By Trevor Huggins
LONDON, Aug 13 - Five-times European champions
Liverpool start their new Champions League campaign in Toulouse
while Ajax Amsterdam and Arsenal face Czech opponents when the
third qualifying round kicks off this week.
Ajax, four-times winners of Europe's top club competition,
are at home to Slavia Prague and Arsenal travel to face
neighbours Sparta Prague in first leg matches on Wednesday.
Three months after losing the 2007 final to AC Milan in
Athens, Liverpool head to southwest France for a game between
two sides who will be in buoyant mood.
Liverpool's talismanic captain Steven Gerrard gave his side
a winning start to the Premier League on Saturday against Aston
Villa with a superb late strike.
Toulouse also had a late win over Ligue 1 champions
Olympique Lyon, who were however down to 10 men.
The French team's coach Elie Baup was anxious his side did
not get carried away by their success, telling the club's Web
site (www.tfc.info): "There was commitment, determination,
desire and a real team spirit.
"We created nine or 10 chances and finally scored at the
very end. The danger, though, in situations like these is what
happens in the next match."
Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez is still haunted by their
defeat in Greece -- having beaten the Italians on penalties
after trailing 3-0 at halftime in a memorable 2005 final.
"I am not over that Milan game yet, especially because I
know we were so close to winning," he told the club's Web site
(www.liverpoolfc.tv).
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping for better luck on
the injury front after watching his side grab a late 2-1 win
over Fulham in a London derby on Sunday.
Wenger told reporters his new Croatia striker Eduardo da
Silva had a "50-50 chance" of making his competitive debut for
the 2006 finalists but that Togo forward Emmanuel Adebayor was
definitely out of Wednesday's game.
Elsewhere, the dream of reaching next May's final in Moscow
is shared by the likes of Lazio, who host Dinamo Bucharest on
Tuesday, and Sevilla, winners of the last two UEFA Cups, who
play AEK Athens on Wednesday.
Valencia, finalists in 2000 and 2001, have an easier route
on paper to the money-spinning group phase against Sweden's
Elfsborg on Tuesday.