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Blanc hoping Ibrahimovic will return against Barcelona
Robin Bairner
Sep 26, 2014 14:24:52
The coach will not risk the Sweden star in Ligue 1 on Saturday as he looks to recover from a heel injury in time to face the La Liga side next week
Paris Saint-Germain head coach Laurent Blanc has confirmed Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be used in Saturday’s Ligue 1 encounter away at Bordeaux but should be ready for the Champions League game against Barcelona on Tuesday.
The Swede, 32, was surprisingly absent from the squad that beat Caen 2-1 in Normandy on Wednesday with an injury to his left heel, and the former France boss says the star forward will not be risked at the weekend.
“We hope we can get Ibrahimovic back for the Barcelona match – we’ll see in the next 48 hours,” the coach said.
Edinson Cavani replaced Ibrahimovic in the centre forward role last time out, having spent much of his time in Paris on the wing, and Blanc has backed the Uruguay forward to score goals.
“He’s a guy who will score goals, in whichever position he is used.”
Meanwhile, the PSG coach is not counting on centre-back Thiago Silva, who has been absent since picking up a muscular injury against Napoli in an August friendly. Reports suggested the Brazil defender could yet play against Barca, but Blanc quashed suggestions he might feature at Stadium Municipal.
“Thiago Silva is not ready,” he explained. “His injury is evolving positively but slowly. There is no precise date for his return. For the moment, he is not training with the rest of the squad.”
Blanc also confirmed that Adrien Rabiot, who has been repeatedly linked with a move away from the club, could play for the reserves this weekend following a foot problem.
PSG owner Al-Khelaifi relishing crucial Barcelona clash
By John-Paul Tooth
Sep 27, 2014 08:42:00
The French champions meet Luis Enrique's side in the second matchday of the group stages on Tuesday in a repeat of the clash in April 2013
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi says he is excited about the upcoming Champions League clash with Barcelona.
The two clubs face off in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, having last faced each other in the competition in the 2012-13 season.
It took a second-half equaliser from Pedro in the second leg of that knockout stage encounter to take the aggregate score to 3-3, with the Spanish giants eventually going through to the semi-finals on away goals.
And Al-Khelaifi is looking forward to the prospect of the teams reigniting their rivalry.
"I'm very excited about this game, like everyone else, like the players, the fans, the media," the 40-year-old was quoted as saying by RMC Sport .
"It's really a great game. But it's a very important game for us. We will all try to give our best for this game," he added.
The Frenchman has cranked up the mind games ahead of facing the Premier League side at the Etihad on Tuesday
Roma boss Rudi Garcia has taunted that the pressure is piling on Manchester City in the Champions League ahead of Tuesday's game.
The Giallorossi travel to the Etihad Stadium to face the Premier League champions on Tuesday having beaten CSKA Moscow 5-1 nearly a fortnight ago.
However, Manuel Pellegrini's men lost their opening Champions League group stage game 1-0 to Bayern Munich and Garcia believes that will add a weight to the shoulders of City.
"It will be a fantastic event," the French coach told reporters after their 2-0 win over Hellas Verona on Saturday.
"They have zero points and a lot of pressure on their shoulders, so they need to get a result on home turf.
"We are solid and this squad proved we have confidence in our abilities. This group is ready to handle the difficult moments when they come.
"We are fortunate to be able to face two of the strongest teams in Europe. We must enjoy this moment and try to be leaders."
Roma have started 2014-15 with a perfect record, bagging six wins across Serie A and the Champions League in as many games.
De Boer: APOEL proved how good they are against Barcelona
By Joe Wright
Sep 29, 2014 19:55:02
The former defender hopes to have Lasse Schone fit again for the Champions League clash in Cyprus on Wednesday
Ajax head coach Frank de Boer has warned his players to look no further than APOEL's clash with Barcelona to know how strong the Cypriots are.
A solitary header from Gerard Pique handed the Catalans all three points in their opening Champions League group game against Giorgos Donis' hard-working side at Camp Nou.
De Boer - who oversaw a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain in his side's first game - is not expecting an easy ride when the Dutch champions travel to Cyprus for Wednesday's encounter.
"I think it will be a tough match. APOEL have good players who play good football and they also have experience because the average age of the team is 28, with many different nationalities. We all saw them against Barcelona and how good they were," he told reporters.
"My players are young but they know what to expect and we are confident enough to handle whatever is thrown at us. We are not concerned by any possible early pressure. I am sure that we too will have our opportunities in this game."
De Boer is also hopeful that Lasse Schone - who fired home a fine equaliser against PSG - will be fit to play a part on Wednesday.
