Czech champions Viktoria Plzen will be looking to secure a place in the Europa League playoffs by finishing third in Champions League Group H when they host AC Milan on Tuesday.
Milan, second in the group on eight points, are already assured of a place in the Champions League last 16, just like Barcelona who have already wrapped up the group with 13 points and one game to play.
Plzen are close to a Europa League spot, holding the third place with four points, two ahead of Belarusian champions BATE Borisov who are facing a mission near-impossible at Barcelona on Tuesday.
BATE lost 5-0 against the defending champions in their first meeting.
But the Czechs will be hungry for points against AC Milan as their self-confidence surged following a 1-0 win at Borisov two weeks ago.
"I don't believe Borisov can beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp. But above all I believe we'll get a point from the last game with AC Milan, which should be enough," Plzen coach Pavel Vrba said.
In their first encounter, Milan beat Plzen 2-0 with second-half goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano.
Milan, currently second in the Serie A behind Juventus, will miss injured keeper Christian Abbiati, defender Alessandro Nesta, midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and striker Cassano, and suspended midfielder Alberto Aquilani.
Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri can reckon with striker Pato, who has recovered from flu.
"We have to play and win because its a Champions League game," Allegri said on the Milan website.
Plzen can use their strongest team including gifted winger Vaclav Pilar, who has been caught in a transfer controversy after signing a probably invalid deal with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg ten days ago.
Pilar, at Plzen on a loan from another Czech top-flight side Hradec Kralove, who claim their share of the transfer sum, missed a league game amid the mess that ensued.
But he was back on the pitch for last Friday's 4-1 trashing of Bohemians 1905 in another league game, contributing one goal.
AC Milan also got a boost from a league victory, winning 2-0 at Genoa last Friday.
Milan have promised to take the game seriously so as not to disadvantage Borisov but they are still likely to ring the changes as they have a tricky match at Bologna at the weekend.
Milan fell to a 3-2 home defeat to Barca in their last match in the tournament which ended their hopes of winning the group.
Although they claim they will "honour" the match, they have a busy period coming up before Christmas with three matches in 10 days.
They are also without long-term absentee Mathieu Flamini so Allegri will therefore likely give some fringe players a run-out while French centre-back Philippe Mexes is also likely to be involved.
Source: AFP
