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Played
September 18, 2012 7:45 PM BST
Estadio La Rosaleda — Málaga
Referee:‬ M. Clattenburg‎
Attendance:‬ 23670‎
 
3′ Isco
 
13′ Javier Saviola
 
76′ Isco
 

Malaga - Zenit Preview: Spanish club prepare for group stage debut

The Boquerones return to continental competition for the first time since 2003 against the reigning Russian champions, who will hope to improve on last year's last-16 exit

By Daniel Edwards

More On :  Malaga, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Malaga vs Zenit Saint Petersburg
  PROBABLE LINEUPS


MALAGA

Caballero
Sanchez, Demichelis, Weligton, Monreal
Camacho
Joaquin, Isco, Portillo, Eliseu
Saviola
ZENIT

Malafyev
Anyukov, Alves, Lombaerts, Yanbaev
Zyryanov, Denisov, Shirokov
Faizulin, Kerzhakov, Hulk

Having led his team to an impressive 3-1 victory over Levante at the weekend, Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini must decide whether to stick with the same players who have delivered 10 points in the opening four rounds of La Liga or rest weary legs. Argentine striker Javier Saviola netted for his new club on Saturday, and will vie with Roque Santa Cruz for a place in the starting line-up.

Brazil international Hulk appeared in the second half of Zenit's 2-0 capitulation at home to Terek, and the powerful forward will be hopeful of gaining the nod to start in attack as the Russians attempt to start their Champions League campaign on a positive note.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Malaga are making their first ever appearance in the Champions League group stages. The Andalusian club earned their passage with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Panathinaikos.
  • The club's last taste of European football came in 2002-03, with a run to the Uefa Cup quarter-finals that ended with defeat to Boavista.
  • If Javier Saviola makes an appearance on Tuesday he will have achieved the distinction of playing in the Champions League with five different clubs, having previously done so with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Monaco and Benfica.
  • Zenit currently lie top of the Russian Premier League, having won five of their seven games to date with just one reverse, to Terek.
  • The club lifted the Premier title in 2011-12 for the fourth success in their history; three of those having come after the takeover by energy giant Gazprom.
  • New Zenit idol Hulk (pictured) completed a €40 million move from Porto at the start of September. The Brazilian netted four goals in six Champions League appearances during 2011-12, as the Dragao side exited at the group stage.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Malaga 1-2 Zenit Saint Petersburg
    15.8 %
  • Malaga 2-0 Zenit Saint Petersburg
    12.77 %
  • Malaga 1-1 Zenit Saint Petersburg
    11.47 %
Head to Head
UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ Nov 21, 2012 Zenit Saint Petersburg 2 - Malaga 2
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ Sep 18, 2012 Malaga 3 - Zenit Saint Petersburg 0
  • Player Ratings
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Last Five Matches
Malaga
Jun 1, 2013FC Barcelona 4 - Malaga 1LIGA
May 26, 2013Malaga 3 - Deportivo 1LIGA
May 12, 2013Malaga 0 - Sevilla 0LIGA
May 8, 2013Real Madrid CF 6 - Malaga 2LIGA
May 4, 2013Granada 1 - Malaga 0LIGA
Zenit Saint Petersburg
May 26, 2013Amkar 0 - Zenit Saint Petersburg 0RUS1
May 19, 2013Zenit Saint Petersburg 3 - Volga Nizhny Novgorod 1RUS1
May 12, 2013Rostov 1 - Zenit Saint Petersburg 1RUS1
May 4, 2013Zenit Saint Petersburg 4 - Alania Vladikavkaz 0RUS1
Apr 28, 2013Kuban 2 - Zenit Saint Petersburg 2RUS1
Odds
Returns: Malaga £22.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £210.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Zenit £670.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
13Willy CaballeroGoalkeeper
2Jesús GámezDefender
5Martín DemichelisDefender
17MonrealDefender
3WeligtonDefender
18EliseuMidfielder
6CamachoMidfielder
22IscoMidfielder
7JoaquínMidfielder
27PortilloMidfielder
-Javier SaviolaStriker
1Carlos KameniGoalkeeper
21Sergio SánchezDefender
-Diego BuonanotteMidfielder
17DudaMidfielder
-Manuel IturraMidfielder
26JuanmiStriker
9Roque Santa CruzStriker
16Vyacheslav MalafeevGoalkeeper
2Alexander AnyukovDefender
24Aleksandar LukovicDefender
-Bruno AlvesDefender
6Nicolas LombaertsDefender
27Igor DenisovMidfielder
18Konstantin ZyryanovMidfielder
15Roman ShirokovDefender
20Viktor FaizulinMidfielder
11Aleksandr KerzhakovStriker
29HulkStriker
30Yuri ZhevnovGoalkeeper
50Igor CheminavaDefender
-Michael LumbDefender
34Vladimir BystrovMidfielder
9Alexander BukharovStriker
77Luka ĐorđevićStriker
99Maxim KanunnikovStriker
Players to Watch
Javier Saviola
Javier Saviola
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 0
Games Goals YC RC
6 1 1 0
The 30-year-old striker still has the goalscoring touch, as well as ample experience in the Champions League. His goals could prove vital to Malaga's attempts to make the last-16.
Hulk
Hulk
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 29
Games Goals YC RC
5 1 2 0
Signing the imposing forward was a major coup for Zenit, who fought off strong competition from Chelsea for the ex-Porto man's signature. Accomplished in front of the net, Hulk's power and intelligence also make him an invaluable team player going forward.
Prediction
Malaga will have to be at their best to beat a strong Zenit side bolstered by summer transfer activity; but with a solid performance, they should have enough to take something from their Champions League bow.
Editor's Prediction
Malaga 1
Zenit 1
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		12 0
Robert Lewandowski Robert Lewandowski
Striker
Dortmund 		10 1
Thomas Müller Thomas Müller
Striker
Bayern 		8 1
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		8 0
Burak Yılmaz Burak Yılmaz
Striker
Galatasaray 		8 0

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