It’s irregular for a team in any top league to be reliant upon their away form, but Malaga have bucked this trend early in the Primera Division season. With six matches on the clock, the Andalucian outfit have yet to earn a point at home, yet they have been superb on their travels, chalking up seven marks in just three games.
Real Madrid visit la Rosaleda at the weekend, and though Jesualdo Ferreira will not want his side to endure a fourth successive defeat in front of their home fans, the canny Portuguese boss is doubtless aware that such an outcome is a probability. Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal complete a formidable list of visitors to have plundered three points from the southern venue already this season, and los Blancos will be keen to add their name to these strong clubs.
“We want to do damage to Madrid on Saturday,” Weligton told the press. “We want to record our first home win. It is important to play a good game at home, and get the result that we want.
“We will have to play at 100 per cent. Against a big team our fans will encourage us and we want to make them happy. However, we should not focus on stopping one player because any one of them can make a difference.”
Having had a stake in the club bought by the Qatari royal family in the summer, the long-term future of los Boquerones looks sunny, with Alexis Sanchez and Ryan Babel linked to the club recently, but at the weekend, the forecast is once again a gloomy one.
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Just as the critics were ready to groan at the monotonous nature of Real Madrid’s progress this season, they exploded into life prior to the international break, recording a thumping 6-1 victory over Deportivo La Coruna.
Despite boasting the most expensive offensive line in world football, los Blancos had struggled in front of goal in the early weeks of the season, scoring a succession of narrow victories that were disrupted only by scoreless draws against Mallorca and Levante away from home. A far more efficient performance against Depor allowed the fans to see what their side is really capable of.
“We always thought that we would get to this level of improvement,” striker Gonzalo Higuain enthused to the media after the game. “I’m happy for everyone in general because we have been very good.”
Such an emphatic victory, together with Mourinho’s brand of winning football, has sparked great belief in the Madrid camp that the league crown could finally be returning to the capital come May.
“After two years of not winning a thing, we think it's our time,” Esteban Granero has stated.
Middleweight opposition such as Malaga need to be gobbled up by los Merengues if they are to emerge as the dominant force in Spain this year. Mourinho’s men may twice have been held to 0-0 draws on their travels this season, but against a Malaga side who have already conceded a league-high 12 times, expect los Blancos to pick up maximum points.
A win was expected for Madrid on the final day of last season, but they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at La Rosaleda when they needed to win to have a shot at the title. Los Blancos, however, are unbeaten away to the Andalucians since 1983, winning 13 times and drawing five.
TEAM NEWS
Malaga
Ruben Martinez is expected to be sidelined due to an injury sustained in training so Rodrigo Galatto is ready to claim the gloves.
Sebastian Fernandez should be involved from the outset, replacing the suspended Eliseu.
Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho has named a panel of 20 players for the weekend’s fixture, with Pedro Leon, Sergio Canales and Raul Albiol the most notable inclusions.
Sergio Ramos has overcome an injury picked up against Scotland while playing with Spain, but Ezequiel Garay, Fernando Gago and Kaka remain absent.
Prediction
Jose Mourinho has seen his side stutter on the road already this season, and he’ll be anxious to avoid another mishap against a Malaga team who have yet to earn a point at home. There shouldn’t be too much of a problem for los Blancos, though they are still perfecting the art of the 1-0 win that the Portuguese values so highly. If los Merengues don’t click properly, it could be another tight one, but if they do, another emphatic victory shouldn’t be dismissed.
Malaga 2-2 Real Madrid 
