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Liverpool
and Ajax Amsterdam, nine-times European champions between them, will
both sorely miss Uruguay’s Luis Suarez as they battle for survival in
the Europa League on Thursday.

Four-times European
champions Ajax travel to Spartak Moscow for a last-16 return match 1-0
down from last week’s first leg while Liverpool face Portuguese
upstarts Braga at Anfield trailing by the same score.

Suarez scored 81
league goals in less than four seasons with Ajax before leaving for
Liverpool in January and the Dutch team could certainly have done with
his nose for goal in Russia, having dominated the game and missed a
hatful of chances.

Suarez miss

Liverpool will also be unable to count on the 23-year-old forward because he is cup-tied.

“We would much
rather have Luis playing in the Europa League but then we would much
rather have him for a long-term contract than just for three months,”
manager Kenny Dalglish told Sky’s website (www.skysports.com).

“We are happy he is at the club and we just need to wait.”

Although Suarez is
absent, plenty of other South Americans have been enjoying themselves
in Europe’s much-maligned second-string tournament.

South American
players grabbed winners in four of last week’s eight ties and Colombian
Radamel Falcao Garcia tops the overall scoring charts with seven goals
for Porto.

Brazilian
midfielder Alex Meschini poached Spartak’s winner at Ajax and
compatriot Nilmar netted twice to give Villarreal a 3-2 win at Bayer
Leverkusen and put his side in the driving seat in the clash between
the only surviving Spanish and German teams.

Portuguese sides
Porto and Benfica regularly feature up to eight South Americans in
their starting line-ups, with Colombians and Argentines joining the
more familiar Brazilians.

Porto have been a
dominant force in the competition this year, losing only one out of 11
games, and are strongly placed to progress as they host CSKA Moscow
with a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Russia.

Superb strike

The winner was courtesy of a superb strike from Falcao’s fellow Colombian Fredy Guarin.

Benfica’s line-up
could include Paraguay World Cup striker Oscar Cardozo, experienced
Argentines Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola and bright prospects for the
future in Franco Jara and Eduardo Salvio.

Salvio is hoping to
collect a winner’s medal for the second year running, having been part
of the Atletico Madrid squad that lifted the trophy last year.

“I had a wonderful
experience in the Europa League with Atletico. Now I am feeling the
same with Benfica,” said the 20-year-old whose team take a 2-1 lead to
Paris St Germain after goals from Uruguayan Maxi Pereira and Franco
Jara.

“I think we can
score in France … we all know it will be a very difficult game but we
have very good, experienced players who can help us through.”
Liverpool’s Brazilian midfielder Lucas is another Europa League fan.

“For me it’s a big competition,” he said.

“Maybe some people
don’t give this competition too much importance but in Brazil the
Europa League is very important for everyone.

“I am looking forward to getting through to the next stage and why not dream of the title?,” Lucas added.

“Unfortunately I
still don’t have medals but when you come to Liverpool you come to win
trophies and that’s the way you have to always think. When you retire
all you have are the good clubs you have played for and the trophies
you have won.” In other ties, big-spending Manchester City will try and
claw back a 2-0 deficit at home to Dynamo Kiev while Twente Enschede
take a 3-0 lead to 2008 champions Zenit St Petersburg, the third
surviving Russian team.

Rangers also host Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven after a goalless first leg.