AZ v Olympiakos preview

Koeman: Ready to take risks

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
Watch AZ Alkmaar v Olympiakos live on Sky Sports Xtra from 7.30 on Tuesday.

Related links

Teams

• AZ Alkmaar

Also see

• Sky Sports experts
• Transfer Centre
• Fantasy Football
• Sky Sports Twitter

Olympiakos will be aiming to advance to the next stage of the UEFA Champions League as they travel to AZ Alkmaar.

AZ are currently bottom of Group H with just two points from four games and they must win at home on Tuesday to make sure they are still in contention with one game to go.

Having been thumped 4-1 by Arsenal earlier this month, the Dutch side will recognise it is now make or break time and manager Ronald Koeman has vowed to go on the attack.

"The task for us is easy - there is no other option than victory," said Koeman.

"We know what we have to do: we have to win to continue in the Champions League and maybe even in Europe.

"At certain moments, we will have to take risks to go for victory."

Koeman will be without the injured Kew Jaliens (concussion), Mounir El Hamdaoui (hamstring) and Erik Heijblok (shoulder).

Olympiakos news

Olympiakos have more fitness concerns as Andreas Vasilogiannis (cruciate ligaments), Diogo (ankle), Vassilis Torosidis (knee), Luciano Galletti (thigh) and Cristian Ledesma (knee) are all sidelined.

Former Blackburn forward Matt Derbyshire is also missing with a groin injury, while Leonardo (knee), Leonidas Panagopoulos (back), Avraam Papadopoulos (groin) and Ieroklis Stoltidis (chest pains) are doubtful.

The Greek team could reach the last 16 by beating AZ, although the result of Standard Liege's clash with Arsenal will also come into play.

Olympiakos are two points clear of Liege in second place and would have to wait until the final round of fixtures if the Belgians spring a surprise at Emirates Stadium.

Manager Zico is relishing the challenge but admits he is wary of the threat presented by an AZ side scrapping to stay afloat.

"This is a good opportunity for us to get a win after drawing our last two games, but this is a tough group in which every team wants to win, so we'll have to do our best to deliver a good performance," he said.