Heynckes warns Bayern: Don't believe the hype

A 3-1 away win has left the runaway Bundesliga leaders on the verge of a UEFA Champions League quarter-final place, but Heynckes is taking nothing for granted. He highlighted last season's round of 16 as cause for concern, when Arsenal came within a whisker of wiping out AC Milan's 4-0 first-leg advantage. "Arsène Wenger," he warned, "is always full of ideas."
While acknowledging the size of his team's task, Wenger hopes the Gunners can "surprise everybody" by overturning their deficit.
Bayern
Jupp Heynckes, coach
We had a very good day against Arsenal [in the first leg]: the first half was excellent, the second quite good. But Arsenal are still Arsenal. For many years they have played great football. I remember [last season] Arsenal lost the first leg 4-0 to Milan but then won 3-0 at home, nearly scoring a fourth goal.
Arsène Wenger is always full of ideas; it is always difficult and dangerous against his teams. We have to remain vigilant, even if we won the first game 3-1. Success came to Arsenal when Arsène Wenger arrived. For many years they played the best football in England, if not always the most successful. But you can see how many top-class players Arsenal have sold over the last few years.
Our recent games in the Bundesliga were not easy. Importantly we showed against Düsseldorf that we can always react and fight back. It showed how strong our bench is and what they can do if called upon. Our signings this season were very good, both on the field and off it. Guys like Dante, [Xherdan] Shaqiri and [Mario] Mandžukić have fitted right in.
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We are not paying attention to the hype around us. People are saying we are the best team in Europe; that does not affect us. There are so many strong teams in Europe and to reach the final you always need a little luck. So my team remains calm and down to earth. We have a long way to go.
Weekend result
Saturday: Bayern 3-2 Fortuna Düsseldorf (Müller 45, Ribéry 74, Boateng 86; Bolly 16, Lambertz 71)
Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Van Buyten, Alaba; Luiz Gustavo, Schweinsteiger; Müller (Pizarro 72), Kroos (Shaqiri 68), Ribéry; Mandžukić (Gomez 61).
• Jérôme Boateng scored his first Bundesliga goal in his 130th German top-flight match as Bayern came from behind twice to win. With Borussia Dortmund and Bayer 04 Leverkusen both losing, Heynckes' side are now 20 points clear at the summit. Bayern have won eight in a row in the Bundesliga in 2013, the best ever start to a calendar year in Germany's elite division.
Team news
Boateng and Bastian Schweinsteiger are suspended, Franck Ribéry is sidelined with a sprained ankle, but Arjen Robben is set to return after sitting out Saturday's game with a calf problem.
Arsenal
Arsène Wenger, manager
It is a big blow that Wilshere will miss the next three to four weeks. It is a difficult task [overturning a 3-1 deficit], but we know it is not impossible. The only way to succeed is to play as well as we can. We will give our best and football is football – anything is possible. We need a good mixture of determination and discipline.
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We have a lot of experience and we've won everywhere in Europe before, so we have the right to still believe in ourselves and show our qualities. I hope we will surprise everybody. Yes, we have some injured players, but we still have many good players and there is no team without weaknesses. Of course, I won't tell you Bayern's, but every side has its weaknesses. It will be a test tomorrow, a test of our mental qualities.
Bayern are dominant and confident. They are mentally very strong and don't have any doubts about themselves. Maybe that is the difference between them and us. I believe in my players. I have a lot of respect for my team and their attitude. We have not been rewarded for that, perhaps this will happen tomorrow.
Weekend result
No game
• The Gunners were not in action as scheduled opponents Everton FC were on FA Cup duty. Arsenal's own ambitions ended with a 1-0 loss to second-tier Blackburn Rovers FC on 16 February in the last 16 – suffering FA Cup elimination by lower-league opposition for the first time under Wenger. It was their first FA Cup defeat at home in 35 matches.
Team news
Wenger confirmed that Wilshere will not be available because of an ankle injury sustained last week. Kieran Gibbs has not featured since suffering a thigh strain on 30 January.
Match fact
• Bayern's only reverse on home soil against English visitors came in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup second round when Norwich City FC won 2-1. Excluding last season's final, their last four home UEFA Champions League games against teams from England have ended in victory.
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Roura calls for Barcelona composure

Milan hectored and harried the Catalan club into submission last month with second-half strikes from Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari giving them a healthy lead to defend in this UEFA Champions League last-16 decider at the Camp Nou. Roura's exhaustive assessment of the Italian side exposes the possibility of a frustrating night for the hosts, while words such as "serenity" and "confidence" emanated from his opposite number Massimiliano Allegri, who admitted "when you face Barcelona you're never calm".



