Tel-Aviv look to increase Milan's discomfort

"If we score, does that count as an away goal?" asked Shimon Gershon. The Hapoel Tel-Aviv captain's ironic inquiry was understandable in the circumstances. Due to the deteriorating security situation in Tel-Aviv it has been necessary to switch tonight's UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg against Milan AC to Cyprus and the Israelis are naturally disappointed at forfeiting home advantage.

Two thousand fans
Only about 2,000 fans have been able to make the trip, despite an offer from Moshe Theumim, Tel-Aviv's owner, to some of them to subsidise their travel costs. Back home at their Bloomfield stadium in Tel-Aviv they could have expected a 25,000-capacity crowd.

'In good hands'
Security at the GSP stadium in Nicosia will be of the highest order. About a third of Cyprus's police force - some 1,300 officers - will be on duty, plus security officials, a counter-terrorist unit, helicopters and dogs. Andreas Angelides, the Cyprus police chief, has told the Israelis: "This is a well-oiled unit that has undergone training with American special forces and with the British SAS. You're in good hands."

Surprise package
Along with the Czech Republic side, FC Slovan Liberec, Tel-Aviv have been the surprise package of this season's competition, defeating Chelsea FC and Parma AC en route to the quarter-finals. Despite the loss of home advantage, they feel they can still claim another mighty scalp in Milan, who would appear to be in some distress at the moment.

Beaten by Bologna
Apparently, Dror Kahstan, the Tel-Aviv head coach, declared after Milan's 2-0 defeat to Bologna FC last Sunday that he was now less scared of facing the Italians. This latest defeat - which Milan's own vice-president, Adriano Galliani, described as "catastrophic" - has come amid stories of dressing-room unrest which threaten to undermine the head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

'Team has worked hard'
Appointed only last November in succession to Fatih Terim, Ancelotti denied that they had been arguing among themselves, and there are signs that the players are now closing ranks. "It is not true that we have had problems inside the dressing room," Ancelotti said. "Despite some important absences, the team has worked very hard throughout."

Vote of confidence
Since his outburst at the weekend, Galliani, who is in charge of the club now that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has had to relinquish his position as president, has given Ancelotti a vote of confidence. He has also reiterated his faith in Milan's attacking triumvirate of Filippo Inzaghi, Andriy Shevchenko and Rui Costa and insisted that they would be leading the Rossoneri attack next season, adding: "Carlo Ancelotti will certainly be their coach".

Injury problems
He blamed the trio's lack of cohesion and general effectiveness on injury problems which had prevented them from playing together very much - just 585 minutes in the league and a mere 124 minutes in the UEFA Cup. Inzaghi is one of those players recovering from injury who could play tonight. Vincenzo Pincolini, Milan's fitness trainer, said: "Ambrosini, Inzaghi and Serginho have recovered as much as 70 per cent of their condition. They still have to work on their fitness, but one of them could be named for the Hapoel match."

Luz doubtful
Galliani concurred: "Some of the injured players are coming back and this game could mark the turning point in our season." As for Hapoel, Assi Domb and Shavit Elemelech are now available after suspension and Omri Afek has recovered from a shoulder injury. Ben Luz, who has a hamstring injury, is doubtful.