Manager Hughes then endured a chorus of boos after a 3-1 Premier League defeat by Fulham on Sunday, the home fans irked by the decision to start with inconsistent striker Robinho on the bench.
Hughes said the Brazilian, British soccer's most expensive signing, needed a rest.
"Obviously we have to get players back just to give us that energy level. You saw a team that were missing key individuals," Hughes said after the Fulham defeat.
"Towards the end we felt the effects of the game in midweek but when you have tired minds, sometimes tired minds make mistakes in key areas of the field. It's a case of picking ourselves up."
Hamburg's Bundesliga title hopes suffered a blow on Sunday after losing to a stoppage-time goal at VfB Stuttgart and manager Martin Jol said his team needed to refocus as they eye a place in the last four.
"We have to put this one behind us as quickly as possible," he said.
MINOR PROBLEMS
Jol is expected to include Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero, who came on as a substitute and scored Hamburg's third goal in the first leg, in his starting line-up after minor injury problems.
Olympique Marseille welcome Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk to the Stade Velodrome after losing the first leg 2-0.
Marseille will not lack confidence for the return after moving to the top of Ligue 1 at the weekend.
"We will have to take risks, it will be complicated but not impossible," Marseille manager Eric Gerets told the club's website.
"We've already put in some good performances at home in Europe this season. This match is not over just yet."
Shakhtar defender Mykola Ischenko is suspended for the second leg.
Werder Bremen will have Brazilian playmaker Diego back in their squad to face Udinese in Italy after he missed Sunday's 1-1 league draw against Bayer Leverkusen with a minor muscle injury.
Diego scored twice as Werder won the first leg 3-1.
The tie between Dynamo Kiev and Paris St Germain awaits a first goal with the Ukraine side at home on Thursday.
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