Barcelona
Jordi Roura, assistant coach
The perfect match will be the one that ends well and takes us to the quarter-finals. We have to find the right balance between intensity, strength and haste. This match will last 90 minutes so we have to keep our heads and keep our cool, not lose control of the match.
We have all seen lots of games similar to this situation but every match has its own peculiarities. In the end we have to focus on how we play, but perhaps we have analysed the first leg against Milan more than any other match. Tomorrow is very important, not just for me, but for the club, the fans and the team as a whole.








Milan didn't surprise me. I know that playing away to Milan is always tough. I don't know how they'll play [tomorrow] but I imagine they will sit back on their 2-0 lead. We had a long week to work [after the first leg] and the team have responded well.
Tito Vilanova, as always, is living every game with a lot of intensity. He is having treatment but he's full of energy and watching our every move. We have analysed everything together in the same way we would [with Tito in charge]. It's not the same, but we're using all the technology available to be in constant touch [with him].
Evidently, conceding goals in the Champions League is always a problem. Tomorrow we don't want to concede. When you end up losing a match by 2-0 it means you didn't play very well and the opponent did. Milan are Milan, a great club and a tough rival. The match there was very hard for us but this is our opportunity to turn things around.
Weekend resultSaturday: Barcelona 2-0 RC Deportivo La Coruña (Sánchez 38, Messi 88)
Pinto; Alves, Mascherano, Puyol, Adriano; Song; Thiago Alcántara (Iniesta 67), Fàbregas (Busquets 75); Sánchez, Villa (Messi 62), Tello.
• Lionel Messi scored for the 17th consecutive Liga game – the previous record had been ten – as leaders Barcelona returned to winning ways after back-to-back defeats by Real Madrid CF. It was also Barça's first clean sheet in 14 games in all competitions. José Manuel Pinto made his first league appearance of the campaign as Víctor Valdés began a four-match Liga ban.
Team news
Xavi Hernández has been nursing a right hamstring injury since the first leg and remains a doubt.
Milan
Massimiliano Allegri, coach
Everyone knows how important the match is tomorrow. However, the process of building a team that started in August will not stop if we lose to the greatest team in the world. This team has young players with no international experience, so we need confidence and serenity tomorrow. Barcelona always force their opponents to play the same way because of their ball possession. If we can keep Barcelona away from our box, then we have a better chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
I expect Barcelona to put us under a lot of pressure from the word go. They are very capable of turning the tie around. They create lots of chances to score, so you have to be good on the ball and determined when you are defending. We may have few chances to score but they are likely to leave gaps in their defence. When you face Barcelona you're never calm.
I think they will try and score an early goal, but we have to keep calm. I am lucky because I joined Milan and was able to manage great players, and this season I am just as enthusiastic managing a completely new team. I have to be patient to help them grow as players because they're young. Going through difficult times is part of the process. I am happy to be here and take charge of such an important match.
Tomorrow we have to play without pressure, especially when you compare Barcelona's experience in the Champions League to ours. Nonetheless, I trust my team and anything can happen in football. I expect them to play well and if we're lucky enough, we will qualify for the next round.
Weekend result
Friday: Genoa CFC 0-2 Milan (Pazzini 22, Balotelli 60)
Abbiati; De Sciglio, Zapata, Mexès (Yepes 46), Constant; Flamini, Montolivo, Muntari; Niang, Pazzini (Balotelli 25), El Shaarawy (Abate 68).
• Milan's three points were hard earned, with Giampaolo Pazzini scoring the stunning opener – his ninth goal in 11 games – despite struggling with an ankle injury that forced him off immediately after. The hosts' Cesare Bovo hit a post before Pazzini's replacement Mario Balotelli doubled the lead on the hour. Milan, third in Serie A, played the last 25 minutes with ten men after Kévin Constant was sent off.
Team news
Pazzini (fibula) did not travel to Barcelona and Philippe Mexès (thigh) is rated as doubtful. Luca Antonini played 90 minutes for the youth side at the weekend and could feature for the first time since twisting his right knee on 14 February. Nigel de Jong is out for the season after damaging his left Achilles tendon in December.
Match fact
• The fixture marks a homecoming for Bojan Krkić, a graduate of Barcelona's La Masia academy, who played in their first team from 2007 to 2011, making 104 Liga appearances and scoring 26 goals.
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First Leg Sixteen Round In UEFA

