Bayern and Liverpool in Champions League action

Munich: A look at what's happening in European soccer on Wednesday:

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Austrian champion Salzburg could be in for a furious reaction from Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga leader's surprise 4-2 loss at promoted Bochum on Saturday.

Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann on Tuesday agreed with former Bayern president Uli Hoeneß that perhaps things had been going too well for his team, that the players had become comfortable and complacent.

"I heard the atmosphere in the team is very good - perhaps too good," Hoeneß said.

Nagelsmann agreed that there may have been a lack of competition in the team with Leon Goretzka, Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies all unavailable, but he expects his fit players to compensate.

"The funny thing is we only have these discussions after defeats," Nagelsmann said.

"We're usually capable of scoring more goals than we concede." Bayern will also be without captain Manuel Neuer in Austria. Neuer underwent surgery on a troublesome knee problem and Bayern expects the Germany goalkeeper to be fit again for the semifinals - providing Salzburg doesn't cause another upset.

The other game sees Liverpool make a quick return to the San Siro to play Inter Milan.

The six-time champions played there in their final group game, beating AC Milan to complete a sweep of six wins in the group stage - the first English team to do so.

Jordan Henderson might miss out after hurting his knee over the weekend, but manager Jurgen Klopp has plenty of options in perhaps his strongest squad in his time at Liverpool. Inter is back in the last 16 for the first time since 2011-12 and will be without Italy midfielder Nicolò Barella, who is suspended.

SPAIN

Defending champion Atlético Madrid gets a chance to regain fourth place in the Spanish league when it hosts last-place Levante in a match postponed from the 21st round last month.

Atlético couldn't play then because it faced Real Sociedad in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. Atlético is tied on points with Barcelona, which holds the fourth and final Champions League qualification place. The Catalan club also has a game in hand.

Atlético won three of its last five leagues matches after enduring a four-match losing streak in the competition. Diego Simeone's team is coming off a last-minute 4-3 win against Getafe at home. Levante won only one of its 23 league games this season - 2-0 against Mallorca last month - and is 13 points from safety.

It is unbeaten against Atlético in its last three league matches, with two draws and an away win at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in 2020.

Published on: Wednesday, February 16, 2022, 01:05 PM IST