Two in-form teams meet this week as FC Metalist Kharkiv host Olympiacos CFP, but with the race for the UEFA Cup Round of 32 hotting up the likes of the VfL Wolfsburg-Portsmouth FC fixture may well provide similar intrigue.

Hertha BSC Berlin coach Lucien Favre insists there is no secret ingredient behind his side's rise to third place in the Bundesliga, saying: "Building a football team is like baking – it's just a question of getting the right mix."

AC Milan, Manchester City FC, AS Saint-Etienne and PFC CSKA Moskva are the first four teams to seal progress from the UEFA Cup group stage after Thursday evening's matches, while only two teams are out of contention.

Manchester City FC manager Mark Hughes is hoping to round off a "great week" with three points against Manchester United FC on Sunday after recording an impressive 2-0 win at FC Schalke 04 to advance from Group A.

Myron Markevich has warned his FC Metalist Kharkiv players that the "main job is still to do" despite the 1-0 win against Galatasaray AŞ in Istanbul putting the Ukrainian club on the brink of qualification from Group B.