Madrid: Jose Mourinho has included Pepe in his squad for Wednesday`s Copa del Rey match at Barcelona, where the Real Madrid defender could receive a hostile reception after his stamp on Lionel Messi.
Pepe`s inclusion for the second leg of the quarterfinals at the Camp Nou was uncertain after the Portugal defender missed Sunday`s league win over Athletic Bilbao because of injury. But Mourinho included Pepe, who has apologized to Messi for "involuntarily" stamping on his left hand in Barcelona`s 2-1 win last week in the first leg.
Mourinho also included Ricardo Carvalho in the 21-man list, while Angel di Maria and Sami Khedira are sidelined by injuries.
Madrid has won only once in nine meetings against Barcelona since Mourinho`s arrival in 2010.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 18:34