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Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso was sent off in his 100th Champions League game as his side played out a drab stalemate against Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.

The former Liverpool midfielder picked up a second yellow card with 25 minutes remaining and neither side threatened after his dismissal.

Bayern - Champions League winners in 2013 - went close twice through Thomas Muller in the first half but he pulled a shot wide and fired over from 18 yards.

Despite boasting the top scorer in the competition in Luiz Adriano, Shakhtar were unable to work Manuel Neuer with any effort of quality.

But Mircea Lucescu's side were organised throughout, a feat made more impressive given they have not played a competitive game since December due to their league's winter break.

The Ukraine champions are also still contending with playing all of their matches in the western city of Lviv, several hundred miles from their home ground which is too close to a conflict zone in the war-torn country.

They defended with energy whenever Bayern caught a glimpse of space, but had just one attempt at goal in the entire 90 minutes.

Bayern - fresh from an 8-0 win over Hamburg on Saturday - were unable to pose meaningful threat, but they have not lost at home since defeat in the semi-final of this competition last year and will start as heavy favourites in the second leg on 11 March.

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Credit to Shakhtar. They have not played a competitive game since December and so to face a side of such quality and compete - even against 10 men for 25 minutes - is creditable to say the least.

Whether it will be enough is another question. Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena is no easy prospect come 11 March. The last time Bayern have lost there in any game was against Real Madrid in the semi-final of last year's competition.

This closing 20 minutes have seen a lot of what I'll call 'percentage football'. Very much no risk, play the safe ball, send it long if in any doubt.

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Three minutes added. No goals coming here. Stalemate. Drab. Cautious.

In a half void of chances, this counts as an opening and it's Arjen Robben. He sees a gap and has the ability to exploit it. Shoot right footed? No. He cuts back and here comes the rush defence.

Like a rugby union pack they swarm to force him away from goal. A pattern in this game. When danger has loomed anywhere, bodies have scurried to end it.

Luiz Adriano departs for Oleksandr Hladkyy. No goals tonight for Adriano who is one away from double figures already in the competition.

As many as 32 fouls here tonight so far. It sounds and feels a lot but there have been 39 in Chelsea's game with PSG - currently 1-1.

The nature of them in this Shakhtar game have been frustrating. Petty and destructive to any attacks of note.

Bayern's best attacker has been Arjen Robben and he jinks in from the right flank to drive against a home defender, prompting calls of handball. Nothing doing. Schweinstegier is what seems like the 10,000th player to commit a tactical foul tonight. He ends a counter attack. Yellow card.

Both these sides have taken every measure they can not to concede tonight. They are more afraid of losing than enthused to go and win the game.

Taison - playing on the left for Shakhtar - has been busy and energetic all night. He has pressed well and won possession back eight times.

A latest chase of Jerome Boateng draws a foul on the Shakhtar man and booking for Bayern's defender.

Tonnes of energy from Taison. Does he pack a punch in the final third though?

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Manuel Neuer - in bright red tights - takes his time when the ball is passed back to him. They look happy with this result.

Fred in midfield for Shakhtar is booked for trying to rip Franck Ribery's arm off and Douglas Costa - who has caused trouble of the scuffly kind all night - is off for Marlos.

On comes Robert Lewandowski for Mario Gotze. Germany's World Cup hero departs having completed over 92% of his passes.

Thomas Muller is replaced by Badstuber. That should give Bayern a little less going forward.

Muller has had their best tow chances but missed the target on both occasions.

Arjen Robben swings a corner in, the referee whistles and for a moment it's unclear what for..penalty? No. Foul on a defender.

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Bayern are about to introduce Holger Badstuber in what will probably be a tactical switch. One of the forward line about to depart?

Now then Shakhtar, what have you got?

The chance to face 10 men for over 25 minutes gives hope surely of taking a result better than a goalless draw to Germany.

Alonso is the man dismissed. A second yellow for a very similar foul to the one which saw him initially booked. He stops a home counter-attack by tangling with Taison. Looks a fair shout.

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A Spaniard and a Brazilian are down in agony on the halfway line. Luiz Adriano and Xabi Alonso. A 50-50, both went to ground, ouch.

Those ones always feel worse on a cold night. Both are coming back to their senses and should be OK.

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Douglas Costa. You are a lucky boy.

Again it is him and Ribery in a tussle for the ball and out comes the Brazilian's arm to shield but it catches Robery full in the face.

Intent? Quite possibly. If so he is lucky.

In other news, Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu is wearing a great hat and scarf combo. He looks like he should be walking the dogs. Here is is in the background.

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This is his 11th season in charge. Surely the club could buy him a set in club colours.

Douglas Costa is a floaty Brazilian attacker, not the type you'd look at and see a nasty side. But he loves a bit of rough and tumble.

A good honest tussle with Franck Ribery leaves the Bayern man on the deck and Coasta stands over him and kicks the ball against Ribery's behind.

It angers the man on the deck and the referee steps in to calm things. Calm it.

Dario Srna swings in a cross from the right, hacked away by the Bayern defence. You get the sense Shakhtar are confident in building play but not overly keen on pumping lots of bodies into the box in fear of the break.

When deliveries arrive, there are one, maybe two, targets in the middle and it's easy to defend against.

A chess match. The play is moderately open, but it's well thought out...

Xabi Alonso is not averse to putting his foot in so let's use this actionn shot of him doing just that to mark a moment of history for the ex-Liverpool midfielder (he was booked for this by the way).

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Alonso has 100 Champions League outings now. Only six other Spaniards have. Can you name them? Answers in 20 minutes.