Henry profits from absence of injured Eto'o

Thierry Henry is set to make his first Barcelona start against Athletic Bilbao at the Nou Camp tomorrow, as a replacement for Samuel Eto'o who will be out for two months with a torn thigh muscle. Henry cannot, though, assume his position is inviolate until November as a bandwagon of support is already growing for the inclusion of Giovanni dos Santos after the Mexican teenager orchestrated the 5-0 demolition of Internazionale in a midweek friendly.

Real Madrid expect to give a debut to Gabriel Heinze at Villarreal tomorrow but Arjen Robben is still regarded as short of match fitness. Villarreal won 3-0 at Valencia last week and should provide a stern test of Bernd Schuster's expensively remodelled side especially as Pepe is absent with a thigh strain.

Internazionale will seek to put behind them their Catalan humbling, and an unconvincing start to their Serie A title defence when drawing at home to Udinese last week, at Empoli this evening.

They are without Patrick Vieira, who has a hamstring strain, and the suspended goalkeeper Paulo Cesar. Lazio also have goalkeeper problems – they will again be forced to field the 43-year-old coach Marco Ballotta at Sampdoria tomorrow as Juan Pablo Carrizo's move from River Plate continues to be bound up in red tape. Catania host Genoa tomorrow in the first match at their Massimino stadium since it was closed after rioting outside the ground caused the death of a policeman in February.

The Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich hope to include Franck Ribéry and Miroslav Klose at Hamburg tomorrow but Luca Toni is a more serious doubt.