"I am seventy per cent sure that Lasse Schone can start against APOEL," he revealed. "Last Sunday, he normally wouldn't have joined us in training, but he felt himself so good that he joined the lads on the pitch."
Donis, meanwhile, has called on his side to use the ball as effectively as possible in a game he feels is vital to their slim chances of reaching the knockout phase.
"After a big event, the Barcelona game away, we have another nice event: our first home game," he said. "We knew from the first day that our chances would be slim in this group. But to increase our odds we need to get some points in our home games.
"We know we have to face the Dutch champions, a massive team who are favourites. We know that their philosophy is the same as ours. It is an attacking philosophy and we have to deal with it.
"This game demands more than the Barcelona game. Then, we were always going to be behind the ball. Tomorrow, we won't want to give the ball away. I don't need to say too much to motivate my players for games like this."
The Ukraine giants are not playing their home games in the Donbass Arena but the coach still believes they will have a strong home support when they welcome Porto
Mircea Lucescu is determined to make the most of a bad situation when Shakhtar Donetsk take on Porto in Lviv on Tuesday.
The civil unrest in Ukraine means Shakhtar have not played at their Donbass Arena home since May, and the stadium has been hit by explosions and shelling in recent weeks.
Their Champions League Group H encounter with Porto will therefore take place in Lviv and, despite recognising the difficulty of the situation, Lucescu hopes to make their temporary home a real fortress.
"Of course, it's not easy for us to play all the games away from home," he said.
"However, we are very happy that we host Porto and other Champions League opponents in Lviv. I know that all tickets were sold a few days before the match, which demonstrates that Shakhtar is not only a team of Donetsk or Donbass but of the whole Ukraine.
"I'm sure tomorrow we will have the same level of support as at Donbass Arena. The Arena Lviv is a beautiful stadium with a great pitch; the local fans are passionate and able to create perfect football atmosphere.
"Lviv is a wonderful city with great history and lots of touristic sites. We are very glad to receive really great welcome from this city and its hospitable citizens.
"We had problems with the squad at the beginning of the season as some very important players for the club, such as Alex Teixeira, Douglas Costa and others, didn't want to return to Ukraine.
"But now they are here, they see that it's safe to be with the club and we play and train in the safe places."
The Barcelona coach feels the Ligue 1 champions are not significantly weakened without star striker and admits the match could be crucial to the eventual group standings
Luis Enrique has warned his Barcelona players that Paris Saint-Germain remain a huge threat despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic's absence through injury.
The two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday in a mouthwatering tie and the Barca coach insists his team must be at their best if they are to get all three points from a game he feels could decide the outcome of the group.
Despite the absence of ex-Camp Nou striker Ibrahimovic, who is suffering with a heel problem, Luis Enruqie says the French champions are still a powerful force.
"Ibrahimovic not playing doesn't change anything," the coach told reporters.
"He would be an an important loss for any team, but nothing changes in the way I'm approaching the game. They will still be a fearsome opponent and they have other resources in the squad.
"PSG are a team that can come and bring the game to us easily. They have a strong team and if they play attacking football then so be it, that's good.
"They are certainly candidates to win the Champions League but so are we and we have to be ready to deal with the situation, whether they come to us or we go to them.
"This game is likely to have some impact on the outcome of the group, but it's too early to say. Of course finishing top is important, but we must see what results we get from every game.
"Theoretically we are the two favourites of the group, but to beat PSG we must be at our best and give a wonderful showing of ourselves."
Defender Jeremy Mathieu believes the absence of Ibrahimovic is an advantage to his side, but stressed the visitors will still be dangerous opponents.
The Frenchman said: "Of course he is an influential player. It makes a difference when he is not there as it will be harder for PSG to play their game.
"That is an advantage but they are still a strong team and it will be very difficult for us."
Garcia: Roma must prove to be more than underdogs against Manchester City
By Peter Hanson
Sep 29, 2014 22:31:00
The Frenchman has called on his side to enjoy playing "without pressure" as they take on the English champions
Rudi Garcia believes his Roma side are relishing their underdog status ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash at Manchester City.
The Serie A side are part of a tough Group E that includes the domestic league champions of Germany, Russia and England in Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow and City.
Roma started their Champions League campaign with a thumping 5-1 of CSKA, but should face a decidedly more difficult task at the Etihad Stadium.
Head coach Garcia is not shying away from the challenge, though, and believes his team are well capable of competing.
"We have three points, we have started well and we will have the chance to play without pressure," Garcia said.
"After the draw, everyone took this game as a defeat, so we only have to gain from going to the Etihad.
