Ancelotti could look to Costacurta as cover

Lyon v AC Milan St. Gerland, 7.45

Lyon v AC Milan St. Gerland, 7.45. On TV: RTE 2, Sky Sports 1: AC Milan's Dutch defender Jaap Stam has failed in his bid to be fit for tonight's quarter-final trip to Olympique Lyon. Former Manchester United defender Stam had hoped his calf problem would have eased in time for the first-leg tie but he was not named in Milan's travelling party for the game.

With Brazilian Cafu still sidelined and captain Paolo Maldini not ready to start - although he will feature on the bench - Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said that experienced former Italy international defender Alessandro Costacurta was likely to play at right back.

Costacurta, who is 40 next month, turned in an impressive display in Milan's 3-1 Serie A win over Fiorentina on Saturday and Ancelotti said he would check on his fitness before deciding his line-up. "If Costacurta is in good shape then I will turn to him," said Ancelotti, who added he was confident his team could get a positive result in Lyon.

In attack, Filippo Inzaghi could be rested allowing Italy international Alberto Gilardino to renew his partnership with Andriy Shevchenko.

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Lyon, four-times French champions, have never made the semi-finals of a European club competition. "Lyon will be under the spotlight," said club president Jean-Michel Aulas.

"For us this is a real test. We want to do what we did against Real Madrid," added Aulas, referring to Lyon's stunning 3-0 defeat of the Spanish giants in their opening match of the campaign.

Lyon left the Champions League in the quarter-finals the last two seasons, losing to eventual champions Porto in 2004 and to PSV Eindhoven last year.

Brazilian Juninho, the team's inspiration in midfield, is suspended for tonight's game.

LYON (4-4-2; probable): Coupet; Clerc, Cacapa, Cris, Abidal; Diarra, Malouda, Tiago, Pedretti; Carew, Wiltord.

MILAN (4-3-1-2; probable): Dida; Costacurta, Kaladze, Nesta, Serginho; Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso; Kaka; Gilardino, Shevchenko.

Referee K Plautz (Austria).