CSKA Moscow vs Bayern Munich preview - Bayern target new record

Posted Wednesday, November 27, 2013 by PA

Bayern Munich's progress through the group stage of the Champions League may have been serene but their preparations for a record-breaking 10th successive win have been considerably less so.

The German club can set a new competition best with a win over CSKA Moscow but the trip to Russia has so far not gone to plan.

Bayern's plane was 45 minutes late arriving, the team's coach then got further delayed in Moscow's notorious traffic and with snow falling on the Khimki Arena pitch, they could not even train as their kit was stuck on the city's snarled-up roads.

"We have to deal with these conditions," coach Pep Guardiola told a press conference.

"Before the first game CSKA had a long flight to us. We have a highly professional approach.

"Although we are already qualified, tackling the game with the conditions we have to deal with in Moscow, after a long flight from Munich, it will be a matter of the head.

"In November, at this stage, CSKA is very dangerous. We have to play great if we want to win."

If Bayern are to surpass Barcelona's record of 2002-03 - and equal a club record of five successive away wins in the competition - they will have to do it without their strongest side.

Striker Mario Mandzukic was left behind because of a calf injury, meaning 18-year-old reserve star Julian Green makes a first appearance in the senior squad, while Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Xherdan Shaqiri, Claudio Pizarro, Diego Contento and Holger Badstuber were already ruled out.

CSKA head coach Leonid Slutsky admits his side have a difficult task against what he believes is currently the best team in the world.

"We can do differently (from the 3-0 defeat in their first meeting) but this is unlikely to directly affect the outcome," he told a press conference.

"In the Bundesliga Bayern beat last season's (Champions League) finalists Borussia Dortmund 3-0 (on Saturday). This is the best team in the world.

"Our task is to play with maximum quality. Moments will still occur, Bayern create them against every team, but we need more quality in attack than we did in the first game."

Midfielder Alan Dzagoev is unlikely to feature after only returning to training yesterday from a hamstring problem, while striker Seydou Doumbia is a doubt with a thigh injury.