"Are we third favourites to advance? Do not forget that at the draw we were in the fourth pot, not the third. It means that we are the outsiders, as we are facing the champions of Germany and England.
"We have this role as the outsider, but it can give us pride in being able to then demonstrate that the assessment of our team should be greater."
Asked whether three points would leave them in pole position to qualify for the knockout stages, Garcia responded: "This is only the second game. This phase will not be finished tomorrow.
"If tomorrow we were able to have more points it would be an interesting step forward in qualification.
"Concerning a positive result, I don't want to think about it, whilst there are also a further 12 points to be awarded.
"Champions League games are very easy to prepare for, because I do not need to motivate the players."
Champions League injury round-up: Will Ibrahimovic be fit?
Stewart Weir
Sep 29, 2014 09:14:25
The Sweden striker will be desperate to face his former club Barcelona but has little time to make a recovery from a heel injury before Tuesday night
If Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona is the most anticipated match in week two of the Champions League, then most talk ahead of that clash centres on whether Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have the opportunity to play against his former club.
Ibrahimovic has missed the last two games for the French champions with a heel injury, but coach Laurent Blanc has not given up on the talismanic Swede declaring himself fit.
PSG may need his presence with Ezequiel Lavezzi out with a thigh injury, while a hamstring strain may also account for Brazilian defender Thiago Silva.
In Group E, Bayern Munich will travel to CSKA missing Bastian Schweinsteiger, Holger Badstuber, Javi Martinez and Thiago.
the other tie of the evening in that section, Roma fly into Manchester to meet City missing [Davide] Astori, [Kevin] Strootman, [Daniele] De Rossi, [Leandro] Castan and [Federico] Balzaretti. Juan Iturbe is unlikely to be risked from the start while veteran goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis is receiving treatment for a hand injury.
There is also some debate over whether former England and Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole will make a return appearance in England having yet to fully cement his place in the Roma side.
For City, goalkeeper Joe Hart will return having been left on the bench for Saturday’s win over Hull City, a game in which Argentine Willy Caballero appeared in goal.
Following the comments of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, many will watch with interest to see if striker Diego Costa plays against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.
Mourinho suggested after the 3-0 league win over Aston Villa that the Spanish striker was resting most of the week to enable him to play at weekend, the former Atletico hitman suffering from a problematic groin strain.
Also in Group, Schalke will line up against Maribor without Benedikt Höwedes (hip flexor injury), Jefferson Farfan (cartilage damage), Felipe Santana (adductors injury), Sead Kolasinac (cruciate rupture) and midfielder Leon Goretzka (thigh injury).
Amongst those missing from action on Wednesday will be Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal, who were both injured in their North London derby draw with Tottenham. They will miss the encounter with Galatasaray, while Jack Wilshere will be assessed this week after suffering an ankle problem. Theo Walcot is a long term absentee with a knee injury.
Group rivals Borussia Dortmund, who face Anderlecht, are without Jakub Blaszczykowski (torn muscle fibre), Oliver Kirch (thigh injury), Nuri Sahin (knee), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (foot) and Marco Reus, who is still in rehab after being injured on international duty against Scotland.
Liverpool await a fitness test on Daniel Sturridge, ruled out of Saturday’s derby against Everton, when they meet Basel, while Group B leaders and Champions League holders Real Madrid are definitely missing long-term casualty Jesé, while Sami Khedira is still facing a couple more weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Pepe and Fabio Coentrao, who sat out the La Liga game against Villarreal through muscular problems are both doubts.
For their game against Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen will have to find replacements for Julian Brandt (torn ligament), Papadopoulos (shoulder injury) and Simon Rolfes (ligament tear), while Gonzalo Castro, who did not play against Freiburg, is doubtful with a thigh strain.
Meanwhile, Juventus will line up against last season’s runners-up Atletico Madrid without Andrea Pirlo and Luca Marrone, while defender Martin Caceres is also a doubt.
The Spanish coach insists there are no easy opponents in the Champions League and does not know how it will feel to play in an empty stadium
Pep Guardiola is unsure what to expect when Bayern Munich face CSKA Moscow behind closed doors on Tuesday and inisists his side must respect the Russians.
The German champions will do battle in an empty Arena Khimki - no supporters will be in attendance as CSKA were sanctioned by Uefa in February after fans displayed "a range of racist and far-right symbols" in a Champions League match with Viktoria Plzen last December.
Looking for their second win from two matches in Group E following a 1-0 success over Manchester City last time out, Guardiola concedes it is an unfamiliar scenario for him.
"I've never experienced it and we will have to be wary of the situation," the former Barcelona boss told reporters.
