Red Star Belgrade Preview

By Mark Heys
December 5 2007

Bolton Wanderers play their final UEFA Cup Group game against Red Star Belgrade at the Stadion Marakana tommorow evening knowing that a win by two clear goals and favourable results elsewhere will see them book their passage into the latter stages of the competition.

A draw may even be enough dependant on other results but defeat in the former Yugoslavia would see the Wanderers bow out of the competition at the second hurdle.

It is expected to be a tense atmosphere on and off the pitch and Bolton know draws in their home games against Sporting Braga and Aris Thessaloniki have put them on the back foot for this game.

Red Star have lost their opening two UEFA Cup games against Bayern Munich and Aris and a draw at the weekend against FC Hajduk helped their city rivals Partizan gain the momentum in the title race.

Bolton manager Gary Megson will welcome back Danny Guthrie and Nicky Hunt to his side after both missed the 4-0 defeat away at Liverpool but Ivan Campo is ineligable to play.

Megson has opted to leave Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicolas Anelka, Kevin Davies, Kevin Nolan, Andy O'Brien and Ricardo Gardner in England ahead of Sunday's bottom of the table battle with Wigan Athletic so the likes of Ali Al-Habsi, Christian Wilhelmsson, Daniel Braaten and Lubomir Michalik could get a starting role.

Red Star may include the one time Portsmouth player Ognjen Koroman in their line up. The midfielder was at Fratton Park last season and the season before but Pompey boss Harry Redknapp opted against signing him on a permanent deal.