4 Bayern men won't face Rostov

BERLIN • Bayern Munich head to Russia for today's Champions League clash against Rostov without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and three other stars.

Germany's captain is suffering from a calf problem picked up in Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Borussia Dortmund and missed training on Monday. Sven Ulreich will deputise.

Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti will also be without Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal, who returned from international duty last week with a leg injury.

Spain's Javi Martinez and Dutch winger Arjen Robben are also set to miss the match with thigh injuries, while there are murmurs of friction within the star-studded Bayern squad.

Bayern secured their last-16 place in the Champions League for the ninth consecutive season with a 2-1 win at PSV Eindhoven three weeks ago.

But they need a win at Rostov, north-east of Moscow, to stay in touch with Group D leaders Atletico Madrid, who they host at Allianz Arena on Dec 6.

Second-placed Bayern lag three points behind Atletico and are struggling for goals.

The Dortmund defeat allowed RB Leipzig to finish the weekend top of the league - the first time since September last year that Bayern have not been top in Germany.

And there was a hint of discord when Neuer criticised his team-mates after only he, Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and David Alaba went to applaud the 8,000 Bayern fans who travelled 600km to Dortmund to support their team.

"Of course, more of our players have to go to the terraces," the 30-year-old told Munich newspaper TZ.

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ROSTOV V BAYERN MUNICH
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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 23, 2016, with the headline 4 Bayern men won't face Rostov. Subscribe