PARIS: Holder Inter Milan, 2009 champion Barcelona and last season's semifinalist Lyon can all reach the last 16 of this season's Champions League with victories in the group stage Tuesday. Inter, which ended a 45-year wait for Europe's top club prize in May, faces perhaps the most difficult assignment of the three in the shape of a trip to competition debutants Tottenham in Group A. The sides shared seven goals when they met in Milan 12 days ago, but despite Inter having led 4-0 after 35 minutes, Spurs emerged from the game with real credit thanks to a stunning second-half hat trick by Gareth Bale. Bale's performance at the San Siro prompted his coach Harry Redknapp to label the 21-year-old Welshman one of the world's top left-sided players, and his late cameo gave Inter boss Rafael Benitez plenty of food for thought. “The return match in London will be tough,” said Benitez, who spent six years at the helm of Spurs' Premier League rivals Liverpool. “Tottenham are a quality team and despite their bad start they showed what they are capable of in the second half.” Spurs was beaten 2-0 at Manchester United Saturday, but of more concern to Redknapp will have been a hamstring injury to Rafael van der Vaart that forced the in-form Dutch playmaker to go off in the second half. Inter has had an extra day to prepare for the match following its 1-0 win at Genoa Friday, but it could be without goalkeeper Julio Cesar and holding midfielder Esteban Cambiasso after both players sustained thigh strains. Werder Bremen and FC Twente meet in the other group game in Germany, with both sides conscious that victory would take them into second place if Inter prevails at White Hart Lane. Barcelona visits FC Copenhagen in Group D, fresh from a stunning 5-0 demolition of Sevilla in the league Saturday inspired by the return from injury of midfield lynchpin Xavi. Lyon brought an end to a turbulent week by beating Sochaux 2-1 at the weekend, after president Jean-Michel Aulas ended weeks of speculation by confirming that Claude Puel will stay on as coach until the end of the season. The 2002-2008 French champion, eliminated by Bayern Munich in the semifinals last season, has won all three of its group phase games to date but Tuesday's trip to Benfica will be its most taxing assignment yet. Pablo Aimar scored a stunning solo goal as the Portuguese champion beat Pacos de Ferreira 2-0 in the league Friday and Aulas says he would be happy to return from the Stadium of Light with a point. In the group's other game, Hapoel Tel-Aviv must win at home to second-placed Schalke to avoid elimination. Group C leader Manchester United travels to Turkey to tackle bottom side Bursaspor, having edged the Turkish champion 1-0 in their last outing. Valencia, meanwhile, can leapfrog Rangers into second place if it beats the Scottish champion at the Mestalla.