First Leg Round of Sixteen Club
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13/02/2013                                               
Celtic 0 - 3 Juventus
Celtic : -
Juventus : Matri 3' , Marchisio 77' , Vucinic 83'

Valencia 1 - 2 PSG 
Valencia : Rami 90'
PSG : Lavezzi 10' , Pastore 43'
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14/02/2013
Shaktar 2 - 2 Dortmund
Shaktar : Srna 31' , Douglas Costa 66'
Dortmund : Lewandowski 41' , Hummels 87'

Madrid 1 - 1 Manchester United
Madrid : Ronaldo 30'
Manchester United : Welbeck 20'
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20/02/2013
Arsenal 1 - 3 Munchen
Arsenal : Podolski 55'
Munchen : Kroos 7' , T. Muller 21' , Mandzukic 77'

Porto 1 - 0 Malaga
Porto : Joao Moutinho 56'
Malaga : -
========================================
21/02/2013
Galatasary 1 - 1 Schalke
Galatasary : Burak Yilmaz 12'
Schalke : Jones 45'

AC Milan 2 - 0 Barcelona  
AC Milan : K.P Boateng 57' , Muntari 81'
Barcelona : -

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Paris Saint-Germain FC 1-1 Valencia CF (agg: 3-2)

With a 2-1 first-leg advantage, the Ligue 1 pacesetters turned in a more cautious performance in front of their own fans, an approach that looked like backfiring when Jonas rifled the visitors into the lead shortly after the interval.



The subsequent introduction of Kevin Gameiro injected some much-needed impetus, however, the France forward playing a decisive role in Ezequiel Lavezzi's 66th-minute equaliser. The Argentinian international's fifth goal in his last four European outings calmed Parisian nerves and ensured PSG booked their place in the draw on 15 March.



Rather than picking Gameiro to replace the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimović from the start, Carlo Ancelotti bolstered his midfield by including Clément Chantôme alongside Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta. It was a decision designed partly to stifle Ernesto Valverde's side, who needed at least two goals, and it worked well during a muted first period.
Although two-time finalists Valencia camped in the opposition half for long periods, PSG were rarely troubled as returning skipper Thiago Silva marshalled the defence with assurance. On the few occasions the Spanish outfit conjured openings, their finishing let them down. Roberto Soldado had an initial chance on 15 minutes, latching onto a fine return pass from Jonas only to direct a tame shot at Salvatore Sirigu.
The Spain striker returned the favour after the half-hour, cutting back a clever ball that Jonas miscued wide. While the home team were struggling to find their attacking game, they continued to look organised, the otherwise untroubled Sirigu making his first awkward save from Jonas's long-range effort on the stroke of half-time.



The deployment of Éver Banega gave Valverde's men more options during the second period, and the coach's boldness was rewarded ten minutes in. Chantôme played Matuidi into trouble and when he was dispossessed by Tino Costa, Jonas pounced on the loose ball and hit a powerful shot past Sirigu with the aid of a slight deflection off Alex.
Ancelotti reacted, sending on Gameiro for Motta, and the competition debutant sparked an instant improvement. After charging through the heart of the Valencia defence, Gameiro stepped aside to allow Lavezzi to beat goalkeeper Vicente Guaita from close range, albeit at the second attempt. The goal prompted a huge outpouring of relief in the stadium, and Ancelotti's charges resisted Valencia's late pressure with a degree of comfort.
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Borussia Dortmund vs FC Shakhtar Donetsk (agg: 5-2)

First-half Felipe Santana and Mario Götze goals were followed up by Jakub Błaszczykowski as Dortmund got to the last eight for the first time since 1998.

