Home disadvantage

Smarting from heavy defeats in their own backyard,United and Inter face tricky Champions League group stage games

Manchester United return to the scene of their recent domestic humiliation for Wednesday8217;s Champions League game at home to Otelul Galati without captain Nemanja Vidic who has been the tonic easing their recovery. The centre back was sent off in the encounter between the two sides in Romania earlier this month,meaning he will miss the Group C game at Old Trafford,where United were thumped 6-1 by Premier League leaders Manchester City just over a week ago.

That defeat,which destroyed an 18-month unbeaten home run and was described by manager Alex Ferguson as the worst in his career,has been followed by back-to-back away wins and clean sheets that have owed much to Vidic who missed the City game. Without the Serb,who had been sidelined since August with a calf injury before returning against Galati,United8217;s back four have looked vulnerable and in need of a commanding presence exactly what the Romanians will be hoping for.

The English champions were unconvincing against them two weeks ago but Ferguson was confident enough of a victory to already be looking ahead to their next home European game against group leaders Benfica on November 22. Since the painful Manchester derby,United have got back to winning ways with a 3-0 League Cup victory at Aldershot and a 1-0 win at Everton in the league on Saturday and they will be keen to show the breach of their home fortress was a mere blip.

Leaking goals

They have not lost at home in their last nine Champions League games but they have conceded at least one goal in each of the last five and let in three in their previous Old Trafford group game,a surprise 3-3 draw with Basel. Their European campaign got off to a shaky start with two draws before beating Galati 2-0 and they sit second in the table on five points,two behind leaders Benfica and one ahead of third-placed Basel. Galati have yet to get off the mark.

Elsewhere,troubled Inter Milan despite topping their Champions League group are likely to face Lille on Wednesday with more than a little trepidation,having saved their worst recent performances for the San Siro. Inter have lost their last three Champions League home matches,including a stunning reverse against Trabzonspor in this season8217;s opener and a 5-2 thrashing by Schalke 04 last season.

In Serie A,Napoli crushed them 3-0 in their own backyard and on Saturday they suffered another miserable evening with a 2-1 defeat to Juventus in the Derby of Italy. Although Inter top Champions League Group B with six points,it is a precarious lead with Trabzonspor and CSKA Moscow two points behind and bottom-placed Lille four adrift.

Injury worries

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar and fullback Maicon have joined striker Diego Forlan on the injury list in the last week and even refereeing decisions have been unkind with five penalties awarded against them in nine Serie A games. Inter,who won 1-0 in Lille two weeks ago,cannot draw any comfort either from their home record against French opposition they have lost three of the last five fixtures at home to Ligue 1 sides,winning only one.

Story continues below this ad

They slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Olympique Marseille in a 2003/04 UEFA Cup quarter-final,the last time they hosted French opponents. The last Ligue 1 visitors in the Champions League,Olympique Lyon,won 2-1 in 2002/03.

Real Madrid can secure a place in the knockout stage with a victory at Lyon on Wednesday. The 2002 champion tops Group D with nine points,five clear of Ajax Amsterdam and Lyon. Dinamo Zagreb is in last place without a point. Madrid routed Lyon 4-0 last month and hope to repeat the feat when they meet for the 10th time in Europe8217;s top competition. In the other Group D match,Ajax hosts Dinamo. The Dutch side won 2-0 in Zagreb two weeks ago.

Bayern Munich also need to beat Napoli at home to seal a place in the second round should Manchester City fail to win at Villarreal. Bayern8217;s chances look good,since Napoli has never won in Germany and City has been less impressive in the Champions League. Bayern warmed up for the match against Napoli by routing Nuremberg 4-0 to open a four-point lead in the Bundesliga. Coach Jupp Heynckes is likely to have key midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and defender Daniel van Buyten back after slight injuries.