Apoel v Atletico Madrid preview

Flores: Atletico a point clear of Apoel

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A place in the Europa League is at stake on Wednesday night as Apoel Nicosia host Atletico Madrid in UEFA Champions League Group D.

With Chelsea and Porto already assured of places in the first knockout round with games to spare, attention turns towards the bottom two.

The campaign has been little to shout about for either side, although Atletico currently hold the edge having taken one more point to date.

Their meeting earlier this season was their first ever in European competition with the teams playing out a goalless draw at Vicente Calderon.

Victory for Apoel would put them firmly in the driving seat for third spot, meaning they would need to draw their final match at Chelsea to stay in Europe.

Apoel news

Apoel come into the match with a confidence-boosting 2-0 victory over Anorthosis Famagusta thanks to late goals from Nenad Mirosavljevic and Nectarios Alexandrou.

Albania international Altin Haxhi will miss out after aggravating a calf strain in Apoel's recent match against Nea Salaminas, which was abandoned due to crown trouble.

Veteran Polish forward Marcin Zewlakow is in contention to feature after returning to training, although manager Ivan Jovanovic could opt to utilise him from the bench.

The Cypriot champions will be banking on maintaining their impress home form having won 23 of their last 28 games on home soil, losing three.

Atletico news

Coach Quique Sanchez Flores, who was suffering from swine flu last week but was able to sit on the bench for the Depor game, welcomes back defender Mariano Pernia.

Pernia was involved in a serious car accident in July but is now fit again and has been included in a 21-man travelling squad.

Tomas Ujfalusi also returns after sitting out the trip to Depor through illness, but midfield duo Raul Garcia (injury) and Paulo Assuncao (suspension) are out.