Munich, Germany (My Sportsbook) - Bayern Munich escaped its Champions League clash with Juventus on Wednesday with a draw, but it lost stars Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben to injury.

Ribery aggravated a knee injury and will miss Saturday's match against Koln at the Allianz Arena, while Robben had knee surgery Thursday night and will miss three to four weeks.

Bayern Munich boss Louis van Gaal called the match against the Italian club a "battlefield," which also took its toll on center back Daniel van Buyten, who will play this weekend despite an ankle injury.

"It's a big blow to lose Arjen and Franck," Van Gaal said on Bayern's website.

Van Gaal will slot Ivica Olic and Thomas Muller in on the wings, replacing the dynamic duo nicknamed "Robbery." Van Gaal also plans to leave Miroslav Klose as the center forward, leaving Mario Gomez on the bench at the start.

Although Van Gaal's 4-3-3 works better with Ribery and Robben, he's determined to stay in the formation even with the changes to build more consistency in the club.

"It's more important for our long-term goals to keep playing 4-3-3," Van Gaal said, adding the team is "heading in the right direction."

Italian Luca Toni could also be named to the bench, but Van Gaal admitted it's not "essential" with four strikers already in the squad.

Bayern will face one of its former strikers, Lukas Podolski, when Koln visits. Podolski started his career with Koln, but played at Bayern from 2006-09 until he made the move back this offseason.

Podolski has just one goal this season for one-win Koln - which has just five goals in seven matches - but said this week he doesn't regret returning to the smaller club after a few tough years in Munich.

"I would never say that it was the wrong step," Podolski told the German press recently. "I knew that it was going to be a tough season, but I love this club ... whether we be bottom with just one point, tenth or fifth.

"I don't regret coming back in the slightest."

Podolski has no pressure returning to Munich, but Bayern needs to bounce back from a 1-0 loss to first-place Hamburg and continue to improve on its worst start in 43 seasons.

Bayern started the season with a loss and two draws in its first three matches and has won two of its last three since acquiring Robben from Real Madrid. Now the club has to find a way to win without its two biggest stars.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on the club's website it "can't afford any more slip-ups."

"We're at home, so we obviously have to go out and win," Klose said on the club's website.

Europe takes a break after the weekend for World Cup qualifiers, and Van Gaal recognized that as another reason it was key to get three points this week.

"It's always important to win, but even more important on Saturday," Van Gaal added. "I lose the players for 14 days, so this is the result they'll carry around with them."

On Friday, Gerald Asamoah and Jefferson Farfan scored as Schalke defeated Eintracht, 2-0, to move up to third in the standings.

Also Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen hosts Nurnberg, Hannover hosts Freiburg, Mainz hosts Hoffenheim, Bochum hosts Wolfsburg, and Monchengladbach hosts Borussia Dortmund.

On Sunday, Hertha Berlin hosts first-place Hamburg, and Stuttgart hosts Werder Bremen.