Real looking to revenge painful Bayern defeat

Real looking to revenge painful Bayern defeat

PARIS (AFP): The omens may not be encouraging but seven-time holder Real Madrid is hoping to exact sweet revenge on Bayern Munich when they meet in the Champions League Wednesday.

This is the return leg in the two side's Group C second phase games, the first leg last Tuesday having fallen to Bayern 4-2 at Real's Santiago-Bernabea stronghold.

RCTI will broadcast live the match on Thursday at 2:30 a.m. Jakarta Time.

In Wednesday's other Group C clash Norwegian side Rosenborg hosts Dynamo Kyiv, bidding to overturn a 2-1 defeat in the Ukraine.

In Group D Italian giant Lazio travels to Feyenoord in defiant mood despite its shock 2-1 defeat by the Dutch side, while Chelsea hosts Marseille, the French club running out 1-0 winner in round one.

Given its appalling record against German side Real Madrid must take heart from Henry Ford's assertion that "history is bunk".

But it is not going to be easy for the rejuvenated Spanish capital outfit.

Real, now flying high in the Spanish league after a faltering start, has never won an away fixture against a German side, and, until last Tuesday at any rate, had never lost to one at home.

Rested Saturday keeper Oliver Kahn is back in goal but Bayern is still without midfielder Thomas Strunz, Jens Jeremies and defender Markus Babbel, victim of a left thigh injury.

Real coach Vicente Del Bosque for his part must inject strength into his midfield which is lacking French World Cup winner Christian Karembeu, leaving him with no option but to pull back one of his three strikers, perhaps Nicolas Anelka.

Anelka now appears to be more at ease with the Spanish capital side, telling fans who clicked on to his personal internet site: "I feel more and more at ease here - for me it's the greatest club in the world."

Dynamo Kyiv's coach Valery Lobanovsky meanwhile is expecting a rocky reception at Rosenborg.

"Rosenborg played very well in the second half in Kiev. I expect they'll be much stronger at home and will be looking to win," he forecast.

Lobanovsky sees defense as being a key area for both sides. "I think we have similar styles, we both prefer to play on the counter attack so we've got to be extremely careful in defense."

Dynamo is still without Vladislav Vashchuk, Artyom Yashkin and Vitaly Kosovsky but on the plus side international midfielders Sergei Konovalov and Yury Dmitrulin are expected to play.

With one point from three games and anchored at the bottom of the group Rosenborg can hardly be bubbling with optimism.

It is 'gun to the head' time with a win from each of their last three matches imperative to stay in the hunt.

But the Dutch side is missing a string of players headed by Fredrik Winsnes and the suspended Andre Bergolmo.

Lazio travels to Group D topper Feyenoord with Sunday's morale-boosting win over Lecce in the Serie A under its belts which left coach Sven Goran positively upbeat.

The Swede said: "We need a win in Rotterdam to change our destiny in the champions league. If we are able to play the same way we did against Lecce I'm convinced we can bring three points back to Rome."

Goran will have to count without his Yugoslav defender Sinisa Mihaljovic, injured in the first leg.

Feyenoord was trounced 3-0 in the Dutch league at the weekend by SC Heerenveen in a game in which Cote d'Ivoire international Bonaventure Kalou was rested but he is set to resume active service in attack with Brazilian Julio Cruz.