Carlo Ancelotti's perfect start with Bayern Munich will be put to the test against Champions League runners-up Atletico -Madrid at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday in a rerun of last season's scintillating semifinal tie.
The Bundesliga leaders have won eight games out of eight -under the Italian coach in all competitions, with five league victories accompanying glory in the German Super Cup and an easy win in the German Cup.
Bayern thrashed Rostov 5-0 in their Champions League Group D opener but midfielder Xabi Alonso warned they will come under much greater scrutiny against Atletico, who have conceded just two goals in seven games in all competitions.
The clubs also met in the 1974 final with Bayern prevailing in a replay, but Diego Simeone's -Atletico are formidable in front of their own fans and unbeaten this season so will be hopeful of ending Bayern's perfect record so far in this campaign.
"We're happy with the start we have made but we know that this is the first really powerful team we're going to face. What we've achieved up to now could all fall apart in 90 minutes," Alonso told Spanish newspaper Marca on Monday.
Atletico knocked Bayern out of the competition last season on away goals in a thrilling two-legged tie and Alonso is expecting more of the same from Atletico. "I think they are a very similar team to last year, they are competitive, hard-working, always well organized. They have positive aggression, they always compete to the limit."
Ancelotti has won a joint--record three Champions League titles, his 2014 triumph coming at the expense of Atletico with -local rivals Real Madrid. The Italian also oversaw Atletico's elimination at the quarterfinal stage the following season.
For Alonso, the Italian coach, who also had two Champions League triumphs with AC -Milan, has not altered much since -succeeding Pep Guardiola in the summer.
"The base has been here since the team won the triple [Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League in 2013]," Alonso said. "There's a very important -nucleus in the team and every-one who comes to the team works alongside that core.
"When you have a built-in idea and a winning project -everything is much easier."
Atletico overcame 10-man Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 in La Liga on Sunday but their fourth straight win in all competitions was soured by a serious knee injury to midfield anchor Augusto Fernandez, who has been ruled out for seven months.
Atletico defender Jose Gimenez is also unavailable with a calf problem while Bayern will be without Holger Badstuber and Douglas Costa through injury.
UNITED NATIONS, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday reported that some 16,000 Nigerian refugees have fled to the Far North region of neighboring Cameroon over the weekend to escape clashes in northeast Nigeria between regional military forces and insurgents.
"Starting tomorrow, the Agency will work with Cameroon to relocate refugees to a transit site at Kousseri, 90 km from the border," Vannina Maestracci, the associate UN spokesperson, said at a daily news briefing here, adding "These refugees will then be transferred to a camp in Minawao."
"Given the evolving security situation and the prospect of more refugee arrivals, the possibility of setting up a second refugee camp is being considered," she said, quoting UNHCR.
The Cameroonian authorities have observed a steady flow of refugees streaming in through the "extremely volatile" border regions of Makaria, Logone Birni and Fotokol, just south of Lake Chad, rendering them vulnerable to attacks from the Nigerian insurgent group, Boko Haram, the UN reported.
Clashes between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government forces have intensified in recent weeks as fighting has spilled across borders and become increasingly regionalized. During the past few weeks alone, the group has also perpetrated deadly attacks against civilians in Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
The surge in fighting across the region has largely hampered efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need. UNHCR was working with the Cameroonian government to relocate refugees as quickly as possible from the zones of active conflict to a nearby transit area. However, due to the unstable situation, the refugees had become difficult to reach. Evolving security situation and the prospect of more refugee arrivals had prompted the need for the creation of a new camp further away from the insecure border.
The refugee crisis is also compounding the economic stability of the area. A recent World Food Programme food security and vulnerability assessment in Niger in November 2014 showed that a total of 52.7 percent of displaced households and their host families were severely (14 percent) or moderately (38.7 percent) food insecure, and in need of food assistance.
COLOMBO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The South Harbor terminal handled 680,000 containers in 2014, enhancing the total capacity of the Port of Colombo by 14 percent, the fastest growth among the world' s ports last year, said Liu Yunshu, chief executive officer of the Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT).
"We have set the 'Chinese speed' in the construction and operation of the terminal. The first phase of construction was completed in 15 months, almost 15 months ahead of schedule," Liu told Xinhua on Sunday.
The South Harbor, operated by the CICT, a joint venture between the China Merchants Holdings International Company (CMHI) and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, is aimed at making the Port of Colombo a regional maritime hub.
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