Sylva’s Lille Hoping To Shock English Giants

Lille’s band of Africans will be hoping to help the unfashionable French outfit to a shock result against English giants Manchester United when the two teams meet at the Stade Felix-Bollaert in Lens tonight in the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League.

Ivorian winger Kader Keita will be missing through suspension, but otherwise Lille coach Claude Puel will have a full squad to choose from and his starting XI is likely to feature three Africans: Senegal’s Tony Sylva in goal, Cameroonian Jean Makoun in midfield and Nigerian forward Peter Odemwingie, who is likely to play as the lone striker in this first leg fixture.

Lille defeated United 1-0 in the

group stages of last year’s competition and their nine-match unbeaten home run in the Champions League suggests that the Ligue 1 side are more than capable of causing an upset.

"When you compare the two teams, of course there's a big difference," coach Puel told UEFA.com. "But in a two-legged tie, you're always going to have a chance and we know we'll get opportunities. It would be great to go into the second match with a lead, yet even if we don't we hope to be in a position to finish the job over there."

Goalkeeper Sylva has already begun the war of words ahead of the match, claiming that United winger Cristiano Ronaldo is no match for his friend Didier Drogba.

"Cristiano Ronaldo today is playing very well and he is the star of their team. But for me he is not the best player in England. I know Didier Drogba well and he is a much more complete player in attack than Ronaldo,” said the Senegalese international.

"Mentally we are ready to spring a big surprise in this match. We do not fear Manchester United. They are better than last year but in Europe all is possible. They play this round with more pressure than us and that is an advantage for Lille.

"Lille know the style of the English and I warn them that this will not be easy for them. United will need to fight to get past us. It is possible United will be after revenge but in the heads of their players they will remember last season's defeat and that may affect their performance on the field."

The Red Devils themselves will have a full squad to choose from, with goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar likely to return after a spell on the sidelines due to a broken nose.

In other matches, Guinea’s Dianbodo Balde will hope Celtic can make the most of their passionate home support in Celtic Park when they host six-time champions AC Milan, for whom Italian great Paulo Maldini will play his 100th Champions League game, while Mali’s Mahamadou Diarra will miss Real Madrid’s clash with German giants Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu with an ankle injury.

The final clash of the night will see Arsenal travel to Einhoven to face Dutch dark horses PSV.

Ivorian Emmanuel Eboue will miss the match through injury but compatriot Kolo Toure is a sure starter, while Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor may have to sit on the bench as the Gunners often favour a 4-5-1 formation – spearheaded by Thierry Henry – in their European escapades.

The greatest threat to Arsenal’s hopes of progressing to the quarterfinals comes in the shape of Ivorian forward Arouna Kone, although he will have to do without his usual strike partner Jefferson Farfan, who was injured in league action on Saturday.

Tonight’s UEFA Champions League first knockout round, first leg fixtures:

Celtic (SCO) v AC Milan (ITA) – Celtic Park, Glasgow
PSV (NED) v Arsenal (ENG) – PSV Stadium, Eindhoven
Lille (FRA) v Manchester United (ENG) – Stade Felix-Bollaert, Lens
Real Madrid (ESP) v Bayern Munich (GER) – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid