Wounded Bayern a big threat to Bruges
Club Bruges should be wary of a wounded Bayern Munich when they play the first Champions League match at the German side's spectacular new World Cup stadium on Tuesday.
Club Bruges should be wary of a wounded Bayern Munich when they play the first Champions League match at the German side's spectacular new World Cup stadium on Tuesday.
Bayern's 15-match winning run in the Bundesliga came to an abrupt end with a 2-0 defeat away to Hamburg SV on Saturday.
The Bundesliga champions can rarely have played worse than in a lazy first-half display and the players are determined to atone by making it two wins out of two in Group A.
"We lacked determination and we weren't completely in the game," goalkeeper and captain Oliver Kahn said after a defeat that cut Bayern's lead at the top to a single point.
"But in a way I'm glad that we can put the wining run out of our minds and get back to our normal routine."
A second victory would take the pressure off Bayern, leaving them well-placed to qualify from the group regardless of what happens in the next two games home and away to Juventus.
Their chances against the Belgian champions will be helped by the return of Michael Ballack, who missed the opening 1-0 win away to Rapid Vienna with an ankle injury.
Ballack came back from an ankle injury to play in the league defeat against Hamburg and, after a slow start, his influence grew as the game went on.
Coach Felix Magath can also recall Martin Demichelis to restore his first-choice pairing for central midfield.
"I'm confident the performance will be a lot better against Bruges," Magath said. "The Champions League is always different."
Bruges were also beaten at the weekend, 1-0 at home to Lokeren, in what was their second league defeat in three days.
"We will not use it as an excuse, but everything seems to be against us at the moment," the club's technical director, Marc Degryse said.
Defenders Gunther Vanaudenaerde and Marek Spilar were forced out of Saturday's game and join Rune Lange, Manasseh Ishiaku, Joos Valgaeren, Michael Klukowski, Philippe Clement, Ivan Gvozdenovic, Sergiy Serebrennikov and Sebastian Hermans on an ever lengthening sick list.
Bruges coach Jan Ceulemans also has a headache in choosing his goalkeeper for the game.
Regular number one, Tomislav Butina returned between the posts on Saturday, but his replacement Stijn Stijnen was excellent in a 2-1 loss to Juventus in their last Champions League outing.
Captain Gert Verheyen returns after missing the game against the Italians through suspension.
Probable teams:
Bayern Munich: 1-Oliver Kahn, 2-Willy Sagnol, 3-Lucio, 25-Valerien Ismael, 69-Bixente Lizarazu, 26-Sebastian Deisler, 6-Martin Demichelis, 13-Michael Ballack, 31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, 33-Paolo Guerrero, 10-Roy Makaay.
Club Bruges: 1-Tomislav Butina, 2-Olivier De Cock, 26-Birger Maertens, 33-Jason Vandelannoite, 11-Jonathan Blondel, 8-Gaetan Englebert, 18-Ivan Leko, 34-Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo, 10-Bosko Balaban, 22-Javier Portillo, 7-Gert Verheyen.