Trailing 3-0 in their Europa League last-16 tie against FC Twente, Zenit St Petersburg face a tough task if they are to repeat their success of 2008.
The 2008 champions of the then UEFA Cup, Zenit were comprehensively outplayed in the first leg by their Dutch opponents, with a brace from Luuk de Jong and another strike from Denny Landzaat handing Twente a comfortable buffer to take to Russia on Thursday.
Zenit, however, are unbeaten in 11 European home games since their 2-1 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid in 2008, and have won all six of their home European fixtures this season, giving coach Luciano Spalletti reason for hope heading into the match.
In worse news for Spalletti, his Belgian defender Nicholas Lombaerts is still recovering from a knee injury …
Everton boss Roberto Martinez has spoken of his respect for West Brom counterpart Alan Irvine ahead of Saturday s clash at The Hawthorns.
Irvine who played for Everton and managed the club s academy between 2011 and 2014 left the club to take on the top job at West Brom in June.
Neither side have started well in the current campaign with just two points from their first three Premier League matches.
And although Martinez spoke of Irvine in glowing terms, he added that Everton would be showing his side no mercy.
It will be nice to see Alan. He s a gentleman and a footballing person that everyone has huge respect for, Martinez told City Talk.
He did a terrific job at our club in different roles and we wish him the very best of luck in his new proj…
Olympic Games ambassador David Beckham was on hand to launch the search for torchbearers for the 2012 London Games on Monday.
Beckham was joined by Royal family member Zara Phillips, a former Eventing World Champion, in promoting the search for members of the public to carry the Olympic flame.
The Olympic Torch relay will begin at Land s End on May 19, 2012 and travel thousands of miles through the United Kingdom before ending at the opening ceremony 70 days later.
Members of the public have been asked to nominate community leaders for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to carry the torch on its journey to London.
London Games chairman Lord Sebastian Coe also attended the event and called on people across the UK to take part in the spirit and celebration…