On the face of it Manchester City's trip to play Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena has the look not just of an impossible job but of a rather meaningless one too, a high-end exhibition match with all the trimmings. City need to beat Bayern by three clear goals in their own indomitable illuminated doughnut of a stronghold to overhaul them at the top of Group D rather than simply qualify in second place.
It may happen. Just as Manuel Pellegrini – who on the eve of City's final Group D match still seems not so much dismayed at fielding questions from the English press as filled with an ineffable sorrow – may yet arrive at today's post-match debrief juggling Knusperhauschen biscuits and handing out Gluhwein.
But it is probably best not to count on it.
For all that, this is still the most intriguing of half-dead rubbers, even if almost all of the peripheral interest is on City's side. Before training here Martin Demichelis, a Bayern player for seven and a half years, was asked if City were coming to Bavaria to seek revenge for the chasteningly decisive 3-1 defeat at the Etihad in October.
'Good squad'
"Yes, we are," he said. "In football a lot can happen. We're playing 11 versus 11. It's very hard to win here but we must try to do that. We also have a very good squad and great players, and right from the start we have to do our best and score a goal.
“It’s very hard to say what the weak points are for Bayern Munich. Every week I could analyse them and it’s very hard to see a weak point for this team. We have to play with real fire in our stomachs.”
It is understandable that City would wish to apply a little balm to the memory of that previous defeat, during which Bayern looked not just a more settled, seasoned European power but a team from another footballing planet.
Never mind that with the visit of Arsenal on Saturday in mind Pellegrini is certain to rotate his team. And never mind that when it comes to seeking revenge City are simply going to have to join the queue here: Bayern have won their past 11 matches, their past 10 in the Champions League and 7-0 away from home at the weekend.
Pellegrini is too shrewd not to use the trip as a testing ground for his evolving team before the group stages. There could be no greater test of his commitment to playing with two strikers than a match against Europe's midfield superpower.
Tipping point
One man who seems almost certain to play is Joe Hart, whose travails reached a tipping point against Bayern in October. Hart, previously City's established number one, was dropped from the team in October after making a string of high-profile errors, which included mistakes in the 3-1 home loss to Bayern at the Etihad Stadium earlier that month.
If he faces the German side again, it will be only his second appearance in City’s last 10 games. It has been a worrying time for the England international this season, building up to next summer’s World Cup. And Pellegrini has no doubt about the potential significance of the contest at the Allianz Arena for Hart. “For him it is a very important game,” the Chilean said, before adding: “I am not thinking about the past, just thinking about the future. I trust in him.”
When then asked about the danger of Hart’s confidence having been damaged by his time out of the side and that affecting his performances for club and country, Pellegrini looked to draw a line under the matter.
“I don’t think this press conference is for talking about Joe Hart,” he said. “I have said in other weeks what I think about him and his performances. Today is not the day to analyse this.”
City players who will not be featuring in Tuesday's match are midfielder Yaya Toure and full-back Gael Clichy due to suspension and a foot problem respectively. Also injured are striker Stevan Jovetic and centre-back Matija Nastasic (both calf), but playmaker David Silva is back after missing six games because of a calf complaint of his own.
Guardian Service
