Fake Grass Criticized

Magath said the federation's decision to allow a game "at this level" to be played on such a surface as "outrageous."

He added that the pitch gives Spartak "a remarkable advantage" for Wednesday's Group B game.

Magath has decided to leave Brazilian defender Lucio at home rather than risk him on the artificial pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium. The 28-year-old defender has only just recovered from an ankle injury.

Bayern's Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel said he was also no fan of artificial pitches but that the team "have to work with it and not speak about it so much."

Bayern looking at top spot

The German champions are already assured of qualification for the knock-out stage of the tournament. A win will give them top spot in the group.

Meanwhile defender Philipp Lahm is being rested for the game and midfielder Sebastian Deisler, who has returned to the squad after an eight-month injury lay-off, will not be a starter.

Deisler returned to action on Saturday in the final seconds of Bayern's 2-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, but said Tuesday he did not yet feel ready to start a game.

"The main thing is that we have qualified. Now we want to be first. Our aim has to be first in the group to give us the big tactical advantage of playing away first in the last 16," Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

Spartak need a win

Spartak, who are bottom of the group, can no longer progress in the Champions League but will be looking to win the game to keep their hopes alive of a third-place finish, which carries entry into the UEFA Cup.

The Moscow team has not won in 21 Champions League games since November 2000 and are without a victory in seven previous meetings with Bayern.