with captain Gareth Southgate and in-form Mark Viduka out of the first leg of tonight's UEFA Cup semi-final in Bucharest, manager Steve McClaren insists Middlesbrough still possess enough quality to gain the initiative in the tie.

Viduka was yesterday left behind on Teesside receiving intensive treatment on a thigh injury that is threatening to also keep him out of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final date with West Ham at Villa Park.

Although Southgate has travelled with the squad to Bucharest nursing an ankle problem, the club skipper will be in the stands at the Lia Manoliu National Stadium tonight hoping his team-mates can take a step towards the UEFA Cup final in Eindhoven on May 10.

The influential pair's withdrawal means they have joined Chris Riggott (suspended) on the absentees' list along with Gaizka Mendieta, Lee Cattermole, Emanuel Pogatetz and Tony McMahon.

But McClaren feels Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink are two men capable of filling the void left by Viduka, while he also suggested his squad is strong enough to cope with the injury list.

"It's a big blow to have Mark out as he has been playing so well for us in the last few weeks," said McClaren. "But our strikers are our strength and we still have Yakubu and Hasselbaink out there providing a threat. They must come in and do the job.

"Gareth will also definitely not play but we have good replacements. We are confident we can go all the way. We still have big-game players and we have to make that count."

After overcoming the odds on numerous occasions so far in the competition, most notably defeating Italians AS Roma over two legs and bouncing back sensationally against Basle in the previous round, McClaren is in no mood to miss out.

He believes the fact people on Teesside are even contemplating winning a major European trophy for the first time in the club's history highlights just how far Middlesbrough have come in his five years in charge.

"This is a big week for the club. You don't get many opportunities to get into European finals and this is one of them," said McClaren, part of the Manchester United backroom staff when they won the European Cup in 1999.

"This is only our second venture into Europe in 130 years. Steaua Bucharest are guaranteed European football nearly every season. For us to get into Europe and to think of a final two or three years ago was impossible. Now it's believable and achievable. We must grasp the opportunity."

McClaren once again insisted he was only willing to concentrate on Middlesbrough's push on two cup fronts, rather than whether he will be the next England manager.

"There has been no distraction because the focus has only been on the big games," said McClaren. "I let everyone else do all the talking.

"We have two opportunities to get into two finals. How can I think about anything else? I'm not going to talk about England. This is a Middlesbrough press conference, not England."

Steaua, European Cup winners in 1986 and finalists again three years later, are in a strong position domestically as they go in search of winning the Romanian League.

They are three points behind city rivals Dinamo with three games in hand and a lot of their progress has been down to young striker Banel Nicolita's form.

Nicolita is not only the golden boy of the Steaua squad, he is also the rising star of the national side, having been rewarded with his first international cap in November.

The 21-year-old, from a poverty-stricken gypsy background, spent his first nine euros as a professional footballer on his first pair of training shoes. He also fronts Steaua's anti-racist initiatives, after years of the club struggling to eradicate the problem.

Members of Middlesbrough's team could have to deal with certain chants this evening and McClaren admits the encounter will be a test of resolve.

"It's a semi-final and any team in the semi-final will be difficult opponents," McClaren reflected on a side that has beaten Real Betis and Heerenveen in previous rounds. "Steaua have a very good pedigree in Europe.

"They don't make many mistakes. They can win both home and away. The tie will be still very much alive next week, whatever happens on Thursday night. They are very dangerous and we need to have good concentration.

"I got a police escort to a press conference so it must be a big game.

"The players know they are close to achieving something big."

Steaua (probable): Fernandes; Goian, Ghionea, Marin, Ogararu; Paraschiv, Radoi, Dica, Bostina; Oprita, Nicolita.

Middlesbrough (probable): Schwarzer; Parnaby, Ehiogu, Bates, Queudrue; Morrison, Boateng, Rochemback, Downing; Hasselbaink; Yakubu.