Eleven suspended for opening ties
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Article summary
Four FC Internazionale Milano players are among eleven who will be suspended when the UEFA Champions League gets under way with Matchday 1 this week.
Article body
Eleven players will be suspended when the UEFA Champions League group stage gets under way this week – including four from FC Internazionale Milano.
Missing quartet
Inter coach Roberto Mancini will be without Julio Cruz and Iván Córdoba for Matchdays 1 and 2, Maicon until matchday four while Nicolás Burdisso is suspended for the Nerazzurri's entire Group G campaign as result of the sanctions imposed by UEFA following post-match incidents against Valencia CF in last season’s last-16 tie.
Three matches
Meanwhile, Olympique Lyonnais forward Fred will be absent from half of their Group E campaign as he serves a three-game suspension for elbowing AS Roma defender Cristian Chivu last season. Elsewhere former Lyon midfielder Mahamadou Diarra misses Real Madrid CF's opening group game against Werder Bremen. FC Schalke 04 must also cope without the presence of coach Mirko Slomka, who serves a one game ban for the visit of Valencia.
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