All the action takes place in Spain tonight as the unlikely success story, Malaga, entertain another German juggernaut while Real will be hoping for Turkish delight at the Bernabeu.
By Declan Whooley
The second-favourites face the rank outsiders at the Bernabeu tonight and there are more re-unions expected than from the 90s pop music industry.
The Turkish side battled gamely to get past the fancied Schalke in the last round and could pose more of a challenge than their 80/1 odds on winning the competition suggest.
Didier Drogba and former Madrid man Wesley Sneijder will come up against the boss they hold in such esteem, Hamit Altintop is a key man in midfield and Felipe Melo has had a fine campaign so far.
Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head with Burak Yilmaz tonight as both players look towards the Golden Boot, and with the Spanish side at home in the first-leg, just keeping the tie alive will be considered a success.
While the team is dotted with big names, other former Premier League players such as Emmanuel Eboue and Albert Riera are unlikely to have the opposition quaking in their boots.
Celebrating after knocking out Schalke. Can they do the same to Madrid?
Jose Mourinho would dearly love to bow out with a bit of history and win the cup with his third different side, though for the home supporters it would be bitter-sweet. His decision not to include the fit-again Iker Casillas in the squad has been controversial to say the least.
Gonzalo Higuain looks likely to take the lone striking position and with the potential firepower behind him – despite Mourinho’s claims they are not scoring enough – it is difficult to see anything less than at least a two goal victory for the Madridistas.
In the other tie tonight, Borussia Dortmund are heavily favoured to get past Spanish surprise package Malaga and book their place in the semi-final, and their form so far would suggest it should be pretty straightforward affair.
Pitted in the so-called ‘Group of Death’ with Man City, Real Madrid and Ajax, not only were they undefeated, but only for last-minute equalisers at the Bernabeu and the Etihad they would have had a clean sweep.
They were ruthless last time out against Shakhtar and with Mario Gotze, Marco Reus and Jakub Blaszczykowski a huge threat behind Robert Lewandowski, they look particularly potent up front.
If they are looking for an omen, the last, and indeed only time Dortmund won on Spanish soil, it was the season they lifted the trophy back in 1997.
Malaga’s Spanish superstar Isco
Manuel Pellegrini is the mastermind behind Malaga’s run to the quarter-finals and this is not unchartered territory for the boss, after guiding Villareal to the semi-finals in 2006 before losing to Arsenal at the penultimate stage.
A 3-1 win away to Rayo Vallecano at the weekend was a good confidence booster, and they will look to Julio Baptista, Pedro Morales, Roque Santa Cruz and in particular the outstanding Isco to threaten the Dortmund rearguard.
It should make for a fascinating night at the Rosaleda.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