 

Tied at 2-2 from the first leg, the reigning Bundesliga champions soon took control, Felipe Santana's bullet header giving them a lead that was swiftly doubled by Mario Götze's sweeping finish. Jakub Błaszczykowski rounded off a comprehensive victory in the second half with a third goal for Jürgen Klopp's adventurous side, who have no reason to fear anyone in the draw for the last eight.


Shakhtar needed to score yet were offered slim pickings by a sprightlier home team, who dominated possession early on. A huge roar went up as Marco Reus launched the game's first notable attack, searing down the right before overhitting his cross beyond the lurking Robert Lewandowski. The latter would get a sight of goal soon enough as Götze's threaded pass played him into the box, but visiting keeper Andriy Pyatov and Olexandr Kucher combined to deny the Pole.



The way Dortmund were knitting their passes together in midfield was impressive and there was no denying they deserved the opener when it arrived just past the half-hour mark, Santana powering an unstoppable header into the top corner from Götze's corner. Six minutes later provider turned scorer as Götze steered Lewandowski's low centre into the far corner to make it two.
Save for a misdirected cross by Fernandinho which required palming away by Roman Weidenfeller, Shakhtar were at a loss going in at the interval – though the Ukrainian title holders soon reminded everyone they were still in the contest after the restart. Half-time substitute Douglas Costa injected pace on the right, first sprinting from his own half only to run out of steam in the area, before driving narrowly wide after being picked out in space by Luiz Adriano.
Fernandinho was also foiled by Weidenfeller shortly afterwards, but despite Shakhtar's spirited revival the tie was settled beyond any doubt when Pyatov spilled İlkay Gündoğan's shot at the other end a minute before the hour, allowing Błaszczykowski a simple finish for Dortmund's third. Substitute Kevin Grosskreutz might have extended the winning margin but for a fine Pyatov save and Reus fired wide after a jinking run. Those misses, however, did little to detract from another impressive performance at Europe's top table from Klopp's precocious young team.
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Milan blow Barcelona

A splendid defensive display allied with second-half goals from Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari earned AC Milan a 2-0 win against FC Barcelona in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie.




Having faced the Azulgrana four times in the competition last season, Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri's inside knowledge paid off as his team prevented the visitors scoring for just the second time in any competition this term. Their resilience was rewarded with Boateng's 57th-minute opener, Muntari icing the cake late on to confirm a fourth defeat of the campaign for the Spanish Liga leaders.



Muntari was not so accurate with the first effort of the game, his 25-metre volley flashing well over Víctor Valdés's goal. At the other end, Lionel Messi dribbled past Philippe Mexès with delightful movement only for his left-footed shot to ricochet behind off Muntari.



Milan stayed patient in the face of Barcelona's sustained possession and only pressed hard when the Catalans reached dangerous territory. It was then that they attempted to counterattack, a tactic which nearly paid off on the quarter-hour when a lovely touch from Boateng sent Stephan El Shaarawy free down the left. Though the Italy forward cut into the box, a heavy touch combined with Carles Puyol's timely intervention spelt the end of the chance.
However, the subsequent corner, cleverly delivered low towards the near post by El Shaarawy, was turned towards goal by Boateng but slipped just wide. Barça reassumed control yet remained frustrated by a disciplined home defence, leaving El Shaarawy to go close to converting Boateng's inviting cross from the right.
It was, therefore, little surprise when Allegri's charges took the lead. Riccardo Montolivo received a free-kick from 30 metres out and though his shot struck Cristián Zapata on the edge of the area, the ball fell perfectly for Boateng. The Ghana midfielder beat Valdés with a precise left-footed effort to register his club's 400th European Cup goal.
Milan continued to stand strong at the back thereafter, prompting Andrés Iniesta to try his luck with a long-range drive which flew narrowly wide of Christian Abbiati's left-hand post. With nine minutes left, the hosts rubber-stamped their first victory against Barcelona in their last eight attempts. Substitute M'Baye Niang played in El Shaarawy, who in turn showed delightful poise to tee up Muntari, whose first-time volley left Valdés with no chance. Barcelona have work to do in the 12 March return.
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Bayern vs Madrid 07/03/2007 – Round of 16

