Real Madrid v AC Milan The defending European club champions Real Madrid face their biggest test yet when they meet Milan at the Bernabeu.
Milan have already booked their place in the last eight, but anything less than a victory for Real will seriously jeopardise their chances of progressing in this season's competition.
Real lie second in the group, one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund. But, if they slip against Milan and the Germans win against Lokomotiv Moscow tonight, Real's fate will no longer be in their own hands.
History suggests Milan's already guaranteed progression may dull their desire but at least they were talking a good game in the build-up.
"If we really want to win the Champions League, it's better to eliminate Real. There's not a man among us who would be sad if we did," the Milan midfielder Rui Costa was quoted as saying in Corriere dello Sport yesterday.
Real are likely to be without the injured Ronaldo after the Brazilian strained his thigh in the weekend's 4-1 league victory over Racing Santander.
Milan will miss the injured Kakha Kaladze and the striker Filippo Inzaghi, who is rested.
AC MILAN (probable): Dida; Simic, Nesta, Costacurta, Maldini; Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf; Rui Costa; Rivaldo, Shevchenko.
REAL MADRID (probable): Casillas; Salgado, Pavon, Helguera, Carlos; Figo, Makelele, Conceicao, Zidane, Guti or Ronaldo, Raul.