"We have a big opportunity - we can take a small, but good step forward."
Bayern had the better of CSKA when the pair met in the group stages last season, winning 3-0 at home before recording a 3-1 success in Russia, but Guardiola has warned against any complacency on his team's part based on those results.
"Do last year’s victories against CSKA give us more confidence? This is a normal reaction, but we know CSKA well enough," he said.
"They have a good coach and have almost the same players who were with them last season. The club needs to be respected no matter what, even despite their result [a 5-1 defeat] in Rome.
"They have experienced players like Sergei Ignashevich and Igor Akinfeev as well as some very quick players in attack. This is a very difficult opponent and we will respect them fully.
"At present all our players are fit. We have our last training session on Monday and after that we will look into this question, but as I understand everyone is healthy.
"In the Champions League, you need to remember that this is a very high level. We need to make sure that we get out of the group as it is very tough. It does not matter who we play, whether it's CSKA Moscow or Real Madrid. Here only the best teams play."
BATE v Athletic Bilbao: La Liga side look to kick-start season
28 September 2014
Athletic Bilbao will hope to kick-start their underwhelming start to the season in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League clash at BATE.
Since beating Napoli 3-1 at the end of August to secure a 4-2 aggregate play-off win and subsequently book their place in Group H, Athletic have played six games in all competitions and managed to win only once.
After six league matches, Ernesto Valverde's men are languishing in La Liga with just four points, while the 0-0 home draw against Shakhtar Donetsk ensured an unspectacular return to Europe's elite club competition for the first time since 1998-99.
Athletic enjoyed a fine 2013-14 to finish fourth domestically, seven points ahead of nearest challengers Sevilla.
Despite their current poor form, Valverde is adamant that nothing has changed about his team since dispatching Napoli in the qualifiers.
"Honestly, we're the same, although we don't have the same breathing room," he told reporters after Saturday's 0-0 draw with La Liga newcomers Eibar.
"We're very thick in our interior movements. The team is working hard and fighting, but I think the things going against us are too much.
"We have a difficult time in our build-up play. We need to create danger. We need to find solutions and continue looking for them."
BATE do not go into Tuesday's game in particularly impressive form themselves following a four-game winless streak.
A 6-0 hammering at Porto – BATE's biggest away defeat in Europe – was sandwiched between a pair of home league draws against Torpedo Zhodino and Dinamo Minsk.
Despite three successive domestic draws, BATE remain three points clear of Dinamo at the top of the Belarusian Premier League, with the reigning champions enjoying a 23-match unbeaten league run.
BATE will not be able to draw much inspiration from their past meetings with Spanish opposition, though, having lost all eight previous matches.
The hosts will fancy their chances of ending that run as Athletic have only emerged victorious from one of their last six European games away from San Mames.
Ager Aketxe (broken toe) looks set to be the only player definitely missing for Athletic, while the out-of-favour Kike Sola is expected to sit out again and 18-year-old attacker Unai Lopez is pushing for a start.
Head coach Aleksandr Yermakovich, though, has no fresh injury concerns as BATE eye a first Champions League group stage win since beating Bayern Munich 3-1 in October 2012.
Paris Saint-Germain v Barcelona: Blanc hopeful of Ibrahimovic return
28 September 2014
Paris Saint-Germain are hopeful Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be fit for their UEFA Champions League clash with Barcelona on Tuesday.
The Sweden international has missed each of PSG's last two matches with a heel injury, and it remains to be seen whether he will be fit to face his former club at the Parc des Princes.
Laurent Blanc's side coped well without their talisman against Caen, sealing a 2-0 win away from home, but a trip to Toulouse on Saturday proved more testing as the reigning French champions were held to a 1-1 draw.
"We have some hope of getting him back for Barcelona," said Blanc.
The prognosis is less positive for Thiago Silva, however, who has not featured for PSG since suffering a hamstring injury in a friendly against Napoli last month, while a similar problem for Ezequiel Lavezzi means the Argentinian is highly unlikely to play.
"We are following the evolution of his [Silva] injury on a daily basis but he is not ready," Blanc said. "His injury is evolving positively but slowly. We have no exact date for his return."
Before his injury, Ibrahimovic had scored seven goals in as many appearances this season, and PSG will be desperate to have him back to face his former employers.
PSG have made an unbeaten start to the Ligue 1 campaign, although five of their eight matches have ended in draws, while their opening Group F fixture with Ajax finished 1-1.
Barcelona defeated APOEL 1-0 at Camp Nou on matchday one, and Luis Enrique's men have made an impressive start to their Liga title challenge.
