Get our LFC newsletter for the best Reds coverage Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Liverpool have been handed a major boost ahead of their Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich after one of their opponent's star players was ruled out for both legs. The Reds – who reached last season's final before losing 3-1 to Real Madrid in Kiev – play host to the Bundesliga side at Anfield on Tuesday February 19 before the return match at the 75,000 capacity Allianz Arena on Wednesday March 13. However, Bayern are set to be without long-serving forward Thomas Muller with Sportbild reporting that they saw their arguments in appealing a two-match suspension rejected. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now Muller, 29, was sent off 15 minutes from the end in his club's final group game on December 12 – a 3-3 draw with Ajax in Amsterdam – for a wild 'kung fu' style lunge on home left-back Nicolas Tagliafico which caught the Argentina international on the head. (Image: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) Even if Muller claims that the intent was there it seems difficult to present a case that his actions were not dangerous play. Muller has played 468 games for Bayern and has scored 181 goals while at international level he has netted 38 times in 100 appearances for Germany and as well as being part of their 2014 World Cup-winning squad was the Golden Boot winner at the 2010 finals when just 20 years old.<doc-sep>Get our LFC newsletter for the best Reds coverage Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Liverpool face a tough battle against Bayern Munich as the two sides vie for a place in the last eight of the Champions League. The reigning Bundesliga champions will make the trip to Anfield later this month, with the return leg set for March 13 at the Allianz Arena. Munich sit third in the league, seven points behind Jurgen Klopp's old side, Borussia Dortmund. Bayern Munich legend, Lothar Matthaus, has not only tipped Liverpool to defeat Bayern but he has backed the Reds to go all the way. In his March column for FourFourTwo magazine , Matthaus admitted: "Liverpool have been my favourites from the start, and I don't like to change my mind." After that crushing defeat in Kiev, the 1990 World Cup winning captain thinks Liverpool are ready to win their sixth European Cup in June. "After reaching last year's final, they're ready to win it. They have the most complete team." He said. Ballon d'Or winner, Matthaus, lost both the 1987 and 1999 European Cup Finals with Munich and has forewarned of the difficult task facing the Reds: "Playing Bayern won't be easy, though. "They do have more quality than Bayern right now, but Liverpool lost all three group games away - that'll give Bayern hope." Liverpool advanced into the last 16 despite their poor away performances, they lost to Napoli, Red Star Belgrade and Paris Saint-Germain. Matthaus's compatriot, Jurgen Klopp , will know his side must improve on the road in Europe if they are to knockout Niko Kovac's team and reach back-to-back finals.<doc-sep>SINSHEIM, GERMANY - JANUARY 18: Thomas Mueller of FC Bayern Muenchen looks on during the Bundesliga match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and FC Bayern Muenchen at PreZero-Arena on January 18, 2019 in Sinsheim, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images) Bayern Munich will be without one of their most potent attackers, Thomas Muller, for both legs of their upcoming Champions League tie vs. Liverpool. Earlier today UEFA declined the appeal made by Bayern Munich to have Thomas Muller’s two-game suspension reduced to just one. The Raumdeuter‘s reckless — even if it was entirely accidental — foul on Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico means Niko Kovac heads into his first big Champions League knockout rounds tie without one of his key players. Bayern’s tumultuous season has produced many scapegoats for disgruntled fans of the Bavarian giants. Niko Kovac takes the cake as the main target for many, but club legend Thomas Muller is not far behind. Sure, Muller has faded a bit in recent seasons. He’s no longer in the upper echelon of the world’s best, but he’s not as far off as a vocal minority of “fans” would lead you to believe. For one thing, his style of play has changed, perhaps deliberately. He’s still very much a goal-minded individual, but his game is much more built around his ability to create these days. His intelligent movement and clever runs are not used to create opportunities only for himself but more often for his teammates. He no longer looks for an opportunity to shoot as much as he looks for the opportunity to create a shot for his teammate. This is evidenced by his being the most creative player for Bayern in each of the past two seasons. This season only Joshua Kimmich has more assists than Muller across all competitions. The Raumdeuter has been a key player since the arrival of Niko Kovac. The Croatian has utilized his vice-captain both centrally, directly behind Robert Lewandowski, and out wide on the right, allowing him to roam inside as he pleases. No matter where Muller has featured this season, though, he has been a standout player for Die Roten. Whereas other stars like James Rodriguez and Arjen Robben have struggled to make an impact due to both injury and lack of form, Muller has consistently turned up for Kovac. His almost telepathic understanding with star forward Robert Lewandowski has been a key component to any success Bayern has found this season. The Pole has even acknowledged that he plays better and feels more comfortable when Muller is on the pitch. To suggest that Muller’s absence from the upcoming Champions League clash against Liverpool is a blessing for the Bavarian giants is utter folly. Rather, it’s quite the opposite: a curse. His ability to find space for himself and create space for others will be sorely missed, as will his determination to never give up on either end of the pitch. A victory for the German side is still totally conceivable — especially considering Liverpool’s own Virgil Van Dijk will be absent from the first match at Anfield. However, Thomas Muller’s absence across both legs will be a massive blow, and Niko Kovac will have to be at his tactical best to overcome it.<doc-sep>
The Reds boss is already having to contend with a suspension to a key centre-half, and has now revealed that another option will not be fit in time Liverpool are set to be without Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter with Bayern Munich, with Jurgen Klopp revealing that the latter will not return from injury in time. The Reds are set to welcome the German giants to Anfield on February 19. With that contest being staged on home soil, Klopp’s side will be desperate to secure a positive result and claim the upper hand in the heavyweight European encounter. Their cause is not being aided, though, by the absence of key men. Van Dijk is set to miss out after picking up three yellow cards in the group stage to earn a one-match ban, while Gomez will be unavailable as he continues to work his way back from a broken leg suffered against Burnley in early December. Quizzed on whether the England international could be ready, Klopp said: “I don't think so. Not a realistic target. After that? We will see.” Prior to facing Bayern, Liverpool have two Premier League fixtures to contend with against West Ham and Bournemouth. The first of those is set to take them to the London Stadium on Monday. Van Dijk will be in contention for that contest, as the Reds seek to cement a standing at the top of the Premier League table, but there are other defensive issues to contend with. Trent Alexander-Arnold sits alongside Gomez on the treatment table, with the 20-year-old nursing a knee complaint. “Trent and Joe are not fit,” Klopp said. “There is no return date for Joe. Trent is getting better and better and better and is really close. I hope he is in full training next week.” While Liverpool have players edging their way back to fitness, Klopp concedes that he can ill afford to pick up any more knocks despite working hard to add greater depth to the ranks at Anfield. The German added: “I hope we don’t have more injuries because we already have enough. The same with suspensions. It’s why you build a squad. Article continues below “You know about these players. You know they can do different jobs. If you don’t have them, you need players in each position and then you have a very big squad. “You think two players in each position until one is injured and then things are difficult. “We have internal solutions for different problems so credit to the boys.”