Guardiola drops Dante for Porto clash

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola dropped Brazil defender Dante for Tuesday's crucial home Champions League quarter-final, second-leg, against Porto with the German side needing to over-turn a two-goal deficit.

In the only change to the side, Germany centre-back Holger Badstuber took Dante's place, the Brazilian paying the price for a couple of recent blunders including the one which led to Ricardo Quaresma's second goal in last Wednesday's 3-1 defeat at Porto.

Dante also made a mistake in Bayern's 2-0 Bundesliga win at Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Neither wingers Arjen Robben, nor Franck Ribery were included in Bayern's match squad after injuries, but Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger was named on the bench having only trained for the first time on Sunday following an ankle knock.

Porto coach Julen Lopetegui brought defenders Ivan Marcano and Diego Reyes in to replace suspended wing-backs Danilo, who joins Real Madrid next season, and Alex Sandro, who were both suspended after bookings in the first leg.

Porto are bidding to reach the semi-finals in Europe for the first time since 2004, when they won the title under Jose Mourinho, while Bayern are hoping to reach the semis for the fourth time in a row.

Starting line-ups:

Bayern Munich (GER) (4-3-3):

Manuel Neuer; Rafinha, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber, Juan Bernat; Philipp Lahm (capt), Xabi Alonso, Thiago Alcantara; Thomas Mueller, Robert Lewandowski, Mario Goetze

Coach: Pep Guardiola (ESP)

Porto (POR) (4-3-3):

Fabiano; Diego Reyes, Maicon, Marcano, Martins Indi; Hector Herrera, Casemiro, Oliver Torres; Ricardo Quaresma, Jackson Martinez (capt), Yacine Brahimi

Coach: Julen Lopetegui (ESP)

Referee: Martin Atkinson (ENG)
Source: AFP