Hopefuls hampered by suspensions

Stam sent off
Milan are lacking the services of imposing Dutch defender Jaap Stam for their trip to Fenerbahçe SK, after the 33-year-old was sent off in the 1-0 Group E defeat at PSV Eindhoven on Matchday 4. The Turkish side are also suffering with suspensions, having lost Fábio Luciano and Marco Aurélio to red cards in their 2-0 defeat at FC Schalke 04 three weeks ago. Brazilian midfielder Alex, however, is back after completing his own one-match ban. In the section's other game, Schalke's Brazilian defender Rafinha misses the meeting with PSV having collected his third yellow card in four games against Fenerbahçe.

Ibrahimovic banned
Juventus are without Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Tuesday evening when they welcome Club Brugge KV to Turin. The Swedish international striker was sent off in the home victory against FC Bayern München three weeks ago. Also in Group A, SK Rapid Wien are lacking Andreas Dober for their trip to Munich. The same evening, Ajax's Tomáš Galásek misses the Group B visit of AC Sparta Praha with the Dutch side needing a victory to progress. In Group C, Giampiero Pinzi's punishment for his red card in Udinese Calcio's Matchday 4 encounter with Werder Bremen is to sit out the trip to Panathinaikos FC.

Suspensions served
In Group D, Paul Scholes returns from a one-match ban for Manchester United FC's home game against Villarreal CF. The following evening, Pablo García is available again after serving a one-game suspension having collected yellow cards in each of Real Madrid CF's first three matches and could play a part in the top-of-the-table Group F game with Olympique Lyonnais. Meanwhile, both Chelsea FC and Real Betis Balompié have one player banned for their Group G games; Shaun Wright-Phillips is out for the English champions, while Fernando Varela is missing for the Spanish side.

Three-match ban
Elsewhere in Group G, RSC Anderlecht's Nenad Ještrović begins a three-match ban in UEFA club competition having been sent off against Liverpool FC in the most recent round of matches. UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Committee imposed the punishment after finding that the Anderlecht player had used a racist insult during an angry exchange with Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko at Anfield.