Der Bomber
Feb 16 2005, 03:54 PM
Stuttgart coach Matthias Sammer will hope that Kevin Kuranyi will recover from his groin problems in time for Wednesday's Uefa Cup first leg match at Parma.
The 22-year-old was forced to miss Stuttgart's 2-1 defeat at Hamburg last weekend and it remains to be seen if he will be fit to start at the Ennio Tardini.
Sammer is already without German international right back Andreas Hinkel, who is sidelined by heavy flu - and being forced to start without the charismatic Kuranyi would further limit Stuttgart's chances to gain a comfortable lead for the second leg next week.
"Right until the end I had hoped that I could play in Hamburg, but it was simply impossible and now I must get fit for the game in Parma," declared Kuranyi.
Without Hinkel and long-term absentee Philipp Lahm, Sammer is forced to shuffle his complete rearguard and is expected to go with a back-three of Portuguese stopper Fernando Meira, Martin Stranzl and Boris Zivkovic.
Sammer had planned to pair Kuranyi with Cacao up front, but if the Brazilian-born striker is unavailable, Hungarian international Imre Szabics is ready to fill the void
I hope Stuttgart manage to get through.
Parma to rest key men
Parma coach Pietro Carmagiani has admitted the club will rest key players in their Uefa Cup game because they have to concentrate on avoiding the drop in Serie A.
The Italian club made it clear that they view the European competition as a distraction from their main task of keeping clear of relegation this season.
Carmagiani will put star man Alberto Gilardino on the bench for their tie against Stuttgart - but confessed that even that concession is due to the player's request.
"We will line up with young players," said Carmagiani.
"The German side will have better players on display and their morale is higher.
"Gilardino will be on the bench, but that is only because he asked me to put him in - otherwise, I would not have selected him."
Sounds like they will go through :D It will be even worse if they go uot now.
The 22-year-old was forced to miss Stuttgart's 2-1 defeat at Hamburg last weekend and it remains to be seen if he will be fit to start at the Ennio Tardini.
Sammer is already without German international right back Andreas Hinkel, who is sidelined by heavy flu - and being forced to start without the charismatic Kuranyi would further limit Stuttgart's chances to gain a comfortable lead for the second leg next week.
"Right until the end I had hoped that I could play in Hamburg, but it was simply impossible and now I must get fit for the game in Parma," declared Kuranyi.
Without Hinkel and long-term absentee Philipp Lahm, Sammer is forced to shuffle his complete rearguard and is expected to go with a back-three of Portuguese stopper Fernando Meira, Martin Stranzl and Boris Zivkovic.
Sammer had planned to pair Kuranyi with Cacao up front, but if the Brazilian-born striker is unavailable, Hungarian international Imre Szabics is ready to fill the void
I hope Stuttgart manage to get through.
Parma to rest key men
Parma coach Pietro Carmagiani has admitted the club will rest key players in their Uefa Cup game because they have to concentrate on avoiding the drop in Serie A.
The Italian club made it clear that they view the European competition as a distraction from their main task of keeping clear of relegation this season.
Carmagiani will put star man Alberto Gilardino on the bench for their tie against Stuttgart - but confessed that even that concession is due to the player's request.
"We will line up with young players," said Carmagiani.
"The German side will have better players on display and their morale is higher.
"Gilardino will be on the bench, but that is only because he asked me to put him in - otherwise, I would not have selected him."
Sounds like they will go through :D It will be even worse if they go uot now.