Adriano, who has not scored a goal in all competitions since March 29, was preferred to the 31-year-old striker a fornight ago when Inter lost their opening Group B match away to Sporting Lisbon.

But with Crespo scoring three goals in his last two matches and Inter in desperate need of three points against Bayern, Adriano is sure to be the one donning the tracksuit at the San Siro.

Four days after his crucial winning goal in the 1-0 win over Serie A title rivals Roma last Wednesday, Crespo scored twice in Sunday's 4-3 victory against Chievo which saw Inter go top of Italy's top division.

"At the moment things are going well for me and, most of all, for Inter," Crespo told Inter's website.

"I'm three times happy: for the victory, the two goals and first place in the table."

Crespo, who came on for the last 20 minutes against Sporting after teammate Patrick Vieira had been sent off, had words of encouragement for the misfiring Adriano.

"He's in form," the Argentina international said.

"He produced a wonderful assist for me and did some of the things that Adriano does best. This is important for him and for all of us."

Crespo said scoring against Bayern would complete a perfect seven days.

"It will be hard match, but a nice one to play in," he said.

"I would like to seal my return to Inter with a goal in the Champions League."

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness inisted Inter were strong favourites to win the tie.

"They're a class above us this season," he said.

Lukas Podolski, the pin-up boy of German football who has failed to score a league goal for Bayern since his summer move from FC Cologne, is expected to start on the bench.

The German international, whose stock rose dramatically after his impressive World Cup performances, was dropped for Saturday's match at Alemannia Aachen which Bayern won 2-1.

However, despite his poor form, the determined 21-year-old believes he will soon start hitting the net.

"Things are not going how I thought they would," Podolski said.

"Of course I am disappointed not to be playing. It irritates me - otherwise I would not be a real footballer.

"But my time will come and I will score my goals here. I am not gripped by fear of failing at Bayern."

France captain Vieira will be missing for Inter following his red card in Portugal, which earned him a one-match ban. Bayern's most notable absentee will be Owen Hargreaves. The England midfielder suffered a fractured left leg earlier this month and is unlikely to return for several weeks.

Bayern, who like Inter are top of their domestic league, began their Champions League campaign with a 4-0 win over Spartak Moscow.

The only previous meeting between Inter and Bayern was in the third round of the UEFA Cup in 1988-89 when Bayern went through on away goals after the tie finished 3-3 on aggregate.
Teams
INTER MILAN: 12-Julio Cesar; 4-Javier Zanetti, 2-Ivan Cordoba, 23-Marco Materazzi, 11-Fabio Grosso; 91-Mariano Gonzalez, 15-Olivier Dacourt, 5-Dejan Stankovic, 7-Luis Figo; 8-Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 18-Hernan Crespo
BAYERN MUNICH: 1-Oliver Kahn; 2-Willy Sagnol, 3-Lucio, 5-Daniel Van Buyten, 21-Philipp Lahm; 20-Hasan Salihamidzic, 17-Mark van Bommel, 39-Andreas Ottl, 31-Bastian Schweinsteiger; 10-Roy Makaay, 14-Claudio Pizarro.