Preview: Real Madrid vs Malaga

Manuel Pellegrini returns tonight to the Bernabeu Stadium. It will be the first time that the Chilean coach will face his former team. Jesualdo Ferreira was the coach of Málaga in the first round match, in which Madrid won at the "Rosaleda" (1-4). Malaga is in the relegation zone and two points from safety, but it takes four games without defeat (three draws and one win).

Pellegrini has evaded all the questions had been asked him about his former team, but recently told to the newspaper Olé some of his most intimate thoughts: "At Real Madrid, the coach is little heard. For me it's gone. Luckily , we make the best League campaign in the history of Real Madrid. The results we had, should have been allowed me to continue the work". After defeating Almeria (Monday, in the Rosaleda Stadium) Pellegrini admitted the special tingle that produces him this encounter: "I hope they give me a good reception, was a busy year".

Malaga has signed six players during the winter so they do not lack anything in their quest to avoid the relegation: Asenjo, who was injured seriously, Caballero (800,000 euros), Demichelis (will cost three million euros if the team does not down), Baptista (2.5 million cash paid to Rome), Camacho (1.5 million to Atletico) and Maresca (free).

At Real Madrid, Pepe is out for the match. The Portuguese central missed training yesterday due to a bout of flu and he does not recover completely. Mourinho pondered allow him to rest, thinking about the next match against Santander on Sunday.

Thus, the replacement of Portuguese as Carvalho companion would be Sergio Ramos, who played at right back in Lyon and Riazor and would return to the center position; Mourinho thinks that Ramos is better player there. With this change of Ramos to the center defense, the right side defense position would be for Arbeloa. Pepe, however, yesterday received the good news that the Competition Committee considered the submissions of Madrid and took away the yellow card of the last match in Riazor. Moreover, Ezequiel Garay, who retired from the trainig on Tuesday, has undergone medical tests to determine the extent of his muscle aches. Tests have revealed that Argentina player suffers stiffness in the right adductor muscle, so he has not been cited

The other three news that Mourinho is considering are: Adebayor, Granero and Di Maria.The first will be the new owner of the striker position (Benzema Out) and the coach may opt for the "Pirate" Granero and the Argentine midfielder instead of Lass and Kaka.