A VIRTUALLY empty Stadio Artemio Franchi greeted Leeds boss Terry Venables and his players for the return leg of their UEFA Cup second-round tie against Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

A crowd of no more than 3,000 turned out for this clash in Florence - the former home of now bankrupt Serie A giants Fiorentina - the 47,000-capacity ground serving as a neutral home venue for Tel-Aviv due to UEFA's concern regarding safety and security in Israel.

The advantage was certainly with Leeds, who enterain Wanderers on Sunday, holding a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg at Elland Road, although Venables was without a number of key players.

There was no Mark Viduka, the striker remaining at home after becoming a father for the first time earlier this week, while right-back Danny Mills, who missed Sunday's 4-3 win at West Ham, was again sidelined due to family problems.

A groin injury meant centre-back Jonathan Woodgate missed a second successive game, and with utility defender Teddy Lucic ineligible after playing in the qualifying round with AIK Solna, Venables paired Michael Duberry with skipper Lucas Radebe at the heart of the back four.

For Duberry, with just three substitute's appearances behind him this season totalling no more than 30 minutes, it was his first start for the club since early March.

With Dominic Matteo, Olivier Dacourt, Robbie Fowler and Seth Johnson injured, and with Paul Okon and David Batty left at home, Venables included youngsters Frazer Richardson, Jamie McMaster, Matthew Kilgallon and Jacob Burns on the bench.

Hapoel coach Dror Kashtan made three changes to his side from the first leg, with Igal Antebi, Carlos Silva Welton and Pini Balili out injured - the latter on the bench - which led to Yakov Hillel, Avi Knafo and Sergei Clescenko being drafted in.