Champions League: four spots up for grabs

LONDON: With Europe's major powers already through to the Champions League knockout stages, there are only four spots left to fill following this week's final group matches.

Rubin Kazan is at already qualified Barcelona needing to better FC Copenhagen's result against Panathinaikos to edge the Danish side to the Group D runner-up spot, while AS Roma will be guaranteed progress from Group E if it avoids defeat at lowly Cluj.

That leaves only Group H with both spots open, although Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal each need only to avoid defeat to freeze out third-place Braga.

Elsewhere, Inter Milan is at Werder Bremen but needs Tottenham to slip up at FC Twente to have any chance of winning Group A and secure a more favourable draw for the next round.

Newcomer Tottenham leads defending champion Inter courtesy of a superior head-to-head record and the Italian side's morale took another hit on Friday with a 3-1 Serie A loss to Lazio. That was Inter's fourth domestic defeat, the same as it took in winning last season's title.

Inter heads to Bremen for one of Tuesday's eight matches without goalkeeper Julio Cesar, fullback Maicon, midfielder Coutinho and defender Walter Samuel — the latter out for the season with a knee injury.

But striker Diego Milito appears set to return from his latest leg muscle problem and defender Cristian Chivu is also just about ready play again. Midfielder Dejan Stankovic should also be fine to face Bremen, which is sure to finish last whatever it does, after limping off in the first half against Lazio match with a sore thigh.

Tottenham needs only to match Inter's result to win its first ever Champions League group. Spurs, fifth in the Premier League and unbeaten in six matches, could bring key defender Michael Dawson back into its lineup for the first time in more than three months after he recovered from knee ligament damage.

Schalke and Lyon are sure to advance from Group B but both could have tough matches on Tuesday since their opponents are chasing third place and a spot in the second-tier Europa League.

The fixtures: Tuesday: Group A: FC Twente v Tottenham; Werder Bremen v Inter Milan. Group B: Benfica v Schalke 04; Lyon v Hapoel Tel-Aviv. Group C: Bursaspor v Rangers; Manchester United v Valencia. Group D: Barcelona v Rubin Kazan; FC Copenhagen v Panathinaikos.

Wednesday: Group E: Bayern v Basel; CFR Cluj v Roma. Group F: Marseille v Chelsea; Zilina v Spartak Moscow. Group G: Real Madrid v Auxerre; Milan vs Ajax. Group H: Arsenal v Partizan Belgrade; Shakhtar Donetsk v Braga . — AP