BAYERN MISS 'ROBBERY', ADMITS HOENESS

Team manager Uli Hoeness said on Sunday Bayern Munich are not the same without their playmakers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben as they prepare for their crucial Champions League showdown with Bordeaux.

Bayern are third in the Group A table and need to take points off the French side on Tuesday night to keep their dreams of reaching the knock-out stages alive after a 2-1 defeat in France on October 21.

Robben and Ribery - who the German media have labelled 'Robbery' due to their ability to unlock defences - are both struggling with injury, but Dutch star Robben may be fit to face Bordeaux said coach Louis van Gaal.

"I am not normally someone who is concerned about injuries," admitted Hoeness.

"But Bayern without Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben is not the same team.

"When they return, we will return very quickly to a higher level."

Bayern are fifth in the German league after their 0-0 draw with Stuttgart on Saturday with Ribery out for at least another month with a persistent knee injury.

Robben has recovered remarkably quickly from his knee operation at the start of last month and van Gaal said he is likely to play him on Tuesday at Munich's Allianz Arena.

"I preferred to rest him against Stuttgart and save him for the match against Bordeaux," said van Gaal.

RONALDO OUT OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH

The world's most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo will miss Tuesday's Champions League match with AC Milan as he has not recovered from a nagging right ankle injury, it was announced on Sunday.

Ronaldo will not be the only absentee as Real try to keep their Champions League campaign on track after losing 3-2 to Milan in the previous meeting as former Spanish international midfielder Guti is also to miss the match after falling out with coach Manuel Pellegrini.

The 33-year-old was also left out of the squad for Saturday's 2-0 victory over Getafe which saw them close to within a point of leaders Barcelona.

According to Spanish media reports Guti and Pellegrini had a serious row at half-time of Tuesday's humiliating 4-0 Spanish Cup defeat by third division Alcorcon.

Pellegrini, though, insisted that the reason he had not selected Guti for the match with Getafe was that he was recovering from injury.

Real will be looking to avenge their defeat to Milan at the Bernabeu and gain some breathing space over the Italians, both sides presently on six points.