Pressure is mounting on coach Claudio Ranieri as his stumbling Juventus side host nine-times European champions Real Madrid in Turin in the standout clash of Tuesday's Champions League ties.
Real are top of Group H with maximum points and Juve are also well-placed with four points from two matches although defeat would leave them vulnerable.
Two consecutive Serie A defeats have left Juventus stuck in mid-table and they are not helped by the absence of striker David Trezeguet and keeper Gianluigi Buffon with injuries.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, defending champions Manchester United and Celtic meet at Old Trafford in Group E with the Scottish side looking to end a demoralising away run in the Champions League that reads 17 defeats and one draw in 18 trips.
The top two meet in Group F when Bayern Munich host Fiorentina. Bayern hope to have Italian striker Luca Toni fit after suffering a rib injury.
In Group G, leaders Arsenal travel to Istanbul to play Fenerbahce, their first meeting with Turkish opposition since 2000 when they were beaten by Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup final in Copenhagen.
More from rediff