MARK VIDUKA faces a race to prove his fitness ahead of Middlesbrough's UEFA Cup semi-final tomorrow night after missing training once again.

The Australian striker, who sat out the first leg with Steaua Bucharest and Sunday's FA Cup semi-final defeat with West Ham, has been struggling with a thigh injury and underwent more treatment yesterday.

The hope is Viduka will rejoin his team-mates on the training field at Rockliffe Park today, as he makes a late attempt to prove he is ready to face the Romanians tomorrow night.

Manager Steve McClaren has been forced to start with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Aiyegbeni Yakubu up front in the last two cup ties, a partnership which the boss accepts has rarely shown signs of working.

And, given the form of Viduka before he was sidelined, the Boro boss is desperate to see his £4.5m buy return to the starting line-up.

Having tasted defeat in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, McClaren knows it is vital a similar outcome is avoided against Steaua if the campaign is not to end on a disastrous note.

Supporters have been criticised throughout the European campaign for failing to fill the Riverside Stadium, but more than 30,000 tickets have been sold so far.

The hope is that there will be a full house for the first time this season, and chief executive Keith Lamb feels that is the sort of response the trophy-hunting squad deserve.

"This is certainly our biggest game of the season - and probably one of this football club's most important games ever," said Lamb. "I cannot over-emphasise therefore how much the team will need the supporters on Thursday night.

"First of all, I would ask them to make sure they are there. Don't miss this one - the players need you there. The club will do all it can to give us the best possible chance of getting the required result against Steaua. If the fans do the same, then anything is possible."

Steaua head into the second leg in buoyant mood having beaten Farul Constanta 3-0 at the weekend. Banel Nicolita, suspended tomorrow, scored twice and set up the third for strike partner Nicolae Dica and Steaua are now top of the Romanian league.

In light of Mark Schwarzer's fractured cheekbone suffered against West Ham, Middlesbrough have recalled goalkeeper Ross Turnbull as cover for Brad Jones. Turnbull was on a season-long loan at Crewe.

l Former Newcastle United defender Jonathan Woodgate is spending time at Leeds while on holiday from Spain.

The Real Madrid centre-back is recuperating from a calf injury and a Leeds spokesman said: ''He's still injured, so while he's here he's having a bit of treatment from our physio Dave Hancock.'