Roma v Man Utd: Preview
Updated: March 31, 2008, 5:02 AM ET
ROME, March 31 (Reuters) - AS Roma will be without injured captain Francesco Totti when they take on Manchester United in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Serie A club said on Sunday that the striker needs rest because of a thigh muscle injury he felt after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Cagliari, when he scored his side's equalizer.
The loss of Roma's main creative force and their top scorer in Serie A this term with 14 goals is a big blow to Italy's sole Champions League survivor.
The hosts are also without suspended Italy midfielder Simone Perrotta, while Brazilian defender Juan is a doubt because of a foot problem.
United, the Premier League leaders, are in fine fettle after thrashing Aston Villa 4-0 on Saturday with Cristiano Ronaldo inspirational again and scorer of a delightful back-heeled goal.
Wayne Rooney also scored twice to end a six-game run without a goal, leading manager Alex Ferguson to declare that his side have 'reached a peak' and stir fears among Roma fans of a repetition of the 7-1 drubbing they suffered at Old Trafford at this stage last season having won the first leg 2-1.
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti, however, believes his side will show they have come a long way since that debacle.
'Games like this one against Manchester bring out the best in us,' he told reporters. 'We need to be careful and try not to concede but in order to do it we have to be strong and have total faith. We need to do everything and more.'
Roma were a different prospect in the group-stage clashes between the sides this season, when they were unlucky to lose 1-0 away and held United 1-1 in the Italian capital.
The 4-2 aggregate win over nine-times European champions Real Madrid in the first knockout round was further proof of growing maturity.
Spalletti can also take comfort from some solid recent displays by Montenegro forward Mirko Vucinic, who will be called on to lead the attack in Totti's absence.
United regulars Michael Carrick, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs came off with knocks against Villa, although Ferguson said he was hopeful they would be fit for Tuesday.
Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is a bigger worry after missing Saturday's game with a groin problem.
'Edwin van der Sar may be a doubt for Tuesday,' Ferguson told the club's website.
'He's got a groin problem again, it's happened two or three times in the last few weeks. We'll see how he is over the next few days.'
United's fans have been told to be on their best behaviour and to use a shuttle service to reach the ground to avoid a recurrence of the clashes and knife attacks that marred both of the previous games between the teams at the Stadio Olimpico.
Struggling Barca give Schalke hope
Updated: March 31, 2008, 4:59 AM ET
BERLIN, March 31 (Reuters) - Schalke 04 have reached the Champions League quarter-finals by the skin of their teeth but after Barcelona's 'shameful' weekend defeat they will feel anything is possible when they host the Catalans on Tuesday.
The Arena AufSchalke is an intimidating place to play at the best of times, so how Barca will react in Gelsenkirchen after their performance against Real Betis on Saturday, when they led 2-0 but ended up losing 3-2, is anyone's guess.
Schalke, UEFA Cup winners in 1997 but appearing in the last eight of the European Cup for the first time, are third in the Bundesliga after three wins and a draw in their last four games.
Barcelona, twice European champions, are also in third place in their league, yet scarcely will they have had such self-doubt before a first leg against second-tier opposition like Schalke.
'It is difficult to explain what happened,' said coach Frank Rijkaard after his team shipped three goals in 15 second-half minutes. 'All I can do is apologise to our fans. As a coach I feel ashamed at this result.'
Rijkaard's room for manoeuvre is limited given that Ronaldinho is unlikely to take part because of leg muscle pain, while Deco, Rafael Marquez and Lionel Messi are all out injured.
Rijkaard may be tempted to recall Silvinho on the left side of defence after yet another shoddy display at the back, while Argentine centre-back Gabriel Milito could return after missing out on the Betis defeat because of groin pain.
Good defence will be important for Barcelona, who beat Celtic in the last 16, because Schalke know their best chance of an upset will be to attack with everything they've got.
During the group phase they played defensively at home to Valencia and Chelsea and got just a point from the two matches.
They squeaked through with just eight points from their six games and they responded by playing much more adventurously in the opening leg of their tie with Porto, winning it 1-0 and coming through on penalties after losing 1-0 in Portugal.
The Schalke forwards were frustrated in a goalless draw away to Karlsruhe on Saturday but the team did create nine clear chances and that has pointed the way for Tuesday.
'We have to get forward faster, to open up more opportunities,' striker Kevin Kuranyi told reporters. 'We need to create more chances.'
Coach Mirko Slomka experimented on Saturday by playing full-back Christian Pander in an unfamiliar position on the left of midfield, with the in-form Heiko Westermann behind him.
'They worked well together,' said Slomka, who will have to decide whether to play the same risky formation on Tuesday.
