Bayern on the brink

Make or break is an overused term in modern football but for FC Bayern München tonight's UEFA Champions League visit to AC Milan surely represents just that.

Elimination looms
Should Bayern fail to win and RC Deportivo La Coruña beat RC Lens in the night's other Group C game, then the 2001 European champions will be eliminated from this season's competition.  For a club who have reached Europe's last eight - at the very least - in each of the last five seasons, elimination at this stage would be a minor disaster.

Qualification in their sights
Bayern, who include Roque Santa Cruz for the first time this season, can expect no favours from a Milan side with maximum points so far, and 2-1 winners in Munich three weeks ago. With the fit-again Andriy Shevchenko restored to the Rossoneri squad, victory will confirm their place in the second group stage. Milan are one of four teams on the cusp of qualification, another being group rivals Deportivo who visit Lens and will go through if they and Milan win. Even if both Group C games finish in draws, Milan's progress will be assured.

Odds favour United
Manchester United FC can do the same if they win or draw in Athens against an Olympiakos Piraeus FC side they beat 5-0 on Matchday Three. Given United have never lost in Greece and Olympiakos last beat English opponents 30 seasons ago, the odds seem stacked against Yiannis Kollias in his first match as caretaker coach of the Greek side. The other Group F match sees last season's runners-up, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, seek a second victory over Maccabi Haifa FC in Germany.

Overmars returns
European champions ten years ago, FC Barcelona can take the first step towards a possible repeat by beating FC Lokomotiv Moskva in Group H to book their place in the next stage. Like Milan and United, Barça have won their three games so far and they welcome back Dutchman Marc Overmars, who has been absent for five months with a knee injury. Galatasaray SK visit Club Brugge KV in the group's other match, looking to safeguard second place.

Juventus in form
To Group E finally where second-placed Feyenoord travel to FC Dynamo Kyiv and leaders Juventus FC visit Newcastle United FC. Juventus, unbeaten at home and in Europe this season, have seven points from three games and can all but guarantee their place in the next stage with a win at St James' Park.

'All or nothing'
For the English side it is "all or nothing", however. That is how their manager Sir Bobby Robson views it after their failure to score a goal or secure a single point so far. Newcastle will "go for it" and the lesson of last night is why not. The three teams with the second stage in their sights all stumbled. Perhaps there is hope for Bayern yet.