Bayern face Atletico in tricky Champions League (Preview)

Madrid, Sep 27 (IANS) Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich will play a rematch of last season's Champions League semi-final when the two football sides meet at the Vicente Calderon Stadium here on Wednesday.

The group game between the two clubs could go a long way to determining not only who qualifies for the knockout stages of the competition, but also who finishes top of their group after both teams won their opening games, reports Xinhua.

Last season saw Atletico triumph against Bayern to book their place in the final, and this season Diego Simeone's side has turned things around after a slow start to their campaign to move into third place in their domestic league with four straight wins.

Atletico will be without midfielder Augusto Fernandez, who will miss the rest of the season after breaking his cruciate knee ligament during Sunday's La Liga win at home to Deportivo la Coruna, while Jose Gimenez is also out with a groin injury.

Stefan Savic and Gabi are expected to be named in Atletico's starting team, while Simeone could also make changes in attack with Fernando Torres or Kevin Gameiro accompanying the in-form Antoine Griezmann, who has netted five league goals this season.

Wednesday also sees Spanish champions FC Barcelona in action as they travel to face Germany's Borussia Monchengladbach in what should be an emotive night for goalkeeper Ter Stegen, who returns to his home town to face his former club.

Barcelona will be without star striker Lionel Messi, who is still sidelined with a groin injury. They have shown a pragmatic side of late, bagging a 5-0 win away to Sporting Gijon in La Liga at the weekend.

Regular players Jordi Alba, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta were all rested for that game and will go into the side on Wednesday.

Barcelona kicked off their European campaign with a 7-0 thrashing of Celtic, and a win in Germany would see them halfway to booking their place in the last 16 of the tournament.

--IANS

sam/bg