Henry doubtful as Barcelona face Kiev test

European champions Barcelona may be without striker Thierry Henry when they host Dynamo Kiev tonight looking for their first Champions League win of the season.

The Frenchman pulled up with a strained muscle in Saturday's 2-0 win over Malaga in La Liga.

Barca, who drew 0-0 at Inter in their opening Group F match, won their fifth successive La Liga game on Saturday with Zlatan Ibrahimovic maintaining his record of scoring in every match.

The Swede, signed from Inter, started on the bench against Malaga to recover from an ankle strain but he was forced to come on for Henry in the first half and immediately lifted Barca's game, scoring the opener in a bruising victory. He has now scored five in five league games.

"He (Ibrahimovic) wasn't 100 per cent but he's a strong player who doesn't complain if he's thrown on," Guardiola said.

"More important than the goals he scores are the various alternatives he gives us in attack."

Dynamo, UEFA Cup semi-finalists last season, head for Spain as group leaders after their victory over Russian champions and competition debutants Rubin Kazan.

Barca will be favourites to win but the last time Dynamo visited the Nou Camp, in a Champions League group stage match in 1997, Andriy Shevchenko scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory and the former European Footballer of the Year is now back at Kiev.

Rubin welcome Inter to their refurbished 30,000-capacity stadium, with the Italian champions travelling without Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder (hip injury).

While Barca were maintaining their perfect La Liga start, Real Madrid, aiming to win a record-extending 10th European Cup at their Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in May - also won their fifth successive league match by beating Tenerife 3-0.

Real won 5-2 at FC Zurich in their opening Group C match and host Olympique Marseille tomorrow with the French side reeling from their first Ligue 1 defeat of the season.

"I didn't recognise Marseille," defender Cyril Rool told reporters after Saturday's 3-2 loss at Valenciennes. "Obviously, it would have been better to win before going to Madrid."

Three of the four English challengers won in the Premier League at the weekend, with Manchester United going top for the first time this season after a 2-0 victory at Stoke City.

Liverpool crushed Hull City 6-1, Fernando Torres scoring an outstanding hat-trick, and Arsenal beat Fulham 1-0 in a London derby at Craven Cottage. Previously unbeaten Chelsea went down to a shock 3-1 defeat at Wigan Athletic.

United, who began their Group B campaign for a third successive Champions League final appearance with a 1-0 win at Besiktas, host Wolfsburg knowing the German champions have conceded 14 goals in seven Bundesliga games.

Liverpool travel to Fiorentina in Group E with the English side having beaten Debrecen of Hungary 1-0 in their opener and the Italians having lost to Olympique Lyon by the same score.

Chelsea should follow up their opening 1-0 win over Porto with another victory in Group D against APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus, especially if England midfielder Joe Cole continues his rehabilitation from his long injury lay-off and plays.

APOEL gained a point from a surprise 0-0 draw at Atletico Madrid two weeks ago and the Spaniards, at the wrong end of La Liga without a win in five matches, will be hoping to kickstart their season in their trip to Porto.

Arsenal, who came from two goals down to beat Standard Liege 3-2 in their Group H opener, host Olympiakos, while Liege travel to AZ Alkmaar.