London : With hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League fading, Manchester United approach Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 first-leg match at Greek champions Olympiakos desperate for a positive result. Not only does the competition represent United’s last realistic hope of silverware this season, but David Moyes’ side may need to win the Champions League just to qualify for next season’s tournament. United are currently 11 points below Liverpool, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League place, and with only 11 games of the season remaining, qualification via the league may already be beyond them.
United have won only four of their 11 matches since the turn of the year, but the Champions League provided a respite from their domestic woes during the European autumn. The three-time continental champions qualified as Group A winners, winning four and drawing two of their six matches and enjoying handsome 4-2 and 5-0 victories over Bayer Leverkusen.
Nevertheless, with Arsenal and Manchester City having already lost their own last 16 first-leg matches, to Bayern Munich and Barcelona respectively, the tournament final in Lisbon on May 24 remains a long way off. United are unbeaten against Greek teams and Olympiakos have not reached the Champions League quarter finals since 1999, although they have won at home to Arsenal twice in the last two seasons. The Greek giants can nonetheless take heart from their breathtaking domestic form, having won 24 and drawn two of their opening 26 league games and reached the semifinals in the Greek Cup.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund head to Zenit Saint Petersburg on the back of a shock Bundesliga defeat and injury worries. Last year’s Champions League finalists Dortmund slumped to a shock 3-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Hamburg on Saturday and lost midfielder Sven Bender for the next 10 weeks with an inflamed pelvis. Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has promised improvements in Saint Petersburg. "Things will be very different there," said Klopp.
Zenit have the squad to trouble Dortmund with the likes of Brazilian striker Hulk and ex-Arsenal attacking midfielder Andrei Arshavin. "Our team is fit and we are fully focused, a big plus for us is our great fighting spirit," said Zenit’s midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.
