Iker Casillas named in Real Madrid squad to face Manchester United

Real Madrid's goalkeeper and captain, Iker Casillas may make his first appearance since January in the Champions League match against Manchester United on Tuesday. Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Real Madrid's captain, Iker Casillas, has been named in the Spanish club's squad for Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 meeting withManchester United at Old Trafford.

Casillas has not played for José Mourinho's side since fracturing his left hand in their 5-0 win over Valencia in January and returned to training only on Thursday.

Despite beating Barcelona 2-1 on Saturday, Los Blancos are 13 points behind the league leaders, meaning their main focus will be winning the Champions League.

Real and United drew 1-1 at the Bernabéu in the first leg after Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled out Danny Welbeck's strike.

Despite the fact the English side have an away goal, the Brazilian midfielder Kaka is confident they will reach the quarter-finals. "Every player wants to play a match like this," he told Real Madrid's official website.

"We came off the first leg in the Bernabéu with the feeling that we could have won the game and that we can equalise the draw in England and win.

"Manchester is really strong but we're going to Old Trafford with confidence. It's a traditionally European squad that always goes far in the competitions they play in. They also have really sold individual players like [Wayne] Rooney and [Robin] van Persie.

"The stadium is fantastic, just like the ambience and the fans."