Bayern lose Makaay for return trip to Arsenal

Arsenal will not have to face the Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay in the second leg of their Champions' League tie this week, because the striker has suffered a thigh injury.

Arsenal will not have to face the Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay in the second leg of their Champions' League tie this week, because the striker has suffered a thigh injury.

The Dutchman, Bayern's top scorer this season with 12 goals, tore muscle fibres in his side's 1-0 win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday. The 29-year-old was carried off on a stretcher and is likely to be out for two weeks.

His absence will be felt by Bayern at Highbury on Wednesday, where Arsenal have to overcome a 3-1 deficit from the first leg. The Bayern coach, Felix Magath, said: "It's going to be a big handicap for us to be without him during these difficult weeks. We'll have to see how we can compensate his loss. It's going to be really unusual not to have him in the side."

Bayern and Schalke prepared for next week's top-of-the-table confrontation with victories that lifted them clear of the chasing pack. Bayern's triumph came courtesy of an early Michael Ballack goal, with the result that they lead the table on goal difference from Schalke, who won 2-0 at Bochum.

Liverpool's hosts in Wednesday's Champions' League return match, Bayer Leverkusen, were defeated 1-0 by fifth-placed Hamburg. It was an uninspired attacking display from Leverkusen, who will have to play a lot better up front if they are to overturn Liverpool's 3-1 advantage from Anfield.

Daniel van Buyten scored the only goal, in the 21st minute, an immensely powerful header from a corner that rifled past the keeper and went in off the crossbar.