test2wa

Champions League

Standard Liege need to win their final Group H game against AZ Alkmaar to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.

But AZ also have plenty to play for in the knowledge that a victory will secure a place in the Europa League at the expense of their opponents.

Standard are third in the group with four points, three behind Olympiacos.

The Belgian champions need to win and hope Olympiacos lose at home to Arsenal, who are already guaranteed to win the group.

Standard will be looking to Milan Jovanovic to provide the vital goals, but these are not happy times for the unsettled striker.

Despite scoring his 10th goal of the season at the weekend, some Standard supporters have turned against the Serbian, who has been linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window.

After the recent defeat at St Truiden, one supporter shouted "Kosovo, Kosovo" at Jovanovic as he left the field and stewards had to intervene to prevent a physical confrontation.

Fans also expressed their unhappiness with Jovanovic's likely departure by unfurling a banner during Saturday's draw with Germinal Beerschot, and Jovanovic said: "It's a good thing that I did not notice during the match itself.

"It's really incredible that the supporters will turn against me."

Even some of his team-mates are also not too enamoured with Jovanovic, with Mohamed Sarr claiming: "Jovanovic has no respect for his team-mates."

The good news for Standard is that AZ have their own problems to contend with.

The Belgian football association have granted national team coach Dick Advocaat permission to speak to AZ over the possibility of him joining the Dutch champions until the end of the season.

AZ approached the Belgian FA (KBVB) after sacking Ronald Koeman on Saturday.

The Alkmaar club won the Eredivisie under Louis van Gaal last season but have struggled this term and currently find themselves in seventh place, 19 points behind leaders FC Twente.

They see former Holland boss Advocaat as the man to reverse their slide and the KBVB are willing to co-operate on the proviso it is just a short-term agreement.

The KBVB said in a statement today: "The executive committee yesterday decided to allow coach Dick Advocaat to pursue negotiations with AZ Alkmaar for the post of coach of the Dutch club until the end of the current season.

"The only condition is that the coach ends the collaboration at the end of the season.

"If Advocaat comes to an agreement with AZ, he will still continue his duties (with Belgium).

"The end of the season sees the start of an important period for the Red Devils, most notably the start of qualifying for Euro 2012."

AZ have named an 18-man squad for tomorrow's game. Joey Didulica, Simon Poulsen, Kees Luijckx, Rasmus Elm and Ari have been dropped from the squad and will not make the trip to Belgium.