Hamburg  - Spanish club Deportivo La Coruna has a mountain to climb if it wants to advance to the round of the last 16 in the UEFA Cup.

Having lost the first leg last week 3-0 in Denmark against Aalborg, the La Liga side will have to win Thursday's return leg by four clear goals or hope for the lottery of a penalty shoot-out (if they win 3-0) if they want to avoid being knocked out.

The UEFA Cup is Deportivo's last chance of a trophy this season, since they are already out of the King's Cup - and eighth in La Liga.

Coach Miguel Angel Lotina said earlier in the week that "we know it will be difficult for us, but we are certainly going to try."

Lotina added that the return to form and fitness of veteran playmaker Juan Carlos Valeron - out injured for almost two years - is "a wonderful piece of news for the team."

Valeron, 33, who played for Spain at the 2002 World Cup, is likely to be the midfield fulcrum against Aaalborg, in the absence of injured Mexican Andres Guardado.

Spain's other team left in the competition Valencia, are better placed, but are plagued with injury problems ahead of their showdown at home to Dynamo Kiev.

International defenders Carlos Marchena and Raul Albiol are both extremely doubtful for the round of 32 second leg. Another Spain player missing will be winger Joaquin, together with midfielders Edu and Hugo Viana, plus goalkeeper Renan.

The good news for coach Unai Emery is that full-backs Miguel and Emiliano Moretti should be fit.

Valencia drew the first leg 1-1 in Kiev, and are hopeful of reaching the round of 16.

English clubs are also facing tough hurdles, with Tottenham, who have already said that their sights are firmly set on the League Cup final against Manchester United on the weekend, needing to overcome a 2-0 first leg deficit at home to Shaktar Donetsk.

Aston Villa, who are enjoying fine form in the Premier League travel to CSKA Moscow knowing that they have to score at least once to have a chance of advancing after drawing the home leg 1-1.

Free-spending Manchester City, who managed a 2-2 at FC Copenhagen in the first leg, complete the line up of Premier League clubs in action on Thursday.

Former Champions League winners AC Milan are favourites to advance at home against struggling German side Werder Bremen after holding the Bundesliga side to a 1-1 in the first leg, while Udinese are in a similar situation having drawn their away game at Lech Poznan 2-2.

The other two remaining Serie A sides are both chasing away wins after losing at home. Fiorentina have to win at Ajax Amsterdam, while Sampdoria need a victory at Metalist Kharkiv. Both lost their first leg games 1-0 at home.

Bundesliga leaders SV Hamburg are one of the few clubs that can go into Thursday's matches knowing that only a huge upset will see them knocked out.

The club from northern Germany won 3-0 in the Netherlands against NEC Nijmegen and are practically secured of a place in the next round. French team St Etienne are in a similar situation, having won 3-1 at Olympiakos last week.

The other games on Thursday see Twente Enschede defend a 1-0 lead at home against Olympique Marseille, VfB Stuttgart trying to overturn a 2-1 first leg defeat in St Petersburg against the defending champions Zenit and Galatasaray facing Bordeaux with the match evenly poised after the first game in France ended goalless.

The final games are between VfL Wolfsburg and PSG, with the French side leading 2-0 and Sporting Braga who travel to Standard Liege having won the first leg 3-0. (dpa)