Bayern's ghost game

Bayern Munich's trip to Russia has already been full of plenty of surprises, and they haven't even played yet. The team was awoken in the middle night in their luxury hotel in Moscow by a fire alarm, forcing them to leave the building. It took some time for the situation to be resolved, and some of the players, draped in blankets, wandered the streets looking for somewhere to keep warm.

The day afterwards, Bayern's unflappable goalkeeper Manuel Neuer didn't seem too worried about it all though.

"It was just like being back at school again with a fire alarm," he said to gathered journalists in Moscow. "We had to leave our classrooms quickly, and then we got together again in the schoolyard."

On Monday, pictures of the club's million-dollar playmaker Arjen Robben draped in a woolen blanket and other players out on the streets of Moscow in their hotel slippers, did the rounds on social media.

But the game in Moscow will be memorable for another reason, too: CSKA have been punished by governing body UEFA after fan unrest during their group stage match against Czech club Viktoria Plzen last season and only a small number of people will be inside the Khimki Arena.

"I've never experienced it and I really hope it's the last time," Guardiola said of playing before an empty stadium. "We will have to adapt to the situation, but it's a little strange all the same."

Bayern will be hoping to continue their good start in this year's Champions League campaign, after they beat Manchester City earlier in September 1-0 thanks to a last minute winner from Jerome Boateng. CSKA go into the match desperately needing a win or at least a draw, after losing their first group game 5-1 to AS Roma.

The big come down

Meanwhile back in Germany, Schalke will play host to Slovenian side Maribor in other Champions League action on Tuesday night. The Royal Blues are expected to play basically the same team on Tuesday as that which defeated Ruhr Valley rivals Dortmund last Saturday. Only German international Sidney Sam will be missing, due to injury.

Despite the fact that Maribor are a genuine minnow in European football - the squad's total net worth is estimated at just 13.8 million euros ($17.54 million) according to German website transfermarkt.de - it did manage to draw its first group stage game against Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, 1-1. Schalke also drew their first Champions League group stage game too, stealing a surprise 1-1 draw against Chelsea in London.

For Schalke's players, getting ready for the match has proven a bit of a challenge, after the emotional high of winning arguably the club's most important domestic match of the year, against local rivals Dortmund on Saturday.

"It won't be a walk in the park," said Schalke's Max Meyer ahead of the game, adding: "After you have won against Dortmund, it is not easy to focus straight away on the next game."

DW will be covering both games online at www.dw.de/sports with a live blog from 16:00 UTC on Tuesday.