The Catalan giants are yet to concede a goal in any competition this season, and have taken 16 points from six matches in the league, including a 6-0 thumping of Granada on Saturday which featured a hat-trick for Neymar and a brace for Lionel Messi.
"If he [Ibrahimovic] is injured he's a very important loss to the team," said Luis Enrique. "I think they are a team that is going to come at us thinking they can get a result.
"I have watched a couple of PSG's matches. I have watched them against Ajax and they are one of the teams who could win the Champions League this season. They have a really good side on attack and are very strong at the back.
"They have many solutions on the pitch. It's obvious they depend on Ibrahimovic but they have also [Edinson] Cavani, even they won't have for that match Lavezzi."
Barca's only forced absentees are Rafinha (muscular injury) and third-choice goalkeeper Jordi Masip (fractured finger), while Thomas Vermaelen and Martin Montoya were both left out of the matchday squad.
CSKA Moscow v Bayern Munich: Robben calls for psychological focus
28 September 2014
Arjen Robben has warned Bayern Munich to prepare psychologically for when they meet CSKA Moscow behind closed doors on Tuesday.
The German champions play their Russian counterparts in the UEFA Champions League Group E clash at the Arena Khimki.
However, no supporters will be in attendance as CSKA were sanctioned by UEFA in February after fans displayed "a range of racist and far-right symbols" in a Champions League match with Viktoria Plzen last December.
The decision has riled Bayern chairman Karl Heinz-Rummenigge, who voiced his frustration that Bayern fans are unable to attend.
Bayern winger Robben has also aired his disappointment and the Netherlands international has called for the team to prepare mentally in order to make it two wins from two in the Champions League.
"It is a pity, especially for our fans that they will be punished," he told reporters. "We must be well prepared in the head and understand it will be played without an audience.
"We have to get three points, because we have a tough group."
CSKA, who could face further punishment from UEFA for alleged racist behaviour from supporters in their matchday one clash at Roma, meet Bayern in the group stages for the second season running.
Bayern won last term's corresponding fixture 3-1, a victory that earned them a record 10th successive victory in the Champions League.
Pep Guardiola's men are looking to make it back-to-back Champions League wins after Jerome Boateng's dramatic late winner sank former club Manchester City 1-0 in their pool E opener.
Since defeating City, Bayern have taken seven points from a possible nine in the Bundesliga - a return that has helped them reach the top of the table after six matches.
Winger Franck Ribery will hope to recover from a knee complaint that has limited him to just 22 minutes of action this term, while the likes of Holger Badstuber (thigh), Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara and Bastian Schweinsteiger (all knee) are missing through injury.
CSKA will hope to avoid a similar fate to their opening Champions League match at Roma where they suffered a 5-1 battering having gone 4-0 behind after 31 minutes.
The Russian Premier League champions have responded well domestically, reeling off three straight wins in all competitions, including Saturday's dramatic 4-3 triumph at Ural.
Once again, manager Leonid Slutsky must make do without Pontus Wernbloom and Alan Dzagoev who are serving the second of three-match bans, while Rasmus Elm (stomach) and Vitinho (ankle) are also unavailable.
Sporting Lisbon v Chelsea: Hosts protecting fearsome home record
28 September 2014
Sporting Lisbon host Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League looking to maintain their superb home record in continental competition.
It will not be an easy assignment for the Premier League pacesetters, with Sporting defending a 16-game unbeaten run in European fixtures on home turf, while they have only lost once in their last nine games to English visitors.
Jose Mourinho returns to a club he served as assistant manager to Sir Bobby Robson in the early 1990s but there will be no warm welcome for the former Porto and Benfica manager who will look to get his side's campaign on track when the two teams meet on Tuesday.
The 2012 winners were in control of their opening Champions League encounter at home to Schalke, leading through Cesc Fabregas' first for the club. But they were denied all three points by a second-half Klaas-Jan Huntelaar strike and will want maximum points in Lisbon.
Mourinho's men go into the game high on confidence after beating Aston Villa 3-0 at the weekend to maintain their position at the top of the Premier League.
The win over Villa saw Diego Costa score his eighth for the club since his summer move from Atletico Madrid but Mourinho admitted afterwards that the striker is doing little training during the week as he seeks to find full fitness after hamstring trouble.
Costa was only able to make a brief cameo appearance in the Schalke draw, with Didier Drogba unable to fully replace the red-hot Spaniard's presence up front, and Loic Remy could be a more likely starter in Portugal if the former Atletico Madrid man requires resting again.
Brazilian midfielder Ramires is ruled out and is not expected to feature until after next month's international break.
