Bayern searching for improved form on the road

Atletico have turned their Vicente Calderon stadium into an intimidating fortress in recent seasons.

Their coach Diego Simeone, a former Argentina captain, was said to play 'with a knife between his teeth' and he has instilled plenty of that battling spirit in his players.

They have kept a clean sheet in 16 of their last 23 home matches and have lost only twice in their last 30, winning 25.

“They defend better than any team in the world,” Bayern midfielder Thiago, who knows Atletico well from his time with Barcelona, said this week.

Bayern, meanwhile, who lost 1-0 in Madrid in the first leg of last term’s semi-final, have won only two of their last 10 Champions League away matches.

Disappointing return

It is a disappointing return for a side with prolific forwards in their ranks like Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller, who have 70 Champions League goals between them.

With Pep Guardiola gone, new coach Carlo Ancelotti is the man tasked with returning Bayern to the top in Europe and the Italian has made a perfect start with eight wins in eight matches in all competitions.

They began their latest campaign in Europe’s elite club competition with a 5-0 demolition of FC Rostov, while Atletico edged a 1-0 win at PSV Eindhoven.

Ancelotti oversaw Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Atletico in the 2013-14 Champions League final but his overall record in Madrid derbies against Simeone was patchy: played 13, won four and lost five.

“Atletico are always tough to play,” Ancelotti said at a news conference on Tuesday.

“They are a very well-organized team and they have a very clear style that everyone knows.”

Atletico suffered a setback at the weekend when Augusto Fernandez damaged knee ligaments in the 1-0 La Liga win at home to Deportivo La Coruna.

The Argentine midfielder is likely to be replaced in the starting lineup on Wednesday by club captain Gabi.

Bayern centre back Mats Hummels was forced off in Saturday’s 1-0 Bundesliga win at Hamburg with a knock to his knee but has made the trip to the Spanish capital.

Holger Badstuber and Douglas Costa were the only two first-team players unable to travel, both still recovering from muscle problems.

Wednesday's game could be the first time this season Hummels lines up alongside Jerome Boateng, his teammate with the German national team.