Roy Makaay scored the fastest-ever goal in the UEFA Champions League as FC Bayern München overturned Real Madrid CF's 3-2 first-leg advantage to book a place in the quarter-finals.
Bayern had been slow starters in the 2006/07 competition, but here Makaay broke the deadlock after 10.12 seconds to leave Madrid reeling, a blow from which they never fully recovered. Lúcio doubled the lead in the second half and although Ruud van Nistelrooy made it 2-1 with a penalty after Mahamadou Diarra and Mark van Bommel had been dismissed, Bayern progressed on away goals.



From the kick-off the ball was played to Roberto Carlos but the Brazilian's touch was poor, allowing Hasan Salihamidžić to capitalise. The midfielder quickly threaded a square pass through to Makaay, who swept past Iker Casillas to leave Madrid shell-shocked.


The visitors sought to regroup but their tenacious midfield triumvirate of Diarra, Emerson and Fernando Gago struggled to find a balance and Bayern could have been three goals to the good by the half-hour mark. Lukas Podolski's weak effort was saved by Casillas, who had to work a little harder to repel Makaay after he was released by Van Bommel.
Bastian Schweinsteiger fired just wide from the resulting corner and Fabio Capello had seen enough, replacing Emerson with Guti, a player more comfortable in possession. The Merengues finished the half on the offensive with Guti, Raúl González and Van Nistelrooy all going close.


 The second half, though, almost started the same way as the first. Dropping into midfield, Podolski found Van Bommel with a perfectly-weighted pass and only a fine Casillas stop denied Bayern a second. At the other end Oliver Kahn was largely anonymous, and although he had to push one Van Nistelrooy header wide, it was Bayern who looked the more likely scorers.
The hosts duly added to their advantage midway through the period when Lúcio nodded in Willy Sagnol's corner. There was more drama as Diarra and Van Bommel were dismissed before Van Nistelrooy gave Madrid hope seven minutes from time, slotting in from the spot after Lúcio had tripped Robinho.
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Bayern vs Dortmund Dortmund – 18/03/1998 – Quarter-finals

"It was wonderful, the whole team felt so much emotion." Stéphane Chapuisat

The first UEFA Champions League tie between domestic rivals may have lacked goals and attacking quality, but there was no shortage of drama and tension.


Tackles flew in and the occasional chance went begging until, after 199 scoreless minutes, Stéphane Chapuisat finally broke through, dispatching a left-footed volley beyond Oliver Kahn's despairing dive. The Westfalenstadion erupted with unbridled relief and joy – even for Bayern, the comeback kings, there was no way back.


The result postponed the Bavarian giants' ambitions of reestablishing themselves at the top of the pile in Germany. Back-to-back Bundesliga titles had brought Dortmund to the fore, and although Bayern had managed to wrest the league crown back, the spotlight at the end of that 1996/97 campaign focused on Die Borussen's UEFA Champions League success.


To make matters worse Dortmund had claimed European club football's biggest prize by beating Juventus in Bayern's own backyard, at the Olympiastadion. So this was more than game, more than a tie to decide who would represent Germany in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals: it was a battle for domestic supremacy.
The first meeting in Munich ended goalless, with nothing to separate the sides as well-drilled defences held sway. Bayern, conducted by Lothar Matthäus and Mehmet Scholl, travelled to Dortmund for the return having lost three of their last four league games but it counted for little, the visitors having the better of a tight game from the off.
Had their finishing matched their approach play Giovanni Trapattoni's side would have long been out of sight. It was not, however, and Chapuisat – one of six survivors from the previous year's final – made them pay dearly when he finally escaped the watch of Markus Babbel.
Surprisingly lasting details of that famous night are hard to come by: there are few video clips, only sparse reports. Perhaps few in Germany – and Dortmund in particular – need reminding.
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Madrid vs Gala comeback – 03/04/2001 – Quarter-finals

Galatasaray AŞ completed an extraordinary comeback against Real Madrid CF on a memorable night in Istanbul, recovering from 2-0 down at half-time to bring the holders to heel in a thrilling quarter-final first-leg victory.


