LONDON // Arsenal host Champions League debutants Braga, of Portugal, with manager Arsene Wenger without several first-team regulars, including Abou Diaby, the French midfielder. Diaby picked up an ankle injury during Saturday's Premier League win over Bolton Wanderers and has been ruled out of the Gunners' next two games. He joins forwards Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner on the treatment table.
MARSEILLE // Marseille will hand European debuts to new signings Andre-Pierre Gignac and Loic Remy for the visit of Spartak Moscow, while Gabriel Heinze, the Argentina defender who was rested last week following international duty, is also in line for a return. Aiden McGeady, Spartak's marquee transfer window signing, is expected to start in midfield, but striker Nikita Bazhenov did not make the trip following a training ground injury.
LONDON // Champions League newcomers MSK Zilina, of Slovakia, are unbeaten since March in their domestic league, but face a dauntng task trying to overcome English Premier League champions Chelsea on home turf. Chelsea are without the injured Frank Lampard, who is still recovering from a hernia operation, and Didier Drogba, the Ivorian striker, begins a two-game ban folowing his red-card against Inter Milan in last season's quarter-final.
DONESTSK // Shakhtar Donetsk will be without the Brazilian-born playmaker Fernandinho, who suffered a serious leg injury at the weekend. "I will be supporting the club off the pitch during their Champion League campaign," he said. Alexander Stanojevic, the Partizan coach, is hoping to have defender Mladen Krstajic available as the 36-year-old recovers from a broken nose, with there being the possibility that he could wear a mask to play.
CLUJ, ROMANIA // Cluj's poor start to the season cost manager Andrea Mandorlini his job, as his replacement Sorin Cartu faces Swiss champions Basle in his first game in charge tonight. Cluj are without the injured pair of Yssouf Kone and Sasa Bjelanovic. Basle are without Jacques Zoua, the Cameroon international, as well as Valentin Stoker and Genseric Kusunga, but welcome back Swiss Under 21 international defensive midfielder Cabral.