Real Madrid v Bayern Munich:Real Madrid have denied media reports that coach Fabio Capello handed in his resignation last night before the club's Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.

"The board is unaware of any resignation by Fabio Capello and we were very surprised by the reports that appeared in the media," club spokesman Miguel Angel Arroyo said.

"In this world you can assure very few things, but I can guarantee that that the board has not received any resignation from Fabio Capello either verbally or in written form."

Real and Bayern are hoping a return to the European stage in their last 16 Champions League showdown will spark a revival in their ailing fortunes.

The two continental heavyweights have both produced a series of poor performances in their respective domestic leagues and are in urgent need of a shot in the arm.

A misfiring Real are in fourth place in La Liga after an insipid 0-0 draw at home to Real Betis on Saturday and have scored just once in their last four home games.

A faltering Bayern lie fourth in the Bundesliga after a 1-0 defeat to Alemannia Aachen, their second defeat in three games since the return of Ottmar Hitzfeld as coach.

Bayern have the edge on the head-to-head record having won on nine of the 16 occasions on which the two teams have met in Europe, but Real have knocked the Germans out twice in the last five seasons.

Real will be without versatile defender Sergio Ramos, who limped off at the weekend with a bruised foot and is likely to be replaced by former reserve team defender Miguel Torres.

Midfielder Owen Hargreaves missed the Aachen game because of illness but he stands a chance of returning for Bayern. Lukas Podolski came off the bench and tshould start alongside Roy Makaay.