LONDON, Aug 9: A place in the money-spinning Champions League beckons for Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United when the third and final qualifying round starts this week.
Disappointing league seasons by their own high standards last term means all three will be in action during Tuesday and Wednesday's first leg ties before looking to finish the job in a fortnight's time.
After a trophy-less campaign, Real start the long road to a potential 10th European crown next May in Istanbul with a game at Wisla Krakow in Poland on Wednesday. Real midfielders Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham have been passed fit and should line up in a full-strength side.
Zidane had suffered with a toe injury sustained in Japan, while Beckham missed training last week with a problem in his left foot. Argentine centre back Walter Samuel will make his competitive debut following a 25 million euro ($30.16 million) move from AS Roma.
Samuel's arrival to shore up the defence will give new coach Jose Antonio Camacho the scope to move Ivan Helguera up to central midfield. Juve's France striker David Trezeguet wants the Turin club to see off Sweden's Djurgarden in style, telling their website before Tuesday's game at the Delle Alpi: "We want to win both legs.
"It won't be easy because our coach (Fabio Capello) has told us they will be putting 11 men behind the ball and closing down all the available space... but we are ready for them."
Serie Arivals Inter Milan are away to Basel, while United head into their match at Dinamo Bucharest after going down 3-1 to Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield game.
While the distraction of Wednesday's game played its part in the FA Cup holders' defeat by the premier league champions, United will again struggle becaue of their absentees.
Manager Alex Ferguson will be without seven first-team players, including Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, due to a mixture of injury, suspension and Olympic duty in Greece.
In other games, Benfica host Anderlecht, while Monaco, losing finalists to Porto last season, are in Slovenia to face Nova Gorica. Deportivo Coruna should have no difficulty dispatching Irish side Shelbourne and four-time European Cup winners Liverpool ought to make a winning start in their tussle at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium against Austrian champions Graz AK. -Reuters






























