Juve meet old foes

European round-up

JUVENTUS renew their rivalry with Parma when the two sides meet at the Ennio Tardini stadium in Parma tonight. Last season, the two sides fought on three fronts, meeting in the finals of the Italian and Uefa Cups, as well as contesting the Italian championship. Juventus won the domestic league and Cup double, while Parma were compensated by victory in the Uefa Cup.

Parma are at present joint leaders of Serie A with Milan, four points ahead of fourth-placed Juventus, who play four days after their first Champions' League defeat of the season, 2-1 to Borussia Dortmund, although they are assured of a place in the quarter-finals.

At least five players who did not start against Borussia - the defenders Ciro Ferrara and Moreno Torricelli, Paulo Sousa and Didier Deschamps in midfield, and Alessandro Del Piero in attack - are all expected to return. The injured striker Fabrizio Ravanelli is the only significant absentee.

With the exception of the suspended Italian international midfielder Dino Baggio, Parma will be at full strength. Their 17-year-old reserve goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, retains his place, and in midfield Massimo Brambilla replaces Baggio.

Fresh from their 2-0 Uefa Cup victory on Thursday night against Sparta Prague, Milan are at home to Piacenza. Roberto Baggio and Zvonimir Boban are likely to return in place of Marco Simone and Dejan Savicevic, while George Weah - who scored both goals on Thursday - and Marcel Desailly are expected to start.

Third-placed Fiorentina, beaten 1-0 by Juventus in Turin last Sunday, have another tough game at home to Internazionale.

Inter, who beat Udinese 2-1 at home last Sunday to give their English coach Roy Hodgson his first success since joining the club a month ago, are seven points behind the leaders. Benito Carbone and new signing Marco Branca will lead Inter's attack, and Paul Ince and Argentine Javier Zanetti maintain their midfield places.