MIDDLESBROUGH v AS ROMA - TEAM NEWS
By Come on Boro.com
March 9 2006
MIDDLESBROUGH v AS ROMA - TEAM NEWS
Stewart Downing is in line for a Boro return after missing the last two games with a knee injury.
Steve McClaren has numerous options tonight with Ray Parlour back in the sqaud and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink available again after illness.
But Stuart Parnaby is definitely out after pulling a hamstring in Saturday's win over Birmingham.
McClaren will call on his side to grasp the initiative ahead of what will prove a difficult second leg at Stadio Olimpico next week.
Roma are without Italy striker Vincenzo Montella after he injured his back before Sunday's draw with Inter Milan.
He joins Francesco Totti who is out with a serious ankle injury, Daniele De Rossi who is suspended.
Shabani Nonda has knee trouble and is doubtful, along with Doni Marangon who has a shoulder problem.
Roma manager Luciano Spalletti is expected to play Brazilian winger Mancini in a lone striking role.
Spalletti is expecting a physical battle on a difficult Riverside pitch as he looks to improve his side's poor record on English soil.
Speaking at last night's pre-match press conference, Spalletti insisted that will count for nothing come 8pm tonight.
"I'm not interested in statistics, we know English teams usually cause problems to the way we play but I'm quite confident." Even with a bad injury list, Spalletti believes his team have the edge.
"I don't want to make excuses, we have a large number of players who can give a good performance even without players like Totti. Boro are coming from a good moment. They started poorly but are recovering. They have important players but we're coming from a number of good matches and I'm quite sure we're going to produce a good performance."
"This competition is very interesting to us and at this stage it gets even more interesting," he said. "It gives us some problems to have the same players playing midweek and on Sunday but I think we are able to make changes."
His main worry appears to be the Riverside pitch, which has looked in a bad condition in recent weeks and will probably be looking worn again tonight after torrential rain last night.
"I was expecting a better pitch and obviously this will lead to a more physical game than a skilful one. I don't think it will be a big advantage for Middlesbrough but I think they are definitely more used to playing on this kind of pitch and they have strong players like Hasselbaink and Yakubu who are suited to these conditions."
"Middlesbrough have strong strikers and they play a different football from ours. Steve McClaren has changed the approach to the games but our concern would be the pitch."
Middlesbrough Squad: Schwarzer, Jones, Davies, McMahon, Southgate, Riggott, Ehiogu, Bates, Boateng, Doriva, Downing, Mendieta, Cattermole, Parlour, Johnson, Kennedy, Yakubu, Hasselbaink, Viduka, Maccarone
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