Bayern Munich face Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday evening knowing that the Champions League encounter could make or break their season.

Pep Guardiola's men are 11 points clear in the Bundesliga and into the quarter-finals of the German Cup, but it's Europe's foremost competition that is their main priority.

The Bavarians drew the first leg of this last 16 0-0 in Ukraine and start as strong favourites for the return at the Allianz Arena - but without the comfort of an away goal, they could be caught cold.

Franck Ribery is slide tackled by Bastian Schweinsteiger during training as David Alaba stands by

Ribery (right) and Alaba share a joke as Bayern's squad prepare for their match with Shakhtar Donetsk

Philipp Lahm shows some nifty control on the practice pitch ahead of the Champions League second leg

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola makes a point to Holger Badstuber during Tuesday's training session

Guardiola instructs Badstuber to keep his eye on the ball during the training session

Bayern start as strong favourites to beat Shakhtar Donetsk at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday night

But the squad was in good spirits as they trained at their Sabener Strasse headquarters on the eve of the game, which Guardiola has billed as the biggest of their season.

'This match is a final for us,' the Spanish coach said after their 3-1 win at Hanover on Saturday. 'Only one thing matters and that is to win.

'We know what we have to do. They have extremely quick forwards and we cannot allow them to make their runs.'

But the odds are stacked against Shakhtar, whose league season only started at the end of last month. Bayern won all their home matches in the group phase without conceding a goal.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) stretches alongside team-mate Mehdi Benatia before the session

Thomas Muller and Arjen Robben share a word as they stretch off during training at Sabener Strasse

Brazilian defender Dante puts his best foot forward as Bayern get ready for the Shakhtar match

Bayern Sporting Director Matthias Sammer was an interested spectator

David Alaba tries to read the intentions of his opponent during a training ground match

Mario Gotze surges forward with the ball, leaving his colleagues in his wake

Rafinha (left), Xabi Alonso (second left), Bastian Schweinsteiger (second right) and Dante train

And they have scored a remarkable 21 goals in their last four league games, including eight against Hamburg and six at Paderborn.

Shakhtar's Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu said: 'We will be playing against a very strong club. In my opinion, Bayern are the world's strongest football team at the moment.

'We have to respond to therir extraordinary tactical discipline with equally strong tactical discipline.

Bastian Schweinsteiger keeps a close eye on the ball during a passing drill

Philipp Lahm shows some close control as he juggles the ball in training

Xabi Alonso is in the thick of things during training ahead of the match with the Ukrainian champions

Bastian Schweinsteiger slides in, attempting to win the ball

Bayern will be without Xabi Alonso, who was sent off in the first leg in Lviv

'Their team is also superior to ours, but football does not follow logical rules. In football, anything can happen.'