The German giants are still feeling the pain from their defeat to AC Milan in the first knockout round in last season's competition.

A 1-1 draw in Munich was followed by a crushing 4-1 victory for the Italian side as Milan produced an awesome display of attacking power at the San Siro to win their last 16 clash.

"The thought of that defeat still hurts," said Bayern's 37-year-old keeper Oliver Kahn who will sit out Tuesday's tie due to a one-match ban for arguing with a doping official in the previous round against Real Madrid.

"We really want to make up for it and I feel we have a better chance this time, especially with the second leg at our place."

Michael Rensing, who has long been touted as the natural successor to the emblematic Kahn, will deputise for the Bayern captain against the six-time European champions.

Coincidentally, Rensing's only other previous outing in the Champions League came in last season's 1-1 draw in Germany.

"I know it ended in a draw, but I have fond memories of that night," said the 22-year-old.

European champions on four occasions, Bayern will also be without midfielder Mark Van Bommel who was given a one-match suspension for making an obscene gesture to Real Madrid fans in the last 16.

Despite losing two key players, Bayern morale is high after Saturday's 2-0 win over Bundesliga leaders Schalke 04 which left them six points off the summit and still in with a chance of retaining their title.

The club have been galvanized by the return to the bench of Ottmar Hitzfeld, with whom Bayern won the Champions League in 2001.

Hitzfeld came back as coach in February after Felix Magath was sacked.

AC Milan's hopes of challenging for the Serie A title this season have been hampered by an eight-point match-fixing penalty, and they currently lie way off the pace in the race for the Scudetto.

The best they can hope for in the league is a top-four finish and a place in next season's Champions League, but their main target is European domination.

"Our primary target has always been the Champions League," said AC Milan's 31-year-old Croatian defender Dario Simic.

"We have been playing well, and we mustn't be overawed by the occasion.

Bayern have lost their last four meetings with AC Milan at the San Siro, the stadium where the German side were crowned European champions six years ago after beating Valencia on penalties.

Bayern have already visited the San Siro this season, beating AC Milan's fierce rivals Inter Milan 2-0 there in the group stages back in September, Bayern's first victory in Italy for 18 years.

Bayern will host AC Milan for the second leg on April 11, and the winner will play either Roma or Manchester United in the semifinals.