Like Chelsea, Sporting go into the game having surrendered a winning position in their first Champions League game since 2009.
On-loan Manchester United winger Nani put Marco Silva's side ahead with 10 minutes to go against Maribor but were pegged back by an injury-time Luka Zahovic strike.
The 2013-14 Primeira Liga runners-up have had a slow start to the season. Although undefeated, Sporting find themselves six points behind leaders Benfica having drawn four of their six league games.
Their last game ended in a 1-1 draw against Porto. Jonathan Silva put Sporting ahead in the second minute but a Mouhamadou-Naby Sarr own goal in the second half ensured the spoils were shared.
Anderlecht v Borussia Dortmund: Hasi expecting tough test
29 September 2014
Anderlecht boss Besnik Hasi is not underestimating an injury-hit Borussia Dortmund ahead of their UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday.
Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund side have a lengthy list of absentees coming into their Group D encounter in Belgium.
Marco Reus (ankle), Jakub Blaszczykowski (muscle problem), Nuri Sahin (knee), Oliver Kirch (thigh) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (foot) are all unavailable for the visitors, while Ilkay Gundogan's long-term back injury renders him highly unlikely to feature and Sebastian Kehl's foot complaint means he is also a doubt.
Despite their opponent's injury woes, Hasi sounded a warning about the threat posed by the 2013 runners-up, even in light of Dortmund's 2-1 defeat to fierce rivals Schalke in the Bundesliga at the weekend.
"It's never the right time to deal with such clubs," he said. "But it's true that the club is in a somewhat difficult period and has a lot of injuries.
"But I do not let myself be blinded by his defeat at Schalke. We are not a club in the Bundesliga, but the Pro League.
"For Dortmund, it's easier to play against Anderlecht as against Schalke. I expect that their game will be better on Wednesday, but ours will be as well."
Anderlecht have a fitness concern over Anthony Vanden Borre, who is yet to feature this season after fracturing his fibula in the World Cup with Belgium, while fellow defender Fabrice N'Sakala is out with a knee problem.
Hasi's men earned a 1-1 draw against Galatasaray in Turkey on matchday one and have made a strong start to the defence of their Pro League title, unbeaten after nine matches and with a four-point lead over second-placed Gent.
Dortmund, by contrast, have struggled for consistency in the German top flight, losing three of their opening six games to languish 12th in the early table, already seven points adrift of Bayern Munich.
Following Saturday's loss at Schalke, defender Mats Hummels declared it was time for the team to show their fighting spirit.
"We are not where we want to be just now," he said.
"We have simply endured eight bad days and the comeback trail starts on Wednesday in Anderlecht."
Klopp, meanwhile, echoed the sentiments of Hummels as Dortmund look to build on their 2-0 home victory over Arsenal in their opening group fixture.
"The team has quality, a strong character and is mentally strong," he said. "We will be back."
Schalke v Maribor: Draxler set for return for confident hosts
28 September 2014
Schalke host Maribor in the UEFA Champions League Group G clash buoyed by the return of golden boy Julian Draxler and their fine recent run.
Jens Keller's side go into the game with confidence sky high after a weekend Revierderby win over Borussia Dortmund in Draxler's absence and holding Chelsea to a 1-1 draw on matchday one.
They were two goals to the good over their fierce rivals within the first 23 minutes on Saturday through Joel Matip and Maxim Choupo-Moting and though the visitors got a goal back, Schalke got the win with a performance that left Keller beaming.
He said: "We are delighted. A derby is always something special. To be able to celebrate a win at home in front of our fantastic fans, who supported us unbelievably again, is incredible. We played very well in the game and put pressure on from the start.
"The boys went for every ball and fought right until the final whistle. That was really impressive. In this respect, everyone at Schalke can be very happy."
And the 2011 semi-finalists of this competition have already got something in arguably their toughest test in the group with a point at Chelsea.
Schalke are looking to reach the knockout stages once again and will be encouraged with their form in the group stages last year, when they won two of their three home games, without conceding.
But they go into the encounter with injury concerns. Sidney Sam picked up a knock in the Dortmund victory and was withdrawn before half-time, and influential captain Benedikt Howedes is still out with a partial groin tear.
Germany international Draxler missed the weekend game through suspension and is likely to return, but Schalke will be without long-term absentees Fabian Giefer and Felipe Santana (both adductors), Leon Goretzka (hamstring), Jefferson Farfan and Sead Kolasinac (both knee).
Maribor will also go into the game high on confidence thanks to their last-gasp draw with Sporting Lisbon last time out.
That point was secured by 18-year-old Luka Zahovic and he has notched six goals already this season.
