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Deschamps back to reality, but 8-3 memory lingers
Monaco can only dream of repeating their 8-3 rout of Deportivo Coruna when the two sides meet again in the Champions League on Tuesday but the Spanish team's recent poor form will give them heart. Deportivo lost 5-1 to Valencia last week and are among the sides with most goals against in the Primera Liga although they stemmed the tide in a 1-1 draw at Real Betis on Saturday. "It's a good memory, but only a memory," Monaco coach Didier Deschamps, whose side reached the final in May where they lost to Porto, said as he recalled the remarkable match at the Stade Louis II in November 2003. "That match last year was an exception," he said. "We had good finishing and they were caught up in a whirlwind. But things will be different this time. There will be no inferiority or superiority complex." All but one of Monaco's five scorers on that memorable night have left the principality and for Deschamps' new-look side, beaten 2-0 at Liverpool in their Group A opener two weeks ago, a narrow victory would more than suffice. Argentine Javier Saviola, who has replaced Real Madrid's Fernando Morientes as Monaco's on-loan striker, should get his Champions League debut for the club after missing the Liverpool match through suspension. Monaco prepared with a well-earned 0-0 draw away to champions Olympique Lyon at the weekend to stay top of Ligue 1 while Liverpool, who visit Olympiakos Piraeus, enjoyed a 3-0 victory against Norwich City. Lyon, who should have beaten Manchester United in their Group D opener after taking a two-goal lead but were pinned back by two Ruud van Nistelrooy strikes, travel to Sparta Prague, who lost 1-0 to Fenerbahce in Turkey. OLD SCORE Alex Ferguson's side are at home to Fenerbahce with a score to settle dating back to the 1996-97 season when the Turks' 1-0 win was the first ever European defeat for United at their Old Trafford ground. Another Argentine set to make his debut is winger Mauro Rosales, who helped his country win the Olympic soccer gold medal last month, when Ajax visit Bayern Munich in Group C looking to bounce back from a 1-0 home loss to Juventus. The Dutch side have a tremendous record against German clubs and have not lost or conceded a goal on any of their last four visits to Germany. But that record could end in Munich - at the hands of a Dutchman. "Bayern are very good at being patient and waiting for just one chance. To use that chance they have an exceptional striker in Roy Makaay," coach Ronald Koeman said. That is what happened in Tel Aviv two weeks ago when Bayern beat Maccabi 1-0 with a Makaay penalty. Juventus, who won in Amsterdam with a Pavel Nedved goal, are at home to Maccabi. The Group B table has a strange look after surprise results in the first round of matches including a 3-0 defeat for record nine-times champions Real Madrid at Bayer Leverkusen. Real, struggling badly to halt a downward trend that began in the latter part of last season and continued with a 2-1 loss at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, are looking for revenge against AS Roma, who won 1-0 the last time the teams met at the Bernabeu the season before last. Roma were punished with a 3-0 defeat after their home match against Dynamo Kiev was abandoned with the Ukranian team 1-0 up when referee Anders Frisk suffered a head wound from an object thrown from the stands as he left the field at halftime. Dynamo and Bayer Leverkusen will each be looking to win and pull away at the top of the group when they meet in Kiev. |
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