Hamburg - Holders Manchester United, finalists Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal can book early places in the European Champions League knockout stages this week if all goes well for the fab four from England. Liverpool and Arsenal need to rebound from Premier League setbacks and all four clubs need a little help from others to achieve their goal.
On Tuesday, group A leaders Chelsea (seven points) visit Roma (three) and will qualify for the round of 16 with a victory and if Romania's Cluj (four) beat Girondins Bordeaux (three) as well.
Liverpool are through if they beat Atletico Madrid (both seven points) in a group D topper and if Olympique Marseille (zero) defeat PSV Eindhoven (three) as well. Atletico would also advance if they win at Anfield and Marseille succeed in the other game.
The next day United (seven points) travel north to Scottish champions Celtic (one) and can qualify ahead of the final two rounds of group E with a victory of their own and if Villarreal (seven) win at Denmark's Aalborg (one). In this scenario Villarreal would advance as well.
Arsenal are also in action Wednesday, with the group G leaders (seven) seeking victory against Fenerbahce (one) and will be through if Dynamo Kiev (five) defeat Porto (three) as well.
Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Sporting Lisbon and Juventus also have a chance of making the knockout stages this week.
The 2005 winners and 2007 finalists Liverpool need to bounce back from their first defeat of the season at the weekend to Tottenham Hotspur, but manager Rafa Benitez could be boosted by the return of striker Fernando Torres from injury.
"Hopefully he will be ready," Benitez said. "If he cannot start the game then he will be on the bench if everything is okay," he said.
"It's good we have another important game on Tuesday and the reaction of the players has to be to play well and win the game. We just have to keep going and keep playing the same way."
Atletico, who drew 1-1 with Liverpool in Spain, will be without injured defenders Tomas Ujfalusi and Giorgios Seitaridis. French goalkeeper Gregory Coupet is fit again but Leo Franco will probably continue between the posts.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has a number of injury concerns going into his side's match at home to Fenerbahce. The Gunners could be without Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor and Bacary Sagna, and need to pick themselves up after a shock defeat at lowly Stoke City.
"It (the Fenerbahce game) is an opportunity to show how strong we are," said Wenger, whose side beat Fenerbahce 5-2 in Turkey a fortnight ago.
Chelsea travel to Roma on Tuesday fresh from a 5-0 hammering of Sunderland at the weekend. Didier Drogba is available again after injury, but manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said he would stick with Frenchman Nicolas Anelka, who scored a hat-trick at the weekend.
"My big decision against Roma is to start Anelka," Scolari said. "He is in good condition now so I will play him."
Roma, for their part, have another chance to rescue a so far horrible Serie A season but fear for captain Francesco Totti over a knee injury.
United look to complete the double over Celtic with victory in Scotland. Celtic manager Gordon Strachan, a former United player, is under no illusions.
"We can only do what we can do. This is what we have and we are going to play against the best team in the world," Strachan said.
Barcelona are the only one of 32 teams in the elite event with a perfect record of three wins from three games for first place in group C, from which Sporting can also advance with victory against Shaktar.
Coach Josep Guardiola will be tempted to rest regulars like Xavi Hernandez and Samuel Eto'o, and give a rare start to the likes of Alexander Hleb and Bojan Krkic against Basel whom they beat 5-0 in Switzerland.
Group B leaders Inter Milan look to take a big step towards the next round with victory at Anorthosis Famagusta, with Werder Bremen hosting Panathinaikos in the other game.
Juergen Klinsmann's Munich visit Fiorentina and the group F leaders hope for a similarly good showing as in their 3-0 drubbing of the Italians in Germany. The other game is Olympique Lyon vs Steaua Bucharest.
Record nine-time winners Real hope to rebound from a 2-1 defeat in Turin in a group H battle of heavyweights against Juventus, but defender Pepe and forward Ruud van Nistelrooy are doubtful.
"We were annoyed to lose to Juventus in Turin," said Fernando Gago. "We need to get a better result against against them on Wednesday."
But Juve can qualify with a victory and if BATE Borisov draw with UEFA Cup champions Zenit St Petersburg.
