TEAM NEWS: Higuain starts as Pepe returns for Real Madrid in Supercopa showdown

New father returns from concussion as Blancos look to overturn 3-2 first-leg deficit, while Argentine striker is preferred upfront to Karim Benzema

Real Madrid welcomes back central defender Pepe for tonight’s Supercopa second-leg match with Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu.

The Portuguese, whose wife gave birth to a daughter this week, returns from a concussion that has kept him out of the last two games, including last week’s first-leg victory for the Blaugrana at Camp Nou.

Elsewhere, Gonzalo Higuain retains his place in attack ahead of Karim Benzema, and Sami Khedira comes into the midfield at the expense of Lassana Diarra. New signing Luka Modric is on the bench, and could make his Madrid debut.

Barcelona midfielder Alex Song, who is yet to make his Blaugrana debut, is once again among the subs.

After fracturing a cheekbone in the weekend’s victory over Osasuna, Carles Puyol is replaced at center back by Javier Mascherano. Pedro, who scored the first of Barcelona’s goals last week, returns to the attack in place of Cristian Tello.

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Arbeloa, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo; Khedira, Alonso; Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo; Higuain.

Bench: Adán, Benzema, Albiol, Modrić, Callejón, Lass, Nacho

Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Alba, Pique, Mascherano, Adriano; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Alexis

Bench: Pinto, Bartra, Montoya, Song, Tello, Fabregas, Villa