Champions League ready to splutter into life

After 10 weeks on the back burner the Champions League lumbers back into life this week refocusing the Continent's leading clubs on the most prestigious and lucrative club competition in the game.

The cumbersome tournament, still not yet halfway through its second group stage, quietly ticked over in the first half of the season, clouded by the nagging feeling that the big clubs were merely doing enough to ensure they did not lose ground.

However, it should now start to come alive as the quarter-finals loom and the time left to make amends for earlier slips starts to run out.

They are effectively starting from scratch in group D where all four teams are locked together on three points after a win and a defeat each.

Leaders on goal difference are Juventus, who are involved in probably the tie of the round on Tuesday when they host Deportivo Coruna.

The Italians have surged to the top of Serie A and have a formidable home record against Spanish clubs having lost just once -- their first against Real Madrid in 1962 -- in 16 games.

Juve coach Marcello Lippi, however, rates Deportivo highly.

"They are a strong side who merit respect," he said of the team who drew 0-0 in Turin in the first group stage last season.

Group D's other match on Tuesday sees Bayer Leverkusen take on Arsenal in the first of a double-header that Leverkusen manager Klaus Toppmoeller sees as decisive.

"Four points against Arsenal would see us through," he said.

Toppmoeller is banking on taking advantage of Arsenal's poor European away form, which is in stark contrast to their domestic travels where they are unbeaten so far in the premier league.

"We must not be cautious," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has something of a defensive crisis for Tuesday.

"We need to get out there and win an away game. Once we have won one I think the psychological problems will be over."

While group D is likely to go to the wire, Real Madrid can virtually book their place in the last eight on Tuesday with a home victory over Porto in group C.

STUMBLED RECENTLY

The 2000 champions are the only team to have won both their second phase games and although they have stumbled in the Spanish league with three successive away defeats, their terrific home form should be enough to make it three victories in Europe.

"We can get to nine points which would go a long way towards deciding the group and would enable us to rest some of the hardest-working players later," said defender Michel Salgado.

Porto are currently third with a single point from a goalless draw at Panathinaikos.

The Greeks, who also have one point, visit Sparta Prague, second on three points, on the back of a seven-match winning streak in the Greek league.

Uruguayan coach Sergio Markarian, who took over from the sacked Yiannis Kyrastas in December, has lifted the whole club and is travelling to Prague on a high.

Holders Bayern Munich and 1999 winners Manchester United remain favourites to advance from group A, both sides currently on four points.

Bayern, who are struggling in sixth place in the Bundesliga, visit Boavista where a victory would put them well on the way to qualification.

WEEKEND OFF

United, who had the weekend off after being knocked out of the FA Cup in an earlier round, travel to Nantes, who are still searching for their first point.

The French champions, still battling against relegation despite a recent revival, have virtually written off their Champions League chances and midfielder Matthieu Berson says they are playing for fun.

Barcelona can also take a hefty step towards the last eight with a home victory over AS Roma that would take them to seven points in group B.

The Spaniards had to fight back from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 home draw with Galatasaray last time out in December but are enjoying a good run at the moment and Saturday's 3-2 victory over Deportivo took them up to third in the Spanish league.

TOTTI RESTED

Roma boss Fabio Capello rested star midfielder Francesco Totti for Sunday's Serie A game at Brescia but the move backfired when the champions were held to a goalless draw that cost them top spot in the table.

Lippi, however, was unrepentant: "I need him healthy and rested against Barcelona," he said.

Liverpool need to beat Galatasaray at Anfield to kick-start their campaign after garnering just one point from their first two games.

Their chances have been boosted by the news that Michael Owen is fit after the striker missed England's 1-1 draw with the Netherlands last week with a knee problem.

Stand-in manager Phil Thompson, a veteran of Liverpool's all-conquering European teams of the 1970s and early '80s, is relishing the return to Champions League action.

"When you look at the group you see we have a side challenging at the top of Serie A, one top of the Turkish league, Barcelona are flying and ourselves who are second in the premier league -- it doesn't get much better," he said.