Football: Maximum points at home looks crucial for Parma

Parma's experienced Argentinian midfielder Nestor Sensini says his side must beat Turkey's Galatasaray in tonight's Champions' League home tie to stay on course for a quarter-final place.

Parma, who finished second last season to Juventus in Serie A, are experienced European campaigners having won the 1993 Cup-Winners' Cup and the 1995 Uefa Cup.

In their opening Group A game two weeks ago they were held to a 0-0 away draw by Sparta Prague and Sensini believes they must now take full points in their home games in a group dominated by the reigning champions, Borussia Dortmund.

"This is a game that we must win at all costs. We simply cannot lose any more ground in this group," he said.

"In the meantime let's hope that Sparta Prague cause problems for Borussia in the other tie."

Parma come into the game in confident mood following a 4-0 win against Udinese on Saturday which took them to second in the league, two points behind Internazionale.

The Parma coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has to make one team change, bringing in Mauro Milanese for the suspended Antonio Benarrivo at left-back.

Galatasaray warmed up for the tie with an easy 4-1 home win over second- from-bottom Sekerspor on Saturday and after eight matches lie fourth, seven points behind the leaders.

Galatasaray should be even more desperate for points than Parma since they were unlucky in a 1-0 home loss in their opening tie against Dortmund.

The Turkish side will be without their influential Romanian midfielder Gheorghe Hagi, whose father who died last weekend. His compatriot Gheorghe Popescu takes Hagi's place.

The Turkish international Hakan Sukur leads the Galatasaray attack alongside another Romanian Adrian Ilie.

Parma (probable): Buffon; Maria, Cannavaro, Thuram, Milanese; Crippa, Baggio, Sensini, Strada; Crespo, Chiesa.

Galatasaray (probable): Kilimci; Davala, Akyel, Korkmaz, Unsal; Popescu, Penbe, Kerimoglu, Ilgin; Sukur, Ilie.