Champions League

Roma defender Cicinho believes his side's season is slowly starting to come together after a disappointing start.

The Eternal City giants face French side Bordeaux on Wednesday desperate to get their Champions League campaign up and running after a shock 2-1 defeat to Cluj in the opening Group A game two weeks ago.

The Giallorossi have also struggled in their domestic league early on, winning just two of their opening five games in Serie A.

They showed improvement in Sunday´s 2-0 victory against Atalanta, but on Wednesday they will still be without striker Francesco Totti, who is struggling to shake off a knee injury.

"We haven´t started the season well," said Cicinho. "But little by little things are going back to normal.

"The result against Atalanta has been important to avoid a crisis and the win has given the team a big morale boost ahead of our Champions League game.

"We have several important players out injured but just as we did against Atalanta, we have to overcome this and continue to work hard."

Forward Stefano Okaka is sidelined with a groin injury, while defender Juan lacks match fitness having recovered from injury.

The only consolation for Spalletti is that attacking midfielder Julio Baptista and midfielder Daniele De Rossi will return to the team.

Baptista has shaken off a muscular injury, while De Rossi returns to play having served a one-match ban at the weekend.

Despite the injuries and the shaky start to the campaign, Bordeaux's Italian midfielder Fernando Menegazzo still believes the Giallorossi represent a "formidable challenge".

Les Girondins have not enjoyed the best start to the new campaign either, despite being the only team to threaten Lyon's domination of Ligue 1 last season.

They come into the game looking to bounce back from a heavy 4-0 defeat to Chelsea in their first game of the group, as well as get back to winning ways after being held to a 1-1 draw by St Etienne in the league.

While Fernando is backing his side to edge a close game, he insists his side will have to work hard for the win even on their home ground.

"I'm going for 1-0. But that is going to be difficult, Roma represent a formidable challenge, at home and away," he said.

"And I'm not buying into this thing about injuries. De Rossi, (Christian) Panucci, (Mirko) Vucinic, these are also players we should be afraid of."

Bordeaux have injuries of their own to contend with also.

Goalkeeper Ulrich Rame picked up a muscle injury in the second half against St Etienne and is therefore a doubt for the match.

"We will take another look but it seems to be very unlikely (Rame will play)," Girondins coach Laurent Blanc said, adding that the 25-year-old Mathieu Valverde, who has played just eight games for Bordeaux since breaking into the squad in 2003, is ready should Rame be unavailable.

The hosts will also give a late fitness test to winger Yoan Gouffran, who twisted his ankle against Chelsea.