Copa del Rey: Real Madrid-Malaga: Celebrate
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
MALAGA  Caballero Sanchez, Demichelis, Mathijsen, Monreal Cazorla, Apono, Toulalan, Isco Van Nistelrooy, Fernandez | REAL MADRID  Casillas Diarra, Ramos, Albiol, Marcelo Xabi Alonso, Khedira Callejon, Ozil, Ronaldo Benzema |
Jose Mourinho has a few injury concerns going into the second leg of this Copa del Rey encounter against Malaga. Pepe missed the match against Granada at the weekend but Sergio Ramos is back to full fitness after missing the first leg and should be partnered by Raul Albiol.
Lassana Diarra should come in to the right-back position with Sami Khedira partnering Xabi Alonso in midfield. Angel Di Maria and Ricardo Carvalho are injured and there are some doubts over the fitness of Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Coentrao, who missed the win over Granada.
Elsewhere, in-form striker Karim Benzema looks set to overcome a minor injury picked up against Granada at the weekend and is likely to start on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, in-form striker Karim Benzema looks set to overcome a minor injury picked up against Granada at the weekend and is likely to start on Tuesday.
Joaquin is out of contention as the winger has been ruled out for a month with a strained muscle. Julio Baptista will also miss the match for Malaga.
| | DID YOU KNOW? |
The first leg between the sides saw Real Madrid come from two goals behind to win 3-2 against Malaga thanks to strikes from Sami Khedira, Gonzalo Higuain, and Karim Benzema.
- Real Madrid's match in between the Copa del Rey legs was against Granada in La Liga. A brace from Karim Benzema and goal each from Sergio Ramos, Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo saw Madrid cruise to a 5-1 victory.
- The last time that Madrid lost a Copa del Rey match was last season when they were defeated 2-0 in a second leg against Levante. Lucky for Jose Mourinho's side, they had already won the first match 8-0.
- In La Liga, Malaga have scored under a third the amount of goals that Real Madrid have notched up. Jose Mourinho's men have netted 61 times compared to the 20 scored by Manuel Pellegrini's side.
- Malaga's match in between the Copa del Rey fixtures was against Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid, which ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
- Malaga's entire squad has not scored the amount of goals that Cristiano Ronaldo has notched up himself in the Spanish Primera Division so far.
The first leg proved that when Real Madrid are not on song, they can be hurt. Malaga were outstanding in the first half and got at the capital club through intense pressing. However, the rally of Jose Mourinho's side in the second half shows their true quality and determination, which eventually earned them the win. Expect a tight game but with Real Madrid ultimately progressing in the end.
Editor's Prediction
Malaga 1-2 Real Madrid 
