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.