Mourinho made five changes from the side that beat CSKA, with Maicon, Zanetti, Lucio and Samuel Eto'o suspended and Sneijder only fit enough for a place on the bench.

Background
• CSKA have never travelled this far in the UEFA Champions League before. If they overcome Inter, they will become the first Russian side since FC Spartak Moskva in 1991 to advance to the last four.

• CSKA's only win in four attempts at home to Italian opponents came in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup semi-finals, when they defeated Parma FC 3-0 to secure an identical aggregate success. They went on to lift their first European trophy in the final against Sporting Clube de Portugal.

• Inter are seeking their first semi-final appearance since 2002/03, when they lost to neighbours AC Milan. The Nerazzurri have since fallen twice at the quarter-final stage, in 2004/05 and 2005/06.

Did you know?
• Mourinho has a 100% record in UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, having won at this stage with FC Porto (2004) and Chelsea FC (2005, 2007).

Read more on the match in the official UEFA Champions League press kit.