Hamburg coach wary of Lukaku

Hamburger SV coach Bruno Labbadia said he had "a lot of respect" for round of 16 opponents RSC Anderlecht. But talking to uefa.com, he reserved special mention for Romelu Lukaku ahead of the Round of 16 clash on Thursday.


"We have a lot of respect for Lukaku – he is a really strong player and a great talent," he said of the 16-year-old, who has struck three goals in the competition. "But we also have a lot respect for the rest of the team."

HSV defeated PSV Eindhoven in the last 32 through the away-goals rule. Labbadia is expecting no easier ride from Anderlecht. "They have a good team and are the top club in Belgium," he said. "You can compare them with PSV, so it will be tough."

Hamburg claimed a first win in four outings on Saturday against Hertha BSC Berlin, but preparations for the first leg have been hampered by injury. Labbadia has doubts over Jerome Boateng (back), Marcus Berg (flu) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (thigh), but captain David Jarolím returns after missing the decider against PSV through suspension. "It was really hard to miss that game," he said. "I called my compatriot [Anderlecht goalkeeper] Daniel Zítka and he told me they are in really good shape."