Venue: La Rosaleda Stadium Date: Wednesday, 3rd March K/o: 19:45
Team News
Malaga have no fresh injury concerns ahead of tonight's Champions League quarter-final clash with Borussia Dortmund. Manuel Pellegrini will however continue to be without left back Eliseu, with January loan signing Vitorino Antunes set to deputise. Former Barcelona forward Javier Saviola is expected to get the nod over Roque Santa Cruz as the lone striker. Borussia Dortmund are expected to be without centre-back Mats Hummels, with Felipe Santana set to partner Neven Subotic at the heart of defence once again. Marcel Schmelzer is expected to play on despite breaking his nose at the weekend, while Ilkay Gundogan and Sven Bender are expected to line up in centre midfield.
Match Preview
Despite Malaga's financial turmoil at the start of the season that forced the Spaniard's into selling star players Santi Cazorla, Jose Salomon Rondon and most recently Nacho Monreal, Manuel Pellegrini's outfit managed to top their group above the likes of AC Milan and now sensationally find themselves in the last eight of Europe's biggest competition. They even beat 2004's winners Porto en-route to the quarter finals and have avoided the likes of La Liga rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid. They will fancy their chances in progressing to a historic semi-final too - they are unbeaten at home in Europe this season and in striker Roque Santa Cruz - on loan from City - and defender Martin Demichelis, have two players who are very familiar with Dortmund from their respective stints with fierce rivals Bayern Munich. Dortmond have virtually waived goodbye to their Bundesliga crown this season with Munich now an imperious 20 points clear at the summit, but Jurgen Klopp's side have been absolutely fantastic in Europe this season. Robert Lewandowski has lit up the Champions League with his 5 goals in 8 appearances and helped fire the Germans through as group winners in the so called "Group of Death" containing the likes of Real Madrid, Man City and Ajax - all reining champions of their respective divisions. They also blitzed much-fancied Shakhtar Donetsk in the previous round, advancing 5-2 on aggregate, emphatically laying down a marker to their competition this season as one of Europe's darkest horses.
Likely Line-Ups
Malaga Caballero, Gamez, Demichelis, Weligton, Antunes, Toulalan, Iturra, Joaquin, Baptista, Isco, Saviola
Borussia Dortmund Weidenfeller, Piszczek, Subotic, Santana, Schmelzer, Gundogan, Bender, Blaszczykowski, Gotze, Reus, Lewandowski Source:
International Business Times