JOHAN Mjallby last night warned Celtic team-mate Stilian Petrov to expect no mercy in their Euro 2000 showdown, the Parkhead duo being set to be in direct opposition as Sweden take on Bulgaria in Stockholm today.
Mjallby has promised to get the better of youngster Petrov to push the Swedes to the brink of next summer's finals. He joked: ''Stilian is a big talent, but he is a bit lightweight.
''I happened to tackle him in a training session the other week and he flew straight up in the air before landing in a heap on the ground. I wanted to show him exactly what he can expect when we meet in the Rasunda Stadium.
''This is a huge game for Sweden and we cannot afford to let slip all the good work we have done so far. It's the kind of match every player wants to be involved in and I'm sure we can get the right result.''
Mjallby is set for a key midfield role, taking over from the injured Stefan Schwarz as anchor man, with Henrik Larsson also certain to start up front.
Sweden know that a win would put them within touching distance of the finals, as they would then need only a win against Luxembourg next Wednesday to make certain.
qANTTI Niemi will tonight try to clinch a move out of Rangers by shutting out Germany.
The forgotten Ibrox goalkeeper will start for Finland in their
win-or-bust match in Helsinki.
Niemi is desperate to turn in a five-star show, knowing a quality display could spark transfer activity and offer him an escape from Rangers.
Finland coach Richard Moller-Nielsen is convinced that, despite his lack of top-team action, Niemi would never let his country down. He said: ''After talking to Dick Advocaat, I'm convinced he is ready to play.
''Yes, his lack of first-team games is a slight concern, but many of the Finnish goalkeepers across Europe are in a similar position. Antti has always done well for Finland and I have no doubts he will continue to do so.''
Niemi is joined in the squad by Rangers team-mate Jonatan Johansson, Hibernian striker Mixu Paatelainen, and Simo Valakari, of Motherwell, and all three are also expected to make the starting line-up.
qGIOVANNI van Bronckhorst has been handed another opportunity to push Rangers team-mate Arthur Numan out of Holland's Euro 2000 squad.
Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard has named van Bronckhorst in his line-up for tonight's friendly against bitter-rivals Belgium and he will start the game at the left-back berth, vacated by Numan because of injury, after impressing in the position in the previous three internationals.
qDEAN Saunders has watched Mark Hughes take his first positive steps into management, and the 35-year-old, now back in the Premiership with Bradford City, admits to fancying a go at being the man in charge himself sometime in the future.
Saunders, who is set for his seventieth cap when he turns out for Wales against Belarus, said: ''At the moment, I enjoy playing.
''When the time comes around that I'm not enjoying it, and I'm not able to do the things I want to do, I'll probably have a go at management.''
With Italy likely to win the group, Denmark, Switzerland, and Wales are still in the hunt for the runners-up spot, although Switzerland are also still in with a mathematical chance of winning the group if they can take maximum points from their last three matches, and if Italy lose the two they have to play.
qIsrael will rely heavily on the skills of their two key players, Eyal Berkovic, of Celtic, and Celta Vigo's Haim Revivo, tomorrow as they and Cyprus seek to take what is rare chance for them to reach the finals of a major championship.
With Spain likely group winners, Israel and Cyprus, along with Austria, all have a chance of finishing second and earning at least a place in the play-offs. The match is being billed locally as Cypriot passion against Israeli skill - and, while the Israelis may hold the upper hand in the performance stakes, the Cypriots have a good home record that the Israelis are sure to find difficult to spoil.
qUkraine will take a huge step towards qualifying for their first finals since their independence if they beat world champions France in their Group 4 qualifying match today.
Unbeaten Ukraine top the group by a point from France, who will be boosted by the return of Zinedine Zidane and Nicolas Anelka.
Zidane has been out since March and missed the last four qualifiers as well as last month's friendly against Northern Ireland.
Their return is a boost for Roger Lemerre's squad, who looked anything but the once feared side recently, struggling to find their form of some 14 months ago in the the qualifying campaign.
qA MINOR ankle injury may keep AC Milan's Thomas Helveg on the bench for Denmark's
do-or-die match against
Switzerland.
Denmark must win to maintain second place in the group, which Italy will win if they beat Denmark in Naples next Wednesday.
Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who expects to earn his 114th cap for Denmark, said: ''The one and only thing we are interested in right now is to beat Switzerland.''
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