The Slovenian champions will be up against it if their record against German opposition is anything to go by. In their four encounters in Europe against German sides, they have not won and have only scored once in that time.
But they may be without Welle Ndiaye on Tuesday after he had to be substituted late on in their goalless draw with NK Radomlje at the weekend.
Leonardo Jardim promised Monaco will adhere to their footballing philosophy when they face Zenit in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
The Portuguese took over at the club following the departure of Claudio Ranieri at the end of 2013-14, but last season's Ligue 1 runners-up have struggled under his leadership.
Monaco have lost four of their opening eight league matches in the French top flight, including a 1-0 reverse at home to Nice on Saturday.
Jardim, who substituted influential midfielder Jeremy Toulalan with 20 minutes remaining of that encounter, defended that decision with Wednesday's trip to Russia in mind.
"Toulalan has played a series of intense matches," he said. "We will need him against Zenit.
"Our objective is to win. We didn't expect to suffer so many defeats in so few games. But there is only one road - hard work and making the group progress.
"Our way of playing football is ambitious. Monaco are an ambitious team. We stuck to our ideas.
"We like playing football; we don't boot the ball into touch, or throw ourselves to the ground. I respect the game of football."
Monaco began their Champions League Group C campaign in positive fashion, as Joao Moutinho's goal sealed a 1-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen, while Zenit returned from Portugal with an impressive 2-0 win at Benfica under their belt.
Andre Villas-Boas' side sit top of the Russian Premier League table, with Saturday's 0-0 draw at home to Spartak Moscow representing their first dropped points of the campaign, in their ninth match.
The club's record goalscorer Aleksandr Kerzhakov was left out of the matchday squad against Spartak, but Villas-Boas insists there is no rift between the pair.
"We don't have any conflict, no," he said. "We had a talk before the match and I explained to him my reasons for not putting him in the lineup, but I don't want to make that public.
"Right now we are waiting to see what happens. Kerzhakov is a very strong player, a part of Zenit and we expect that he will be training with us in the future, proving his right to be on the field."
Villas-Boas stated that experienced midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk should be available for the game, while Monaco look set to be without Lacina Traore, Borja Lopez (both knee) and Aymen Abdennour (thigh).
Basel v Liverpool: Rodgers hopeful on Sturridge return
29 September 2014
Daniel Sturridge could be in line to give Liverpool a welcome fillip ahead of their UEFA Champions League trip to Basel on Wednesday.
Sturridge has not featured in his club's last five matches after sustaining a thigh injury while on international duty with England at the beginning of September.
The striker - scorer of 36 goals in 52 Liverpool appearances since joining from Chelsea in January 2013 - has been sorely missed by Brendan Rodgers' stuttering side who, as yet, have failed to hit the heights of last season.
Liverpool have made an unconvincing start to the campaign, taking just seven points from their opening six Premier League games and requiring an injury-time penalty from captain Steven Gerrard to beat Ludogorets 2-1 in their Champions League opener a fortnight ago.
But their talisman Sturridge is edging closer to a much-anticipated return - with Rodgers revealing in the aftermath of Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Everton on Saturday that the 25-year-old could feature in Switzerland.
"He wasn't really close for this game [the Merseyside derby]," said the Northern Irishman.
"I'll see how he is [for Basel]. He wasn't far away for Everton, but he certainly wasn't fit enough to be on the bench.
"Daniel is obviously a top talent - and he's not far away from being back playing."
Sturridge is one of a number of Liverpool players currently struggling with injury, and Rodgers looks set to be without Emre Can (ankle), as well as Glen Johnson and Joe Allen (both knee), at St Jakob-Park.
Mario Balotelli, who scored his first Liverpool goal in the victory over Ludogorets, is likely to lead the line once again.
In contrast to Liverpool’s domestic struggles, Basel go into Wednesday's clash top of the Swiss Super League.
However, Paulo Sousa's team were thumped 5-1 by Real Madrid in their first group game, as the reigning European champions ran riot in the first half at the Santiago Bernabeu.
That result makes Wednesday's fixture even more crucial for Basel, with Sousa's men widely expected to be in a two-way battle with Liverpool for second place in Group B behind Real.
History is on Basel's side, though, as Liverpool - and Gerrard in particular - do not have fond memories of St Jakob-Park.
A below-par Gerrard was substituted at half-time in his side's last visit to Basel back in November 2002 - a game Liverpool needed to win to qualify from their Champions League pool.
Basel stormed into a 3-0 lead after just 29 minutes and, although a second-half fightback enabled Liverpool to draw 3-3, that was not enough to prevent their elimination to the UEFA Cup.
