Malaga vs. Porto

David Ramos/Getty Images

 Malaga (AET)

Having restrained Portugal’s fiercest home attack to just the one goal when travelling to the Estadio Dragao in February, Malaga’s greatest priority will once again lie in defence when they welcome Porto to La Rosaleda.

Vitor Pereira’s side haven’t failed to score at home this season, but haven’t got quite the same record in unfamiliar territory, and the Andalusian tip of the Iberian Peninsula is certainly a long way from home.

Because they were unable to net an away goal of their own, Manuel Pellegrini’s men simply cannot afford to allow Porto the advantage of one themselves and will automatically be chasing the game if that were to happen.

Instead, the La Liga club must be clinical in their approach, probing their enemy carefully before making concise lunges at the right time.

Although Spain isn’t famed for its strong defences, Malaga have one of the best in the nation’s top flight, and with Jackson Martinez, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho attacking it, one can rest assured it will be tested against Porto.

However, Martin Demichelis, Jermey Toulalan and Vitorino Antunes already stood up to the challenge well once in the past month and are capable of doing so for a second time.

In truth, Pellegrini’s side are going through a rough patch, and it’s difficult to see any one team dominating matters, but after a tight 120 minutes, it’ll be March’s home outfit that emerges triumphant.