Team News: Zenit defender Ezequiel Garay named on bench against former club Benfica

Zenit St Petersburg defender Ezequiel Garay has been named on the bench against his former club Benfica for Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second leg at the Petrovsky Stadium.

The 29-year-old was declared fit to play, but manager Andre Villas-Boas has opted to leave him out of the starting XI, instead choosing a back four including Aleksandr Anyukov, Yuri Zhirkov, Luis Neto and Nicolas Lombaerts.

Former Manchester City midfielder Javi Garcia is suspended for today's clash, but Mauricio, Axel Witsel and Danny provide a midfield three, with Aleksandr Kokorin, Hulk and Artyom Dzyuba forming the spear of attack.

As for Benfica, changes have been made to the backline as three central defenders - including Luisao, Lisandro Lopez and Jardel - are all unavailable, while goalkeeper Julio Cesar is also out of the squad.

Therefore, Ederson starts in goal, while Nelson Semedo, Andreas Samaris, Victor Lindelof and Eliseu sit in defence.

Jonas, who has given Benfica a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg, starts up front alongside Konstantinos Mitroglou.

Zenit St Petersburg: Lodygin; Anyukov, Zhirkov, Neto, Lombaerts; Mauricio, Witsel, Danny; Kokorin, Hulk, Dzyuba Subs: Kerzhakov, Yusupov, Shatov, Smolnikov, Garay, Ivanov, Dolgov

Benfica: Ederson; Semedo, Samaris, Lindelof, Eliseu; Fejsa, Renato, Pizzi, Gaitan; Jonas, Mitroglou Subs: Paulo Lopes, Silvio, Ruben Dias, Talisca, Salvio, Guedes, Jimenez

Follow Sports Mole's live text commentary of the game here.