AJAX look certain to be without Nigerian international Nwankwo Kanu for tomorrow's European Cup quarter-final second leg against Borussia Dortmund. Kanu failed to return to Amsterdam on his scheduled flight from an Olympic qualifier with Nigeria.
The European champions are already ravaged by injuries and suspensions and their coach, Louis van Gaal, said: "At home he does not pick up the phone, it must be because he sleeps like a log. I am laughing, but inside I am crying."
But Ajax, who justified their billing as Cup favourites with a superb 2-0 first leg win in Dortmund, will welcome back skipper Danny Blind following his recovery from a muscle injury. Striker Patrick Kluivert (suspension), Peter Hoekstra (ineligible) and Finidi George (injured) are also all missing, while Michael Reiziger is doubtful with a muscle strain.
But Dortmund also have their problems with Matthias Sammer, who was sent off in the first leg, and Stefan Reuter both suspended. They also have injury doubts about midfielder Patrik Berger and defender Julio Cesar, while Andy Moeller is not ready to return after a cartilage operation.
Juventus will field a three-man attack as they try to haul back a 1-0 deficit against Real Madrid in Turin. Striker Fabrizio Ravanelli is suspended so reserve Michele Padovano steps in alongside Alessandro Del Piero and captain Gianluca VialIi, who missed the first leg in Madrid through injury.
"I can't wait to get started and when you're up against a side like Real, you don't need any motivation," said Padovano.
Real are without goalkeeper Paco Buyoi and Argentiman Fernando Redondo through injuries picked up in a weekend league match. Buyo will be replaced by Santiago Canizares, who is a reserve in the Spanish national team but has hardly played since signing from Celta Vigo in the summer of 1994.
Canizares knows all about the big-match atmosphere. In 1993 he saved Spain with a brilliant performance after Andoni Zubizarreta was sent off in the crucial World Cup qualifying match against Denmark. "A great memory, and the game that catapulted me to fame," says Canizares, who was given the nickname "hero of Seville".
The 38 year-old Buyo has surprisingly retained the number one shirt at Real, but coach Arsenio Iglesias has confidence in Canizares, who came on for Buyo in Saturday's game against Albacete.
Influential defender Fernando Hierro is suspended, while full-back Miguel Soler has not recovered from an injury sustained in the first leg. Chilean forward Ivan Zamorano and central defender Manolo Sanchis have travelled to Turin, but will have late fitness tests.
Panathinaikos are banking on the support of 75,000 fans at the Olympic Stadium in Athens to lift them against Legia Warsaw after a 0-0 draw in Poland. "We will not underestimate them, but I believe we have the upper hand with the support of our fans," said Argentinian coach Juan Ramon Rocha.
The Greek champions will be without injured striker Alexis Alexoudis and suspended midfielders George H Georgiadis and Dimitris Markos.
Legia coach Pavel Yannas, who is without suspended defender Marek Jazwiak and striker Jacek Bednarz, said: "It will Dot be an easy match. However, in soccer, everything is possible and if we score a goal then the pressure will be on the Greeks."
Nantes go to Spartak Moscow with a two-goal cushion but without winger Reynald Pedros, who was sent off in the first leg, and injured striker Japhet N'Doram, a scorer in the 2-0 victory in France.
Defender Laurent Guyot is also banned, while skipper Jean-Michel Ferri and striker Nicolai Ouedec are both hoping to overcome leg injuries. Spartak defenders Dmitry Khlestov and Ramiz Mamedov are both ruled out by injury.
