What: Champions League Quarter-final (first leg)
Who: Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund
When: Wednesday 3rd April, 2013, at 19:45 UK Time
Where: La Rosaleda, Malaga, Spain
Malaga Look To Continue Remarkable Debut Campaign
This has been a memorable debut campaign in Europe’s premier club competition for the cash strapped Andalucian outfit. Malaga were one of the revelations of the group phase, winning a group that included AC Milan and Zenit St. Petersburg, before overcoming an experienced and accomplished FC Porto team to reach this stage despite losing the first leg 1-0 away from home.
Their path to the last eight is similar to the way in which coach Mauricio Pellegrino guided Villarreal to the same stage back in 2006. Villarreal went to the semi-finals that year, a record for a tournament debutant. Like Villarreal, this Malaga side is focused on retaining possession with a slow, methodical build-up and resolute defence. And in playmaker Isco, they have a wonderfully talented young talent who may be setting off for pastures new this summer.
Malaga come into this tie having won an important La Liga game against Rayo Vallecano 3-1. That lifted them up to fourth in the league and in pole position to play in this competition again next year. But as it stands they will not be in the Champions League, or Europa League either, next season because of UEFA’s decision to ban them from their competitions for unpaid bills. Therefore they will bid to keep this season’s dream alive against this spritely Dortmund side. But Malaga’s 2013 has been slow so far. They have won just six out of 17 games since the turn of the year and lost Nacho Monreal and Diego Buonanotte in the January transfer window. Can Europe inspire a revival for Malaga?
Borussia Dortmund Look For European Glory
Victory at Stuttgart this weekend ensured that Bayern Munich’s champagne will remain on ice for a week, as Borussia Dortmund did their best to delay an inevitable victory parade. But having been knocked out of the German Cup by their domestic foes, Europe represents their last chance of lifting a trophy this season. And Dortmund’s performances so far, winning a group including Real Madrid and knocking out Shakhtar Donetsk convincingly, show that Jurgen Klopp’s side are genuine contenders to repeat their 1997 Champions League triumph.
Dortmund and Italian champions Juventus are the only unbeaten teams left in this season’s competition and will see this as a fantastic chance to reach the last four. They will be particularly keen to make their mark this year given that there is a threat that the team could break up this summer. With Robert Lewandowski set to leave, Mario Gotze hinting that he could see his future elsewhere and continual speculation that Mats Hummels could join Barcelona, this wonderfully built team could be coming to a premature end.
They surely have something special still to give in this competition though and Dortmund will hope that the wantaway stars may look to Nuri Sahin for inspiration. The Turkish international has hit the ground running since returning from Liverpool in January and is proof that the grass is not always greener elsewhere. The best way to convince their best performers to stay put will be a convincing showing in Europe.
Recent form
Malaga:
Malaga 2-0 Porto (13/02; Champions League)
Malaga 0-2 Espanyol (17/03; Bundesliga)
Rayo Vallecano 1-3 Malaga (30/03; Bundesliga)
Borussia Dortmund:
Schalke 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (09/03; Bundesliga)
Borussia Dortmund 5-1 Freiburg (16/03; Bundesliga)
Stuttgart 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (30/03; Bundesliga)
Key absences
Malaga: Eliseu
Borussia Dortmund: Mats Hummels; Sebastian Kehl
Players to watch
Malaga – Isco: With three goals to his name this season in the Champions League, Isco is Malaga’s joint-top scorer in the competition along with Eliseu. Yet with Eliseu out, more pressure will be on Isco’s shoulders to continue Malaga’s dream debut campaign in the Champions League. It was the youngster who drew Malaga level in the tie against Porto. Just another technically gifted playmaking midfielder in this Spanish generation, Isco is being linked with some of Europe’s top clubs and another big performance will only enhance his reputation further.
Borussia Dortmund – Robert Lewandowski: The Pole is almost certain to leave this summer, but he is doing everything he can to depart on a high. Lewandowski has scored in nine successive Bundesliga games for Dortmund, a club record. In fact, he has 13 goals in his last 13 games for the Ruhr giants. The energetic and technically accomplished forward links up brilliantly with Gotze and Marco Reus and he will be crucial to pressing Malaga and hurrying them early on, and possibly taking a chance or two.
Match Prediction
This game could depend on which team can influence the pace of proceedings better. Malaga will hope to keep the match slower and more patient, while Dortmund love to play fast passing football at breakneck speed. They can harry and harass this Malaga team.
Although they play some lovely football, Malaga have the lowest pass completion rate of any of the quarter-finalists. They have also had fewer shots than any of the teams in the last eight, indicating that they may have problems against the energy of Klopp’s side.
With Hummels out, this Dortmund defence can be got at, and the pace and width offered by Joaquin and Duda may be the best way for Malaga to punish the Germans, who can be susceptible on the flanks. Javier Saviola’s pace could also be a useful tool, but it is hard to imagine Malaga containing Reus, Gotze, Sahin and Ilkay Gundogan for 90 minutes. Malaga 1-3 Borussia Dortmund.
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