Champions League

Preview: APOEL vs. Real Madrid

By Liam Apicella, Features EditorPublished: 26 March 2012 4:46 PM

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho will pit his unbeaten quarter-final Champions League record on the line against APOEL tomorrow night. Here, Sports Mole examines the manager's chances of keeping his record intact.

APOEL face Real Madrid tomorrow evening having made history by becoming the first Cypriot team to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

If they are to go even further, they will have do so without suspended attacker Gustavo Manduca.

However, former Chelsea midfielder Nuno Morais is expected to be passed fit to take his place in the starting lineup.

Xabi Alonso has been ruled out for visiting Madrid as he serves a one-match ban, while Pepe and Mesut Ozil return from a domestic suspension.

Real coach Jose Mourinho has never lost a quarter-final in the Champions League throughout his management career.

Current form:

APOEL: DWDLLW
R Madrid: WWWDDW

Possible lineups:

APOEL: Chiotis; Poursaitidis, Jorge, Oliveira, Boaventura; Morais, Marcinho; Charalambidis, Trickovski, Solari; Ailton

R Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Khedira, Granero; Ozil, Kaka, Ronaldo; Benzema

Sports Mole says: 0-2