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STEAUA v BORO TEAM NEWS
Middlesbrough are missing key players for tonight's Uefa Cup semi-final first leg in Bucharest.
First choice central defenders Gareth Southgate and Chris Riggott are both missing. Southgate has an ankle injury and Riggott is suspended and Ugo Ehiogu will captain the side in for what is Boro's possibly most important match ever.
Striker Mark Viduka has a thigh strain and has not made the journey. However with two more massive clashed coming up in the next eight days, it is unlikely that Viduka would have started anyway.
One likely option for Steve McClaren is 4-5-1 with Yakubu up front on his own, as both Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink started against West Ham on Sunday. But Hasselbaink is available and ready to play if selected
There are plenty of options in central defence and either Matthew Bates, David Wheater or Franck Queudrue coud partner Ehiogu with Andrew Taylor available to cover Franck's left-back position if required.
Andrew Davies is not however available as he is also suspended after seeing yellow in the last Uefa Cup match against Basel.
Injured midfielder Lee Cattermole is confident of a return to action in around a fortnight's time. Boro's youngest ever Premiership goalscorer has missed the last five matches with an ongoing ankle injury.
Steaua will be well rested after the Romanian FA gave them permission to postpone their match at the weekend, meaning that they have played just one game in twelve days whilst Boro have played Portsmouth and West Ham in the last five.
Steaua striker Daniel Oprita has recovered from an ankle injury and is set to replace Andrei Cristea but key midfielder Gabriel Bostina is doubtful after suffering an ankle injury.
Boro trained at the National Stadium in Bucharset last night before.
Middlesbrough Squad: Schwarzer, Jones, Parnaby, Bates, Queudrue, Taylor, Southgate, Ehiogu, Wheater, Morrison, Doriva, Boateng, Rochemback, Parlour, Downing, Johnson, Hasselbaink, Maccarone, Yakubu, Christie
ComeOnBoro.com Team Prediction by Briggsy
.............................. Schwarzer
...Queudrue .... Ehiogu .... Bates .... Parnaby
...Morrison .. Boateng .. Rochemback .. Downing
...................... Hasselbaink
......................................... Yakubu
BACK TO STEAUA MATCH PROGRAMME INDEX
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