Lokomotiv gathering speed

By Pavle Gognidze & Kadira Malkoc
 
FC Lokomotiv Moskva, a side closing in on the Russian Premier-Liga title, will be hoping to add some European glory to their domestic success when they host Galatasaray SK in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Morale booster
Lokomotiv postponed a Russian Cup game at the weekend to allow their players more time to recover after last week's key meeting with FC Spartak Moskva. The result of the match, a 1-1 draw, left Lokomotiv five points clear of Spartak with a game in hand, and will fill them with confidence ahead of their opening Group G encounter against the Turkish champions.

Players return
Coach Yuri Semin welcomes back Russian internationals Ruslan Pimenov and Dmitri Sennikov, while midfield player Narvik Sirkhaev also returns to action. However, Lokomotiv will sorely miss their midfield starlet Marat Izmailov, who is out until the end of the season, and Nigerian international striker James Obiorah, still struggling for fitness after an injury.

'I consider Galatasaray favourites'
Still Semin has been cautious ahead of the match. He said: "I consider Galatasaray, not Barcelona, the favourites for the group. Seven of their players were part of Turkey's [FIFA] World Cup squad. The team is well balanced."

Set the tone
As for the players, they are only too aware of how important the game is as they look to set the tone for the rest of the tournament. "It is good that we play Galatasaray at home first. It is very hard to face them in Istanbul. So, we have to win this game in Moscow no matter what," said goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov.

Poor form
Yet Galatasaray have only taken all three points once in their last nine European ties and go into the match only too aware that they have not beaten a Russian club in a competitive match in six attempts. In fact their normally ebullient coach, Fatih Terim, has been somewhat low-key ahead of the game. He said: "We are not in as easy a group as it seems. If we get a good result from this match it will have a positive effect on the remaining matches. For that reason, I want my players to concentrate solely on this game."
 
Cautious approach
Terim is likely to take a cautious approach to the game, starting with a solitary striker in Arif Erdem. The in-form Arif has scored seven goals in five games in the 1. Lig and, with the help of midfield players Hasan Sas and Jorge Felipe, will be looking to catch Lokomotiv on the break.

New look
However, Terim will be hoping his new-look side will defy the odds. The coach, who returned to the Ali Sami Yen stadium over the summer, has brought in Ümit Davala and Hakan Ünsal, along with Felipe from CR Vasco Da Gama. Galatasaray’s only flaw at the moment seems to be a lack of options in attack, where the veteran Arif is ploughing a lone furrow currently.