Date:29/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/29/stories/2006032909042200.htm

Sport - Football

Lyon takes on Milan sans talisman

PARIS: Lyon will have to stop the most prolific strike-force in European tournament history without midfielder Juninho when it hosts AC Milan in a Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. The French club plays six-time European champion Milan in the first leg at Stade Gerland as it bids to reach the last four for the first time.

Coach Gerard Houllier will need to change tactics as Juninho dictates Lyon's speed of play.

Juninho was booked in the round of 16 game against PSV Eindhoven and is suspended. But Houllier does have defenders Claudio Cacapa and Anthony Reveillere returning.

Houllier is likely to need defensive options as Milan forwards Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi share 106 goals in European competition. No pair of strikers has scored more, and Inzaghi is the first Italian to reach the 50-goal mark in Europe.— Agencies