PARIS — Defending champion Bayern Munich as well as former winners Real Madrid and Manchester United are on the verge of making the Champions League last 16 Tuesday. An in-form Bayern Munich will be looking to notch its fourth straight win in the Champions League group stage when the Bundesliga champion faces Viktoria Plzen. The German side, which has ridden Franck Ribery's hot start to the season, has scored 11 goals and conceded only one in its three Group D games to stay three points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the table. Coach Pep Guardiola had Spain international Javi Martinez and German midfielder Mario Goetze back in the starting lineup for the first time in months after the pairs' long injury breaks when it equaled a 30-year-old Bundesliga record with its 36th game without defeat since October 2012. Central defender Dante was also back after a two-week injury break. Dutch winger Arjen Robben will sit out the clash as he continues to recover from a groin strain. In their previous meeting, Bayern ran rampant with Ribery leading the way with two goals in a 5-0 mauling of the Czech champion. United can also virtually ensure its last 16 place with victory in Spain after a 1-0 home win over Sociedad, playing in the tournament for the first time in 10 years. But David Moyes' side has doubts over the fitness of Jonny Evans, Rafael da Silva and Tom Cleverley, who were all replaced at half-time in Saturday's 3-1 win at Fulham. “It will be a difficult test against (Real) Sociedad,” said Moyes. Sociedad has scored just once in three Champions League games so far and is without a point but warmed up for Tuesday with a confidence-boosting 5-0 home win over Osasuna. Jagoba Arrasate's side is looking to avoid setting a club-record sequence of four straight defeats in Europe. Real Madrid, meanwhile, has nine points from three games after a Cristiano Ronaldo double ensured a 2-1 win over Juventus last time out and it needs just a point in Turin to make sure of a last-16 place. Nine-time winner Madrid has scored in all its last 19 Champions League away fixtures, losing only four but Juventus has won the last five meetings between the sides in Turin. Juventus is in third place and with that position in mind coach Antonio Conte rested Andrea Pirlo in Saturday's 1-0 win at Parma before the veteran midfielder replaced Claudio Marchisio. Ronaldo has scored seven times for Real Madrid in the Champions League this season just one off the record held jointly by Ruud van Nistelrooy, Filippo Inzaghi and Hernan Crespo. Real will be without left-back Fabio Coentrao after he limped off with an ankle injury. Xabi Alonso is also a doubt but Raphael Varane will return at the heart of the defence after being rested against Rayo. In other encounters, Shakhtar Donetsk faces Bayer Leverkusen; Copenhagen plays Galatasaray; Paris Saint Germain is up against Anderlecht; Olympiakos faces Benfica; and Manchester City plays CSKA Moscow. — Agencies
