10.01. (Tue) 22:00 Malaga - Real

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.

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.

Prediction

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

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10.01. (Tue) 21:00 Lazio - Hellas Verona

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

LAZIO Carrizo Cavanda, Stendardo, Zauri, Del Nero Gonzalez, Ledesma, Lulic Hernanes Klose, Rocchi

VERONA Rafael Ceccarelli, Mareco, Abbate Tachtsidis, Halfredsson, Russo, Scaglia Gomez Bjelanovic, Ferrari

Lazio coach Edy Reja is set to ring the changes from the demoralising 4-0 reverse to Siena on Saturday, as a second-string XI is expected to line up at the Olimpico midweek, with up to eight alterations potentially being made.

It is likely to be all change at the back, as Juan Pablo Carrizo, Luis Pedro Cavanda, Guglielmo Stendardo, Luciano Zauri and Simone Del Nero are all ready to step into the side, replacing Albano Bizzarri, Lionel Scaloni, Giuseppe Biava, Marius Stankevicius and Stefan Radu.

Elsewhere, Alvaro Gonzalez and Hernanes were rested for the trip to Tuscany, and should come back into the fold, with Lorik Cana and Giuseppe Sculli dropping to the bench. Last but not least, Tommaso Rocchi is expected to be picked ahead of Djibril Cisse.

Meanwhile for Verona, spirits are high in the camp of Andrea Mandorlini's outfit. Currently second in Serie B, and just a single point behind leaders Torino, they have taken their return to the top flight by storm, with 10 wins in their last 11 matches, including a run of nine straight victories.

Just two alterations for the Bentegodi club from the last-gasp 2-1 win over Modena should see midfielder Giuseppe Russo and ex-Genoa striker Sasa Bjelanovic replace Roma loanee Marco D'Alessandro and Brazilian youngster Frello.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Lazio have not won in their past three games, but the 4-0 loss to Siena marked their first defeat in six matches.

• In addition, the reverse to the Tuscan side was their heaviest since their 5-1 mauling to AC Milan in October 2007 - almost five years ago.

• Bar the Roman derby, Lazio have not conceded in any of their competitive wins at home this season.

• Verona have won 10 of their past 11 fixtures, including a run of nine straight victories.

• They have had previous experience of beating Serie A opposition so far in the Coppa Italia, defeating rivals Parma 2-0 in the last round.

• Before their goalless draw to Varese on December 18, Verona had scored in every away fixture of the campaign.

• The home team have won the five previous meetings between these two sides, but you would have to go back to April 2002 for the last: a 5-4 victory to Lazio at the Olimpico.

Prediction
Editor's Prediction
Lazio 3-1 Verona 

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