Make or break for Porto

Draw should be enough
A fourth straight win in the second group stage, just as they managed in the first group stage, is still not beyond the eight-time European champions, but they will be content in the knowledge that even a draw should be enough to see them through to the last eight.

Offensive game
As for Porto, they know that nothing less than victory will do if they are to maintain any hopes of progress and are planning a totally offensive game. They are yet to score a goal in the section and last weekend their club president, Pinto da Costa, conceded the Portuguese title after his team slipped to a 3-2 home defeat against SC Beira Mar.

Goalscoring records
Madrid have even taken the opportunity to bring along a promising teenage striker by the name of Javier Portillo, who has been breaking all Raúl's goalscoring records at junior levels. He may get his chance if in-form Fernando Morientes, who has an injured toe, fails a fitness test, while in goal César Sánchez is set to deputise for Iker Casillas.

Cup final looms
Vicente del Bosque, the Madrid coach, knows that his team have a fight on their hands domestically, if not yet in Europe, and is in the privileged position of being able to rest his leading players ahead of Saturday's Primera División trip to RC Celta de Vigo and the following Wednesday's Spanish Cup final at their own Santiago Bernabéu stadium. "Thinking about the cup final already would show a lack of respect," said Morientes. "In any case, the best way to prepare for that game will be to continue in the habit of winning."

Valencia top
The weekend before last Madrid suffered their seventh league defeat of the season against Athletic Club Bilbao, thereby allowing Valencia CF to overtake them at the top by a point. In fact, up until last Saturday's 3-1 defeat of Deportivo Alavés they had gone eight games without a win in domestic competition. Even in the Alavés triumph they had to come from behind to win.

Zidane blow
Raúl, who is not completely over his injury problems, came on to score the second goal before winning the penalty from which Fernando Hierro added a third. Del Bosque remarked afterwards how tired Roberto Carlos looked and has taken the chance to give the Brazilian a rest. Zidane took a blow to a kidney which, on top of his ankle problems, was enough reason to leave him out, too.

Cracking pace
Madrid have certainly been maintaining a cracking pace in the Champions League this season. With 20 goals from 70 attempts they have scored more goals than anyone in the competition and with just seven goals conceded they also have one of the best defensive records.

Goal drought
Porto, on the other hand, have been stuck on 299 total Champions League goals since Pena scored the winner against Rosenborg BK last November, or 323 minutes of football action ago. They deserved better than to lose to a late goal from substitute Santiago Solari a week ago in the reverse fixture in the Spanish capital. It was José Mourinho's first defeat as Porto coach, having had four straight wins following his appointment on 24 January. That was a Portuguese record for a mid-season change of coach.

Previous victory
Porto will be hoping that they can recapture the form of three years ago when these two sides last met in Portugal. On that occasion, Fernando Santos's side ran out 2-1 winners against John Toshack's Madrid, courtesy of two first-half goals from Mario Jardel. They could do with the Brazilian tonight.