Winless Milan battle injury too

Powerhouses AC milan and chelsea will be hoping to put their troubled starts to the season behind them this week when they return to Champions League action.

Powerhouses AC milan and chelsea will be hoping to put their troubled starts to the season behind them this week when they return to Champions League action.

While defending European champions AC Milan visit Celtic in one of 16 midweek group matches on a five-match winless streak in the Italian league, Chelsea are reeling from the aftermath of coach Jose Mourinho’s recent departure. The Blues are at Valencia on Wednesday having failed to score in four straight Premier League matches for the first time in nine years.

Manchester United are struggling for goals as they prepare to take on AS Roma on Tuesday, while 2006 champions FC Barcelona look to have no such problems ahead of their game at Stuttgart after a hattrick from Thierry Henry inspired them to a 4-1 win over Levante in Spain.

Milan beat Benfica 2-1 two weeks ago in the opening round of games, but are faltering in the Italian league without the injured Paolo Maldini and Ronaldo. Milan, who drew 0-0 with lowly Catania on Sunday, will be without first-choice goalkeeper Dida when they play at Scottish champions Celtic on Wednesday.

Dida has an inflamed shoulder and is out for 10 days and is set to be replaced by Zeljko Kalac, who also filled in for the Brazilian keeper in a 0-0 draw with Celtic in last season’s second round. Benfica host Shakhtar Donetsk in the other Group D match.

Chelsea need a good result at Valencia after a disappointing 1-1 Group B draw with visiting Rosenborg led to Mourinho’s departure.

But the Blues have already slipped seven points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal — who are at Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday. Chelsea warmed up for their Group B match with two-time Champions League runners-up Valencia by drawing 0-0 against visiting Fulham on Saturday. Chelsea captain John Terry is likely to sit out the game after having surgery on the cheekbone he broke Saturday, although striker Didier Drogba will be available despite being sent off on his return from injury since his suspension only applies to English soccer.

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Manchester United are second in the Premier League, having conceded just two goals in eight games, but they have scored just seven and have won four of their last seven matches 1-0. It’s a far cry from last season’s 7-1 rout of Roma in the quarter finals, but Roma are coming off a 4-1 loss at home to Inter Milan.

Inter still have multiple players suspended following a brawl with Valencia last season but the squad is coming into form and is at the top of Serie A ahead of Tuesday’s home match with PSV Eindhoven.

Henry and Lionel Messi are likely to trouble a Stuttgart team that is coming off a 2-1 loss at lowly Hansa Rostock. The defending German champions are in ninth place, already 10 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.