Wolfsburg v Besiktas preview
Both sides looking to close gap on group leaders Man Utd
By Richard Bailey. Last Updated: October 21, 2009 4:37pm
Grafite: Could start alongside Dzeko
Wolfsburg will look to return to winning ways in the UEFA Champions League when they host Besiktas in Group B.
The Germans were unlucky in losing 2-1 at Manchester United last time out and impressed with their incisive attacking at Old Trafford.
Having beaten CSKA on match day one Wolfsburg boss Armin Veh knows the importance of winning your home games if you are to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
The Bundesliga champions have never met Turkish opposition before while Besiktas have failed to beat any German side in five attempts so it could be a night of firsts at the Volkswagen Arena.
Wolfsburg warmed up to the match with a 2-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach thanks to two stoppage time strikes while Besiktas continued their improved form with a 2-1 win of their own over Kasimpasa.
Team news
Wolfsburg have no injuries to contend with going into the clash but Veh must decide who will partner Edin Dzeko, who opened the scoring against United, up front.
Both Grafite, who bagged a hat-trick against CSKA, and former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins are fit but Veh has yet to decide who will start alongside Dzeko.
Forward Filip Holosko (broken foot) will be missing for Besiktas but better new comes with the fact that club captain Ibrahim Toraman made his first appearance of the season at the weekend following heel surgery.
The Turkish international was deployed as a defensive midfielder instead of his more natural position of centre-back and could be asked to perform a similar role on Wednesday.
Matches
-
UEFA Champions League
Wed 21st Oct - Group B
Wed 21st Oct - Group D
Wed 21st Oct - Group A
Wed 21st Oct - Group C
Tables
UEFA Champions League Group A
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris St Germain | 6 | 15 |
| 2 | FC Porto | 6 | 13 |
| 3 | Dynamo Kiev | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | Dinamo Zagreb | 6 | 1 |
UEFA Champions League Group B
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schalke | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Olympiakos FC | 6 | 9 |
| 4 | Montpellier | 6 | 2 |
UEFA Champions League Group C
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malaga | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | AC Milan | 6 | 8 |
| 3 | Zenit St. Petersburg | 6 | 7 |
| 4 | Anderlecht | 6 | 5 |
UEFA Champions League Group D
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Borussia Dortmund | 6 | 14 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 6 | 11 |
| 3 | Ajax | 6 | 4 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Champions League Group E
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juventus | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 6 | 10 |
| 4 | FC Nordsjaelland | 6 | 1 |
UEFA Champions League Group F
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Valencia | 6 | 13 |
| 3 | BATE Borisov | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | Lille | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Champions League Group G
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Celtic | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Benfica | 6 | 8 |
| 4 | Spartak Moscow | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Champions League Group H
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Galatasaray | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | CFR Cluj-Napoca | 6 | 10 |
| 4 | Braga | 6 | 3 |
