Brazilian midfielder Juninho is plotting his revenge as his new side Atletico Madrid prepare to take on Leicester City in the first round of the UEFA Cup in the Spanish capital tonight. Juninho has a special reason for wanting to make life hard for Martin O'Neill's men - they deprived him of a Wembley winner's medal in the League Cup final last March while the diminutive star was with Middlesbrough.
Leicester eventually won the trophy in a replay to deny relegated Middlesbrough a shot at European glory.
Juninho, 24, said his new teammates were about to face a "very disciplined side".
"They always do what Martin O'Neill, a very good coach, wants," he said. "They are very strong in the air, in attack and at the back."
But Juninho said he believed Atletico would still win. "Leicester's game is based more on strength than technique, even if they have some really talented players. But that shouldn't worry us. We just have to play as we did against Valladolid," said Juninho, referring to the 5-0 thrashing Atletico handed out earlier this month.
Emile Heskey, perhaps the most talented of Leicester's "really talented players", will have a key role to play in the match and his pace and power could cause problems for Atletico. He said: "I have got to work as hard as I can to disturb them and try and unsettle them at the back. We know how important an away goal could be".
Heskey added: "I'm sure Juninho was really disappointed not to lift the cup as playing and winning at Wembley, the Mecca of football, is a big ambition for foreign players in particular. I am sure when we take him on in Madrid, he's going to go out feeling he has got a point to prove against us . . . He is a world-class player." Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger takes Arsenal into UEFA cup battle against the Greeks of PAOK Salonika tonight recalling vivid memories of his last visit to a land where frenzied fans have a raw reputation for treating football more like war.
Former Monaco coach Wenger painted an alarming picture of what the Gunners and their travelling supporters might expect from this first-round, first-leg clash tonight. Salonika were banned from Europe for two seasons five years ago after missile attacks by fans on the players and supporters of Paris St Germain.
Wenger said: "With Monaco we played against Olympiakos and AEK Athens and both times, the atmosphere was terrible, very hostile and fanatical."
But Wenger is under no illusions about the threat posed by tonight's opposition and admits his decision on how to combat them, and with which personnel, will be vital.
Dennis Bergkamp has been allowed to miss the trip because of his well-documented fear of air travel, but the manager might not try to replace the in-form Dutch striker directly. Instead, he could give 180-goal record breaker Ian Wright a lone role up front and employ the experience of David Platt as an extra midfielder. Wenger has skipper Tony Adams back to stiffen the defence, and with powerful teenage French striker Nicolas Anelka desperate to prove himself after only a handful of substitute appearances since last March, it is a matter of whether Wenger gambles on going for away goals.
Wenger will check the fitness of Dutch winger Marc Overmars before naming his line-up today. Portugal's Luis Boa Morte is standing by for his first start if Overmars fails a late test.
As Aston Villa head to Bordeaux for their first-round UEFA Cup clash, they will be hoping to continue their improved form which has seen victories over Leeds and Barnsley following their disastrous start to the season.
Villa are beginning to turn the corner and they are desperate to continue the improved form in tonight's European tie.
Scottish champions Rangers - demoted from the European Cup following their failure against IFK Gothenburg - take on Racing Club Strasbourg tonight without Swedish midfielder Jonas Thern who will be out for another three weeks. Goalkeeper Andy Goram and full-back Alex Cleland are also out, while defender Craig Moore and midfielder Ian Ferguson are very doubtful.
