Madrid: Real Madrid strikers Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain will look to reach a century of goals when they play host to Malaga Sunday in the Spanish Primera Liga.
Ronaldo has scored 98 goals in the Primera Liga, while Higuain has netted the same number in all competitions and both will be looking to reach their respective centuries.
They both have a good chance of doing so as well, given that Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Madrid`s comfortable win in Malaga earlier in the season, while Higuain also scored a goal in the 4-0 rout.
Real Madrid also knocked Malaga out of the Copa del Rey early in the New Year and look to have the measure of their big-spending rivals, who currently stand in fourth place in the league table and whose aim is to qualify for next season`s Champions League.
Malaga, who are coached by former Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini have been strong at home all season, but the majority of their 10 defeats have come on their travels and it will be difficult to get anything from a Santiago Bernabeu Stadium where FC Barcelona are the only side to have won this campaign.
Real Madrid have no injury worries other than Angel de Maria, who is out with a hamstring problem, but the round of midweek games next week means coach Jose Mourinho could make changes to his side with Lassana Diarra and Javier Callejon coming into the side to give rest to Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira.
Depending on Barcelona`s result in Sevilla Saturday, a triumph could take Madrid 13 points clear at the top of the table, meaning the title would be all but assured.
IANS
First Published: Saturday, March 17, 2012, 19:00