Barca and Inter face tests, Mourinho goes home

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) Holders Barcelona host 2005 winners Liverpool and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho returns to former club Porto in two intriguing Champions League first knockout round, first leg ties today.

Beleagured Italian football comes under the European spotlight in the other two clashes with Serie A leaders Inter Milan entertaining a rapidly-improving Valencia and five-times French champions Olympique Lyon visiting AS Roma.

Barcelona are not in the best shape going into the tricky Liverpool clash. They lost 2-1 at Valencia on Sunday and striker Samuel Eto'o has not been included in the squad having crossed swords with manager Frank Rijkaard last week.

Mourinho will relish the trip back to Porto, with whom he won the competition in 2004, but his English champions are still struggling with injuries and he will recall their 2-1 defeat at Porto in the group stage two seasons ago.

Inter have won their last 16 Serie A matches -- a record sequence in Europe's big four leagues of England, Germany, Spain and Italy -- but will miss injured midfielder Patrick Vieira.

Valencia, who are in great form, will hope Inter's lack of tough domestic competition leaves them susceptible in Europe.

Security will be tight at the San Siro with Italian soccer in the spotlight after the recent death of a policeman at a match. The same will be true at Rome's Olympic Stadium, where Roma are unbeaten in eight games against European opposition.

Reuters AY DB094