The Free Press Journal

Bayern face Atletico

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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 70 thrashing of Celtic, and a win in Germany would see them halfway to booking their place in the last 16 of the tournament.

 ??  ?? THE HAPPY PICTURE: Atletico Madrid's players joke during a training session at the Football City in Las Rozas near Madrid Tuesday.
THE HAPPY PICTURE: Atletico Madrid's players joke during a training session at the Football City in Las Rozas near Madrid Tuesday.

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