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Fener show no fear
Fenerbahce coach Mustafa Denizli sent out a defiant message to Barcelona ahead
of their Champions' League meeting on Wednesday, when the Turks face becoming only the second team to lose all
their first stage group games.
"We won't throw in the towel," insisted the Fener boss. "Because we no longer have any chance in
the group we'll be more relaxed. I believe this is going to be a good match." But Denizli knows he is up against
it with Israeli star Haim Revivo and captain Ogün Temizkanoglu definitely out. Now Revivo has returned from
Israel, where he injured himself in the World Cup qualifier against Austria on Saturday, club doctors are warning
that he will be missing for at least two months - and may not play again this season if his knee fails to respond
to treatment. Ogün's torn hamstring is expected to sideline him for a month, while defenders Zoran Mirkovic
and Mustafa Dogan are also likely to be absent on Wednesday with left wing-back Abdullah Ercan. Ali Akdeniz is
set to deputise for Abdullah and Denizli will use Ümit Özat and Uche Okechukwu in defence with either
Samuel Johnson or Mert Meric moving back from midfield. With Revivo gone and Milan Rapaic and Serhat Akin off form,
Oktay Derelioglu and Kennet Andersson will probably remain the strike pairing. Barca coach Charly Rexach has reacted
angrily to reports he will use the Fenerbahce game as a warm-up for Sunday's showdown with Real Madrid. "Every
game I am here for Barcelona has to win," he declared. With Barca already qualified, the Spanish press are
largely ignoring the Catalan's remaining game as all the attention turns to the weekend's derby clash. "The
entire world is speaking about the Real Madrid game," Rexach explained. "It is as if we do not have a
game in the Champions' League this week. "People are predicting that I will test my squad and that I only
see this game as a warm-up for the weekend. I repeat I do not do tests. "We must win against Fenerbahçce
for prestige and pride and also for economic reasons, because we want to finish on top of the group. "I will
play the strongest team at my disposal with Patrick Kluivert, Javier Saviola, Rivaldo, Marc Overmars and Geovanni
if they are all fit. There will be no experimentation. Marc Overmars looks set to start his first game for the
Blaugrana since August in place of the injured Luis Enrique and Fabio Rochemback will slot into the midfield in
the absence of Philip Cocu.
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