Nedved return gives Juve hope

Italian champions Juventus are hoping that the return of Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved can inspire a comeback victory over Arsenal in today's Champions League quarter-final, second leg tie at the Delle Alpi stadium.

Nedved was suspended for the 2-0 first-leg defeat by the English side, but is available for the return and promises Juventus are ready for a real battle.

"Juve are a team that fight until the end and as long as it is mathematically possible we will believe we can do it," said Nedved, the 2003 European Footballer of the Year.

"Arsenal will have to sweat. The only thing that is sure is that we can't make any mistakes. I was suspended for the first game but I am ready for the return match.

"I can't say what I will add to the team but certainly I will give everything I have and hope that is enough."

Although Nedved returns to the left of midfield Juve coach Fabio Capello's choices are limited by suspensions.

Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira, Argentine-born winger Mauro Camoranesi and French full-back Jonathan Zebina are all suspended.

Romanian Adrian Mutu is likely to replace Camoranesi on the right, ex-Lazio midfielder Giuliano Giannichedda will slot into Vieira's central midfield role and Giorgio Chiellini will come in at left back with Gianluca Zambrotta moving to the right.

Up front Capello will stick with the out-of-sorts Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic alongside Frenchman David Trezeguet.

Alessandro Del Piero, who sat out the first leg with a thigh injury, will not be fit enough to at least start on the bench.

Arsenal received a major boost on Monday when 18-year-old Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Ivory Coast defender Emmanuel Eboue were both declared fit enough to travel after picking up foot and groin injuries respectively in Saturday's 5-0 demolition of Aston Villa.

Both were rated 60-40 against recovering in time by manager Arsene Wenger after the Villa game.

Fabregas was outstanding against Juve at Highbury - scoring one goal, making the other for Thierry Henry and providing many of the passes behind Arsenal's attacking game.

Experience will really count in Turin and if Fredrik Ljungberg has recovered from a calf injury, manager Arsene Wenger may put the Swede back in the side.

Doubts over Eboue's fitness at right-back could mean a re-shuffle, with fit-again Sol Campbell returning in central defence and Philippe Senderos moving sideways.

Campbell has not played since walking out of Highbury at half-time against West Ham United on February 1.

Swiss defender Johan Djourou, who replaced Eboue against Villa, is another alternative as Arsenal look for an eighth consecutive clean sheet in the Champions League and a place in the semi-finals for the first time.

Henry, who scored two superb goals in the Villa rout, will again be a lone striker.

Though Arsenal are unlikely to sit back, they will certainly look to use the pace of the prolific Frenchman and Spanish winger Jose Antonio Reyes to hit Juve on the break and score what would probably be a decisive away goal.

Barca scoring drought

Barcelona are confident they can recover from a recent barren spell up front and see off Benfica in today's other quarter-final at the Nou Camp.

Barcelona, who drew 0-0 in last week's first leg in Lisbon, have only found the net once in their last three outings - and that was a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid.

Coach Frank Rijkaard said the problems up front could work to their advantage against the Portuguese side.

"If we'd scored lots of goals on Saturday, it might have been harder to score against Benfica," he said. "As it is, the team now has even more desire to beat Benfica."

Rijkaard's attention is also likely to be focused on his injury-hit defence.

Mexican centre back Rafael Marquez, versatile Brazilian international Edmilson and left back Silvinho are all out injured, while midfielder Thiago Motta, who can also play at the back, suffered a minor thigh strain against Real.

Like Rijkaard, Benfica coach Ronald Koeman also has major injury worries after striker Nuno Gomes damaged his left knee in Saturday's 2-1 win over Belenenses, a result that kept the Portuguese champions third in the table, seven points behind leaders Porto.

Gomes, the top scorer in the Portuguese league, will miss the match and is likely to be sidelined for three weeks. Brazilian defenders Alcides and Nelson are also injured.

Koeman is expected to adopt the same tactic used last week of defending in depth and relying on counter-attacks from Italian speedster Fabrizio Miccoli and former Barcelona midfielder Geovanni.