Goals by Iván Helguera and Claude Makelele had seemingly taken Vicente del Bosque's side, who had won their eighth European Cup the previous May, out of sight. But roared on by a passionate crowd the hosts stormed back through Ümit Davala, Hasan Şaş and Madrid's nemesis, Mário Jardel.
This was a vintage Galatasaray side. Inspired by Gheorghe Hagi and spearheaded by the prolific Jardel, they had beaten Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in August, the Brazilian striker scoring twice. The Spanish side's lineup, though, read like a who's who of world football, Raúl González, Luís Figo and Roberto Carlos just three of the glitterati on show for the visitors, who dominated the first half.


They almost took the lead on 28 minutes when Figo dragged a low shot narrowly wide but the first goal was not long in coming. Portugal captain Figo was the architect, curling over a precise free-kick which Helguera headed past Claudio Taffarel. Two minutes before half-time Roberto Carlos set up the second as his long throw to Raúl was touched on to Makelele and the France midfielder fired a rare goal in off the far post.
Unlike the Ali Sami Yen Stadium, the hosts were rocking – the local supporters would not be silenced for long. The second half was just two minutes old when Hasan Şaş was brought down by Makelele, enabling Ümit to send Iker Casillas the wrong way from the penalty spot. Then on 66 minutes it was all-square, Hasan Şaş connecting with a fine cutback from substitute Fatih Akyel following a strong run down the right.
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Málaga coach Manuel Pellegrini addresses on the media

Needing to inflict FC Porto's first defeat in three months in order to progress, Málaga CF must "be patient and not affected by nerves" according to Manuel Pellegrini.



Weekend result
Saturday: Real Valladolid CF 1-1 Málaga (Manucho 41; Demichelis 8)
Willy; Gámez, Demichelis, Lugano, Antunes; Lucas Piazón (Morales 77), Iturra, Camacho, Duda (Isco 69); Saviola (Seba 64), Santa Cruz.
• Isco and Joaquín were rested as the fourth-placed Boquerones were held to a Liga draw that leaves them with just four wins in 14 outings in 2013. Martín Demichelis's early header was the visitors' first goal in 350 minutes.
 
Eliseu spoke to UEFA.com before being ruled out
Team news
Eliseu has been out since 3 February with strained knee ligaments and is unavailable, but Júlio Baptista is "perfect to play" having recovered from a hamstring injury.
Porto
Vítor Pereira, coach
Our experience doesn't guarantee that we will win – what is really important is our quality and the way we play. I believe in our work, both individually and as a group. We know what we can do and that Málaga will want to score early. We don't play to defend a lead. We are competitive, while they are going to take risks. We like to play attacking football, we are ambitious, and we will play how we are used to playing. Málaga proved their quality in the Dragão. The difference is that they will start looking for a goal, but if we can score we will put them under pressure.
Weekend result
Friday: Porto 2-0 GD Estoril-Praia (Maicon 4, Martínez 14)
Helton; Danilo, Alex Sandro, Maicon, Otamendi; Fernando, Defour (Izmailov 73), Lucho (André Castro 56); Atsu, Jackson Martínez, James Rodríguez (Varela 56).
• Pereira's second-placed side extended their unbeaten run to 16 games thanks to Maicon's second Liga goal of the season and Jackson Martínez's 23rd in only 22 Liga appearances.
Team news
• João Moutinho (thigh) and Eliaquim Mangala (shoulder) have missed Porto's last two matches with injuries. Mangala has not played since the first leg as he was also suspended for the 2-1 top-flight victory over Rio Ave FC on 23 February.
Match fact
• Málaga have hosted Portuguese visitors once, beating Boavista FC 1-0 in the 2002/03 UEFA Cup quarter-finals only to lose away by the same scoreline and bow out on penalties in their only previous European campaign.
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