With last week’s games already in the bag, tonight’s action sees one game where everything’s to play for and Madrid heading away with a firm grip on the tie.
By Adrian Collins
Last week, these games were based in Spain and produced some fantastic goals, as well as a couple of truly terrible misses, the main culprits being Borussia Dortmund on that front who should really have left Malaga with a healthy advantage.
However, that particular tie now hangs nicely in the balance as the Spanish team travel to the Westafelnstadion to take on the reigning German champions.
Dormtund’s crown, however, is most certainly slipping, as they’re a full 20 points behind in the league and rivals Bayern Munich look like they’ll be awarded the title with six games to spare.
Speaking of slipping, one slip up from Dortmund could cost them extremely dearly in this game, as they failed to get an away goal in La Rosaleda.
Malaga, despite being very long odds to pull anything off here and clear second favourites for this game, still have magic in the boots of wunderkind Francisco Roman Alarcon Suarez (Isco to you and us). At just 20 years of age, he’s proven himself at this level, and may not be long for the Andalusian club should they be out of Europe next year.
Malaga also have a point to prove regarding their impending appeal over their European ban, which should see them desperate to stay in the competition as long as possible both for financial gain as well as to show that they deserve a place at the highest table.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini is also returning from Chile, where he attended his father’s funeral earlier this week, and there is no doubting that the dressing room will be charged with an emotional impetus that may well spur on the Spanish side.
Dortmund however, remain clear favourites. Their attacks at pace last week tore apart what is not a terrible Malaga defence, but they will once again struggle to keep the front line of Drotmund at bay throughout the 90 minutes.
Willy Caballero put in a great performance last week to keep Malaga in the tie, but it would be folly to think that players of the quality of Lewandowski, Reus, Blaszczykowski and Gotze would miss the type of clear opportunities they were given in the last leg again.
Hummels also returns to the line up having missed the last game, which adds to their defensive prowess too, as well as giving an extra threat from set pieces.
Still, while on paper anything but a Dortmund win looks unlikely, nothing comes easy at this stage of the competition, and one goal can prove their undoing.
Another Spanish side have to travel away tonight, namely Real Madrid, who take a hefty advantage to the Istanbul to face Galatasaray.
The Turkish side flattered to deceive in the last leg, and will be itching to show that the scoreline did not reflect the game.
One thing to keep in mind is the absence of Xabi Alonso, who picked up an “intelligent” yellow card so he could serve out his suspension before the semi-finals.
He is more vital than perhaps many would like to admit to this Real side, and his absence will limit their style of play as well as reduce the number of chances that they are able to create in front of goal.
The Turkish side will be hoping for a much improved performance from their big money signings, in particular Wesley Sneijder who only played one half last week. While Galatasaray said he had worked hard and was taken off due to tiredness, that level of performance is totally unacceptable from a player who thinks he merits the absurd wage he earns in Turkey, but these are the chances you take when you sign someone who sat on the couch for six months.
If he has any hope of ever returning to the major European leagues after his spell in Turkey, Sneijder will have to put in a performance that reflects the ability he once showed, but it’s more than likely that ship has passed him by, and his career is well and truly on the downward slop of a very steep hill.
This should be an easy game for Madrid, but an early goal could unsettle the team, and without both Alonso and stand-in captain Sergio Ramos, it will be interesting to see how the defence deals with Drogba should he get the smell of blood from an unsettled Madrid back line.
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