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Today both second leg matches of the UEFA Cup semi-finals will be played. After the first matches, the leaders have not been determined, so the teams will have to figure out the relations in this evening's meetings.
(First leg 0-0). Kick-off at 22.00 Lithuanian time
"Newcastle United" have not won the UEFA Cup since 1969. This season a real opportunity has emerged to do so, but the team is plagued by injuries. In the first match, playing far from the strongest lineup, Newcastle players managed to snatch a draw at their own field. Joining the injured players is Jonathan Woodgate. The team's coach Sir Bobby Robson mentioned during a press conference that the most important thing is to score an away goal, then it will be very difficult for the hosts to recover. Of course, the most dangerous players for both teams are Alan Shearer ("Newcastle") and the best player in France, Didier Drogba ("Marseille"). Who knows, maybe there's more to come for these footballers this season...
Possible line-ups:
"Marseille": Barthez; Ferreira, Beye, Hemdani, Meite, Dos Santos; Flamini, N'Diaye, Meriem; Drogba, Marlet.
"Newcastle": Given; Hughes, O'Brien, Bramble, Bernard; Ambrose, Viana, Speed, Robert; Ameobi, Shearer.
(First leg 0-0). Kick-off at 22.45 Lithuanian time
These matches could end in various ways and it would be difficult to determine the leader. Of course, in La Liga, Valencia's club is almost 30 points ahead of Villarreal's team, but surprises are not uncommon in European tournaments. We can remember the "Arsenal" - "Chelsea" case in England.
"Valencia" will have some problems as Francisco Rufete and Jorge Lopez will not be able to play, but the team's leader, Argentine Pablo Aimar, is returning to the lineup.
On the other hand, "Villarreal" will not have the help of safeties Marcos Senna and Javier Calleja Revilla, but despite that, all other key players will play, so the team will try to defeat one of the strongest teams in Spain at their own stadium - "Mestalla".
Possible line-ups:
"Valencia": Canizares; Curro Torres, Ayala, Pellegrino, Garrido; Angulo, Albelda, Baraja, Vicente, Aimar; Mista.
"Villarreal": Reina; Belletti, Alvarez, Coloccini, Arrubarrena; Battaglia, Josico, Jose Mari, Romin, Roger, Sony Anderson.
