Drenthe saps Feyenoord strength

Feyenoord absentee
The dismissal of defender Royston Drenthe contributed to Feyenoord's 3-0 defeat at AS Nancy-Lorraine on Matchday 4 and he will sit out their must-win tie at home to Wisła on Wednesday. Wisła have Norbert Varga back from a ban but Nikola Mijailović still has three matches remaining from a five-game suspension for racially abusing an opponent against Blackburn Rovers FC.

Vidigal returns
In Group A, AJ Auxerre go into their decisive fixture against AS Livorno Calcio without Stéphane Grichting, who is serving the final instalment of a three-match ban, while their Italian visitors - who must win to leapfrog Auxerre into the last 32 - recover Vidigal following his one-game suspension.

Serban suspended
FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti's Denis Serban fulfils a one-match ban as his team travel to Tottenham Hotspur FC, while elsewhere in Group B, Beşiktaş JK are shorn of the suspended İbrahim Akın as they seek to avoid defeat at Bayer 04 Leverkusen to stay in the competition. The Istanbul side welcome Gökhan Zan back from his time in the sin bin.

AZ cautious
In Group C, AZ Alkmaar may be tempted to go easy as they visit Sevilla FC with Shota Arveladze, Moussa Dembélé, David Mendes da Silva and Barry Opdam all within a booking of triggering a ban. The holders, who can steal top spot in the section, are deprived of suspended goalkeeper Andrés Palop.

Corrales banned
The return of Michael Dingsdag from a one-game lay-off may help SC Heerenveen seize their slender chance of progressing from Group D at home against RC Lens, while CA Osasuna's Enrique Corrales will be hoping they fail in their task. He is banned for his club's match at Parma FC.

Ajax position
Barring disaster, AFC Ajax are through to the last 32, and they will be able to call on Urby Emanuelson as they go to SV Zulte Waregem. He skipped their 2-0 home defeat by RCD Espanyol as he was completing a one-match suspension after being dismissed in the 0-0 draw at AC Sparta Praha.

PSG short-staffed
Amara Diané is banned as Paris Saint-Germain FC try to save their Group G campaign at home against Panathinaikos FC, while in Group H bottom team Eintracht Frankfurt will be without the suspended Benjamin Huggel but regain Alexander Meier's services for their must-win trip to Fenerbahçe SK.