Match Previews

Ramos (r)(def) ruled out with ankle injury...Cousin (sp)(mid) still a doubt after flu but is named in the squad... Kovacevic (r)(mid) and Bisevac (r)(def) unavailable... Racing Club Lens meet Bayern Leverkusen for a place in the last sixteen of the UEFA Cup after negotiating a potentially tricky tie with Panathinaikos in the previous round. Lens will probably stick to a side similar to that which saw off the Greeks as they are still in a highly competitive race for second position in their domestic league. Panathinaikos were defeated using a squad that was a hybrid of first choice players and fringe players, with the most crucial, such as Aruna Dindane (k), top league scorer for Lens this season with eleven goals, starting. Lens will not waver from their characteristic 4-2-3-1 starting formation, with the powerful and lethal Ivorian playing a vital role in attack. Daniel Cousin (sp), who featured in the last round prominently, is an injury doubt for Lens at present but the signs suggest that he will be able to take some part in the squad after recovering from flu, even if it is just on the bench. Jemaa (sp) and Eric Carriere (r) will play in advanced roles in the midfield while Olivier Monterubbio (r) also challenges for a place in the squad. Seydou Keita (k), the club’s inspirational captain, will slot into a holding role, probably alongside Demont (r). Keita provides a large threat from open play but also set plays, from which he tends to win a great number of headers that can cause chaos in even the most organised of defences. The defence is likely to be the area of the side that sees the most manoeuvring for position, Tixier (sp) and Barul (sp) both likely to join the squad as Coulibaly (r) continues while Ramos (r) is expected to miss out through injury. Defender Milan Bisevac (r) and regular holding midfield player Kovacevic (r) are both ineligible to play in the competition after featuring for Red Star Belgrade earlier this season. Kevin Monnet-Paquet (sp) will likely find himself on the bench and will be called upon if Lens are struggling late in the match. The two clubs have never met in Europe before and Lens will be looking to make a positive impression in this home tie.