WC Qualifiers

Here's a take on all the European World Cup Qualifying fixtures that will be played over the weekend.

Group One

Group A will kick off with Scandinavian outfit Sweden taking on the unpredictable Albania in Tirana. Following the retirement of midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg, evergreen striker Henrik Larsson will lead the Swedes out in their quest to qualify for South Africa after being named as skipper. Fellow Scandinavian neighbours Denmark will attempt to gain a foothold in qualifying for their first major tournament since Euro 2004 when they take on Hungary. Group favourites Portugal will begin their new era under new incumbent Carlos Quieroz, minus an injured Cristiano Ronaldo however, when they take on minnows Malta away.

Group Two

Euro 2008 co-hosts Switzerland will also turn to a new chapter when Bayern Munich coaching legend Ottmar Hitzfeld begins his tenure as Swiss gaffer but he faces a tough opening competitive fixture when the Swiss visit Tel Aviv to face Israel in what will be a hostile atmosphere. Otto Rehhagel's Greece side will be aiming for a solid start and all three points against minnows Luxembourg while Group B's other Saturday action will see Moldova tackle Latvia.

Group Three

Celtic goalie Artur Boruc has made the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being omitted from Poland's World Cup qualifying squad in their match against Slovenia for breaking a team curfew during their recent friendly encounter against Ukraine. Fellow teammates Dariusz Dudka and Radolav Majewski have also been culled after their antics which has left coach Leo Beenhakker no choice but to crack the whip. Northern Ireland skipper Keith Gillespie will incredibly begin his 15th season wearing the national colours when he leads the side out against Slovakia but striker Kyle Lafferty sits this one out through a back injury.

Group Four

Germany will go into their clash with Liechtenstein without the services of key players like Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings and Per Mertesacker but Die Mannschaft will nevertheless be expected to steamroll past their opponents while a crippled Welsh will face a tough assignment as they rely on the likes of youngsters Chris Gunter and Aaron Ramsey when they take on Azerbaijan, who have former Germany coach Berti Vogts now at the helm.

Group Five

After their heady Euro 2008 triumph, Spain will now get back to the business side of things when they began their road to South Africa against Bosnia-Herzegovina minus the hamstrung Fernando Torres and a withdrawn David Silva. Turkey will also continue their life under boss Fatih Terim with their Armenia assignment while Belgium will face Estonia in Group Five's other match up.

Group Six

Following their failure to qualify for Euro 2008, Fabio Capello will now start his competitive debut as Three Lions boss and begin the task against Andorra in Barcelona, the scene of England's dismal showing 17 months ago against the same opponent. Steven Gerrard continues to be sidelined after his groin surgery while striker Michael Owen has been left out, due to a lack of match fitness.  Slaven Bilic's Croatia will take on minnows  Kazakhstan with the Croat chief's future still in the air following the vacancy at West Ham. Fellow Eastern European side Ukraine will take on Belarus in Kiev.

Group Seven

Raymond Domenech, so close to the axe after France's dismal Euro 2008 showing, survived the chop and faces a potential banana skin against Austria in Vienna. Skipper Patrick Vieira has still yet to recover from his niggling injuries while Claude Makelele has already quit the international scene. Winger Franck Ribery will also miss out after just recovering from ankle surgery. The other group ties constitutes Romania facing Lithuania while Serbia playing the unfancied Faroe Islands.

Group Eight

Italy will welcome back World Cup winning boss Marcello Lippi to the helm once again as the coaching veteran sits on the Azzuri bench for the first time since their golden hour in Berlin when his side take on Cyprus. Skipper Fabio Cannavaro, who missed out on Euro 2008 while training for the competition, is poised to return to the Italy line up. Former Italy coach Giovanni Trappatoni will also make his competitive debut when the Republic of Ireland face Georgia in Germany after political events in the latter's country made it impossible to play in their homeland. Group Eight's other fixture sees new country Montenegro officially making its competitive debut against Bulgaria.

Group Nine

George Burley's Scotland, who so agonizingly missed out on Euro 2008 qualification, will set about to redeem themselves in South Africa when they take on FYR Macedonia  in Skopje. Norway will be looking to set the foundations for qualifying for a major tournament since France 1998 when they take on Iceland.