• Papiss Cissé out of Newcastle's clash with Anzhi
• Defoe and Terry to start for Tottenham and Chelsea
Anzhi Makhachkala v Newcastle
5pm, ITV4
Guus Hiddink has challenged his Anzhi Makhachkala players to beat Newcastle United in Thursday night's first leg on the artificial surface at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium. Hiddink last faced Newcastle as Chelsea manager in April 2009, winning 2-0 in the first game of Alan Shearer's brief tenure as manager at St James' Park. He knows Alan Pardew's recently much improved class of 2013 represent a far tougher proposition. "Newcastle are a strong, modern team so it's a big challenge but we have some high quality players of our own," said Hiddink who declined to discuss the outside possibility of returning to Chelsea this summer. Pardew left the unwell Papiss Cissé and the rested Jonas Gutiérrez behind on Tyneside along with the injured Tim Krul and Fabricio Coloccini and the ineligible Mathieu Debuchy and Yoan Goufrran. Hatem Ben Arfa, who has not played since tearing a hamstring in early December, was on the plane to Moscow though and should start on the substitutes' bench. Louise Taylor
Newcastle United (4-2-3-1, probable) Elliot; Simpson, S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Tioté, Cabaye; Obertan, Sissoko, Marveaux; Shola Ameobi.
Steaua Bucharest v Chelsea
6pm, ESPN
Chelsea chalk up a half-century of games for the season in Bucharest with Rafael Benítez admitting the "hardest part" of his job is to convince senior players in his squad that they need to be rested for certain matches with the onerous fixture schedule in mind. The captain, John Terry, is expected to return to the lineup against Steaua Bucharest in the first leg of Chelsea's last-16 tie in the Europa League but Ramires and Victor Moses have not travelled and Frank Lampard, Juan Mata and Ashley Cole may start on the bench. "I have to convince the players they cannot play every single game," said Benítez. "I have to say: 'Listen, I know that you can do well but just in case you will be tired we need fresh legs and we have to use the squad.' That is my job, to manage the squad, but it is the hardest part." Dominic Fifield
Chelsea (4-2-3-1, probable): Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand; Mikel, David Luiz; Oscar, Benayoun, E Hazard; Torres.
Tottenham v Internazionale
8.05pm, ITV
All eyes will be on Gareth Bale, with memories still fresh of what he did to Internazionale in the Champions League group phase two seasons ago. It was not only the hat-trick at San Siro but his performance in the White Hart Lane return that advertised his talent to a global audience. Maicon, the then Inter right-back, was reduced to a wreck. The home crowd will hope for another famous night in a competition that André Villas-Boas has treated with respect. He has not considered it a distraction or a drain on stamina, rather an opportunity to build momentum. "What Tottenham has shown this season is an example that contradicts a lot of science, or science fiction," he said. Having come this far, the manager is determined to overcome his former club and will name a strong team, with Jermain Defoe set to return to the starting lineup in place of the injured Emmanuel Adebayor. David Hytner
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1, probable): Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Vertonghen, Assou-Ekotto; Parker, Dembélé; Lennon, Bale, Sigurdsson; Defoe.
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