adminThe match kicks-off at 8:45pm.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini and his players have propelled the Costa del Sol club to unprecedented success despite uncertainty over the commitment of their Qatari owner and cash-flow problems that prompted a ban from Uefa competition from next season. Chilean Pellegrini has moulded a squad of experienced campaigners including Joaquin, Martin Demichelis, Jeremy Toulalan and Roque Santa Cruz into a highly efficient outfit, with promising youngsters like Isco providing a creative spark.
After beating seven-time European champions Milan 1-0 at the Rosaleda Stadium on the way to topping Group C, Malaga dispatched 2004 winners Porto 2-0 in the last round on a festive night for local fans including Hollywood actor Antonio Banderas.
They are brimming with confidence ahead of the first leg with Dortmund – who won the Champions League in 1997 – according to former Spain winger Joaquin.
“If we are here it is because we have proved we are a great team,” the 31-year-old told a news conference on Monday.
“This is the time when the great teams express themselves and we have not said the last word here at the Rosaleda,” he added.
“We need to be an aggressive team, playing the way we know and taking the initiative.”
Probable teams
Malaga: 13-Willy Caballero; 2-Jesus Gamez, 3-Weligton, 5-Martin Demichelis, 25-Antunes; 8-Jeremy Toulalan, 16-Manuel Iturra; 7-Joaquin, 10-Julio Baptista, 22-Isco; 24-Roque Santa Cruz
Borussia Dortmund: 1-Roman Weidenfeller; 26-Lukasz Piszczek, 4-Neven Subotic, 27-Felipe Santana, 29-Marcel Schmelzer; 6-Sven Bender, 8-Ilkay Guendogan; 16-Jakub Blaszczykowski, 10-Mario Goetze, 11-Marco Reus; 9-Robert Lewandowski
Referee: Jonas Eriksson (Sweden) — Soccernet.
Online Reporter