Apr 8, 2009, 14:08 GMT
Hamburg - German clubs SV Hamburg and Werder Bremen host the two remaining sides from Europe's top leagues, Manchester City and Udinese, respectively, when the UEFA Cup quarter-finals get underway on Thursday.
And if the fierce Bundesliga rivals prevail in the series which has its return legs next week, they would meet in the semi-finals to complete a four-game frenzy in 19 days between them.
Bremen visit Hamburg for a German cup semi-final on April 22 and host them in the league on May 10. The UEFA Cup semis are scheduled for April 30 and May 7.
Italy's Udinese and England's Machester City are the sole survivors from Europe's three top leagues as Spain is no longer represented.
The other two quarter-finals are French-Ukrainian duels with Shakhtar Donetsk hosting Olympique Marseille and Paris St Germain up against Dynamo Kiev.
Neither a French nor a Ukrainian team has ever won the UEFA Cup, which makes success even more desirable for the four clubs en route to the May 20 final in Istanbul.
Hamburg spoilt Galatasaray's dream of playing in the final in their home town when they beat the Turks in the round of 16, and now also hope to get the better of City.
There is added spice to the match as City features two ex-Hamburg players in Belgian defender Vincent Kompany and Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong. The latter is ineligible, though, as he played UEFA Cup for Hamburg before a winter transfer to England.
City manager Mark Hughes has named the meeting 'the plum tie' of the quarter-finals and hopes his team around Brazil star Robinho can continue to do better on the continent than in the Premier League where they lie 10th.
Hamburg, meanwhile, are tied on points with Bundesliga leaders VfL Wolfsburg but are struggling with injuries as a gruelling season for a possible title treble is taking its toll. Alex Silva has joined a long injury list, Paulo Guerrero and Colin Benjamin are doubtful.
'Playing in three competitions is extreme. But, as exhausted as we may be, every players wants to do his share to continue our great run,' said forward Mladen Petric.
The Bild daily pointed out on Wednesday that coach Martin Jol won all six games against City when he was in charge at Tottenham. Even a draw could suit the Germans as they have won all five matches away from home in the UEFA Cup.
Bremen, meanwhile, are out for their second Italian scalp after shocking mighty AC Milan in the round of 32. A poor domestic campaign sees them stranded in 10th place but coach Thomas Schaaf said that Sunday's 4-1 win over Hanover 'gives us a good feeling.'
Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro scored a hat-trick in that game and could inflict further damage on Italy after scoring both goals in the 2-2 draw in Milan which sent AC packing.
Udinese impressed on the weekend despite losing 1-0 at Serie A leaders Inter Milan. They miss Italy international Antonio Di Natale, but Fabio Quagliarella is fully fit to man the attack as they aim for more success after ousting holders Zenit St Petersburg.
'If we play as we did against Inter, but with a little more grit, we can give a hard time to anyone,' midfielder Gaetano D'Agostino said.
'The morale is high and there is much motivation ... We are aware that we can write an important page in the history of the black-whites.'
Ukraine football boss Grigoriy Surkis is delighted about the Ukrainian renaissance after Kiev won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1975 and 1986, then as a Soviet Union team.
'This is a great turn of events. We feel like we are returning to the great years of our past,' Surkis told the UEFA website.
But Kiev are without injured captain Taras Mikhalik for likely both ties against PSG, who beat Dynamo twice in the Champions League group stage in 1994-95.
Marseille, meanwhile, won't underestimate Shakhtar with defender Mathieu Valbuena warning: 'This draw is tougher than it looks. Shakhtar are strong Eastern European contenders.'
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