Some 12 years on, Gerrard - the only surviving member of that Liverpool team - is sure to be determined to make amends for what he has labelled one of the worst performances of his career.
Atletico Madrid v Juventus: Opening defeat puts pressure on hosts
29 September 2014
Atletico Madrid will be keen to bounce back in a champion-versus-champion clash with Juventus on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone's men were defeated by city rivals Real Madrid in the final of the UEFA Champions League last season, but their Group A campaign started with a 3-2 reverse to Greek Superleague holders Olympiacos a fortnight ago.
The Spanish champions now welcome the Serie A title winners to the Vicente Calderon and another loss would do further damage to Atleti's hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
Atleti's loss to Olympiacos remains their only defeat in competitive matches this season and they have responded to the setback by taking seven points from a possible nine in their last three league matches.
Close-season signing Raul Jimenez broke his duck for the club with the last goal in a 4-0 rout of Sevilla on Saturday and the former Club America forward is eager to now make his mark in the Champions League.
"I'm very happy. I really wanted to score my first goal and finally it came," he told reporters.
"The team is giving me confidence so I can develop in Europe. The Champions League is something I want to play in.
"A few months ago I was watching those games on TV and now I have the chance to make my debut."
Atleti have doubts over captain Gabi who injured his ankle in the Sevilla win, but Simeone returns to the dugout after a serving the last game of a touchline ban at Olympiacos.
Juve travel to Spain buoyed a solid, if somewhat laboured, opening-round 2-0 win over Malmo in Turin.
Massimiliano Allegri's reign has begun in fine fashion, with Juve winning all six of their competitive fixtures without conceding a goal this term.
The Calderon has proved a fortress for Atleti in recent history, though, they won five and drew one of their Champions League fixtures on home soil last season and have won 17 of the their past 19 home matches in UEFA competitions.
Juve's trip to Atleti appears to be their most difficult pool encounter on paper and comes just four days before their crunch Serie A clash with Roma at the Juventus Stadium.
Despite the potential pitfalls, centre-back Angelo Ogbonna insists the team will prepare for the match as they would any other.
"We will face Atletico as [we do] all the other teams," he told reporters. "It will take great concentration, we will try to prepare for the game in the best way."
Allegri is able to call on midfielder Roberto Pereyra who was suspended against Malmo, but Andrea Pirlo (hip), Andrea Barzagli (Achilles) and Martin Caceres (thigh) miss out.
Malmo v Olympiacos: Roberto insists no hangover for visitors
29 September 2014
Roberto is confident Olympiacos will have no hangover from their weekend loss to Atromitos as they visit Malmo in the UEFA Champions League.
The Greek champions started their Group A campaign with a fantastic 3-2 home victory against La Liga holders Atletico Madrid.
Michel's men followed up with a 3-0 win against Veria in the Superleague before defeating Panachaiki 1-0 in the Greek Cup.
However, Olympiacos travel to the Swedbank Stadion on Wednesday on the back of a disappointing 1-0 setback at Atromitos.
Goalkeeper Roberto is sure the loss was just a blip, though, and is confident Olympiacos can make it two wins from two when they meet the Swedish champions.
"[Atromitos] was an important game for us," he told reporters. "We saw it as an important game, we wanted to win.
"We have an obligation to win all games and now we play [another] important game, but [the loss] makes no difference.
"I am very optimistic [we can beat Malmo]. I believe that this is a unique opportunity that we have to start the Champions League with two consecutive wins. We are ready and we will try our best to do so."
Dimitris Siovas made an eagerly awaited comeback from a broken ankle sustained in January when he played in the Greek Cup, but a thigh injury rules him out against Malmo.
David Fuster (groin) and Leandro Salino (thigh) are also doubtful ahead of the match.
For Malmo, the match represents an opportunity to put their first points on the board after a suffering a 2-0 defeat at Juventus in matchday one.
Age Hareide's men are playing a home match in the competition proper for the first time since November 1990 and, having not conceded at home during three qualifying rounds, Malmo will be confident of causing an upset.
Hareide's side are in good form domestically, Emil Forsberg bagged a hat-trick as Malmo came from behind to defeat Mjallby 4-1 at the weekend.
He now has 13 league goals to this name this term - his best return in a season.
Malmo are proving to be solid in defence, too, goalkeeper Robin Olsen has kept 10 league clean sheets this season, more than any other team in the league.
Defender Ricardinho returned from a month-long lay-off with a knee injury to face Mjallby at the weekend and should be in contention, but the match is likely to come too soon for Simon Thern who has recently resumed full training after breaking his fibula in July.
