据路透社11月21日报道，在上述3支球队中，2004年在前教练穆里尼奥带领下勇夺欧洲联赛冠军奖杯的葡萄牙波尔图队目前在H组4战仅积3分，成为该组名副其实的“副班长”。本轮主场如果负于苏格兰冠军格拉斯哥流浪者队的话，他们将彻底失去小组出线的可能性。而D组积5分排在第3位的英超球队曼联目前的处境也很微妙。如果本轮他们在老特拉福德球场不能从西班牙比利亚雷亚队身上全取3分，而与此同时该组同样积5分排名第2的法甲里尔队战胜小组排名垫底的葡萄牙本菲卡队的话，那么曼联将彻底失去小组出线资格，而只能屈身欧洲联盟杯比赛。为此曼联主教练弗格森将本场比赛喻为曼联“近几年来最重要的欧洲赛事”。

　　曼联上一次未能从欧洲冠军联赛小组比赛中出线已经是10年前的事了，弗格森显然不希望曼联重蹈覆辙。同样E组的意大利AC米兰队本轮也不容再有任何闪失。如果在本周三对阵土耳其费内巴切队的比赛中告负，那么6次欧洲冠军联赛的冠军得主AC米兰即使最后一轮获胜，也要看其他场次比赛的结果才能确定能否小组出线。

　　对于积10分和7分分别排名G组第1和第2的卫冕冠军利物浦队和切尔西队来说，本轮所面临的压力就小得多。本轮主场作战的利物浦队只要能从西班牙皇家贝蒂斯队身上拿到1分就可以确保小组出线，而英超冠军切尔西队本轮只要战胜1分未得、小组垫底的比利时安德莱赫特队，也可以确保从小组顺利出线。目前，分列A组第1和第2的意大利尤文图斯队和德国拜仁慕尼黑队本轮将分别在主场对垒布鲁日队和维也纳快速队，尤文图斯队本轮只需要1分就可以确保小组出线，而拜仁慕尼黑队则在获胜的同时，只要尤文图斯队本轮不输给布鲁日队，也可以确保小组出线。不过在同小组最后一名快速队的比赛中，拜仁中场球员巴拉克很有可能因伤缺席。巴拉克是在代表德国同法国队的一场友谊赛中拉伤大腿肌肉的。

　　另外，B组的4次欧洲冠军获得者、荷兰阿贾克斯队本轮只要主场战胜只积1分的布拉格·斯巴达队就可以小组出线进入16强，这对他们来讲应该不是什么难事。目前，积9分列H组第1名的意大利国际米兰队本轮只要能从阿特梅迪亚队身上拿到1分就可以确保小组出线。而同组的波尔图队要想保住小组出线希望，他们本轮只有取胜对手一条路。本轮他们的对手格拉斯哥流浪者队在周末的联赛中刚刚被凯尔特人队3：0击败，士气低落。这也给了排名垫底、希望“起死回生”的波尔图队最后一个“咸鱼翻身”的机会，但能否把握就全靠他们自己了。

　　E组的荷兰埃茵霍温队本周三将对阵德国的沙尔克04队，如果本轮荷兰人获胜，那么不论意大利AC米兰队同费内巴切队的比赛结果如何，他们将确保获得一个小组出线席位。

　　目前，已经出现的4支球队分别是西班牙的巴塞罗那队、英超的阿森纳队、法甲的里昂队和西班牙皇家马德里队。

　　虽然F组的皇家马德里队目前已经小组出线，但由于周末在联赛中主场被巴塞罗那队大比分羞辱，因此，本轮他们急于在欧洲赛场同小组“领头羊”里昂队一决高下，用一场激情表演来重新激发球员们的斗志。

　　In LONDON item headlined "Former European champions face anxious week" please correct 14th para by deleting reference to Porto travelling to Glasgow (Porto are at home to Rangers).

　　The stakes are high for former European champions Manchester United, Porto and AC Milan in this week's penultimate round of Champions League group matches.

　　All three are making heavy weather of reaching the last 16 with Porto facing certain elimination if they lose at home to Scottish champions Rangers in Group H on Wednesday.

　　A loss for United at home to Villarreal on Tuesday, combined with a victory for Lille over Benfica, will leave them scrapping for nothing more than a UEFA Cup place from Group D.

　　AC Milan face a testing night in Istanbul on Wednesday against Fenerbahce where defeat would leave the six-time European champions struggling to emerge from a tight Group E.

　　Nerves are less fraught for some of Europe's other big guns with holders Liverpool and Group G rivals Chelsea both set to book their places in the last 16 on Wednesday.

　　Four clubs -- Barcelona, Arsenal, Olympique Lyon and Real Madrid -- have already qualified for the knockout phase.

　　Liverpool need just a point at home to Real Betis while English champions Chelsea will move through to the next round with victory over pointless Anderlecht.

　　Juventus and Bayern Munich can also take their places in the last 16 in home matches against Club Brugge and Rapid Vienna respectively in Group A.

　　Juve need just a point while Bayern will go through with a victory as long as the Italians do not lose to Brugge.

　　Unsettled midfielder Michael Ballack is likely to miss Bayern's clash against bottom club Rapid with a thigh injury suffered in Germany's friendly against France.

　　Four-time winners Ajax are one Group B victory away from the knockout phase and should manage that against Sparta Prague, while Inter Milan need just a point against Artmedia Bratislava to emerge from Group H.

　　POLE POSITION

　　PSV Eindhoven are also in pole position in Group E and will clinch a top-two berth with victory at Schalke on Wednesday, irrespective of how Milan fare against Fenerbahce.

　　Philip Cocu is doubtful after missing the weekend's 4-4 draw at RKC Waalwijk while American DaMarcus Beasley is ruled out with a hamstring injury.

　　Porto, who were crowned champions of Europe under Jose Mourinho in 2004, are desperate for a victory that would revive their flagging campaign.

　　Bottom with three points, Porto will hope to benefit from the pressure building on Rangers manager Alex McLeish after a 3-0 defeat by arch-rivals Celtic left them hopelessly adrift in the Scottish Premier League at the weekend.

　　Porto will also take heart from the absence of Rangers' Croatian striker Dado Prso who damaged a hamstring in the morale-sapping defeat at Celtic Park.

　　Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson describes Tuesday's home match against Villarreal as "one of the most important in Europe for us over the last few years".

　　It is 10 years since United failed to progress from the group stage, although with Villarreal's Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme missing with a thigh injury the under-pressure Scot should sleep a little easier.

　　"I am depending and trusting on our home form to get us through," said Ferguson.

　　"Our home form in the group stages over the years has been terrific and it has to be like that on Tuesday because Villarreal are a very good side."

　　Milan's unease at a return to Istanbul, scene of their astonishing final defeat by Liverpool in May, will not have been placated by a 3-1 loss to Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday.

　　"Fortunately, we have the chance to make up for this defeat when we play against Fenerbahce on Wednesday," said disappointed Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.

　　They have lost on two of three visits to Turkey to face Turkish opposition, although Fenerbahce themselves have a dire record against Italian clubs, losing eight of the nine games they have played against them.

　　Wednesday's Group F clash between group leaders Olympique Lyon and Real Madrid in the Bernabeu will give the Spanish club the perfect chance to erase the memory of Saturday's 3-0 defeat by bitter rivals Barcelona at the Bernabeu.

　　Top spot is up for grabs while Real striker Raul can become the first player to make 100 appearances in the Champions League since it began in 1992, if he starts. The Madrid captain picked up a knee injury against Barca and will have tests on Monday.