MADRID, Oct 29 (Reuters) – Alaves have fallen on hard times since losing 5-4 to Liverpool in a thrilling UEFA Cup final in 2001 and the Basque club have a chance to revive past glories when they host holders Barcelona in the King’s Cup on Tuesday.

Now down in Spain’s third tier after slipping into financial administration, Alaves’s typical opponents these days include the B teams of several top-flight sides rather than the giants of European soccer.

MADRID (Reuters) – The latest injury to Real Madrid’s German midfielder Sami Khedira comes at a tricky time for the La Liga champions with a potential banana skin awaiting at Real Mallorca on Sunday.

Khedira was forced off in the 20th minute of Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund when he aggravated a leg muscle problem and his replacement, Luka Modric, is not as accomplished in the central holding role alongside Xabi Alonso.

MADRID, Oct 25 (Reuters) – The latest injury to Real Madrid’s German midfielder Sami Khedira comes at a tricky time for the La Liga champions with a potential banana skin awaiting at Real Mallorca on Sunday.

Khedira was forced off in the 20th minute of Wednesday’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund when he aggravated a leg muscle problem and his replacement, Luka Modric, is not as accomplished in the central holding role alongside Xabi Alonso.

MALAGA, Spain (Reuters) – Malaga fans looking on as their club apparently sank into crisis over the summer could have never imagined that a few months later, the team would be beating seven-times European champions AC Milan.

Joaquin’s 64th-minute strike at the Rosaleda on Wednesday secured a memorable 1-0 win for the Champions League debutants, who after three wins in as many matches sit at the top of Group C with a five-point lead over the ailing Italians.

MALAGA, Spain, Oct 25 (Reuters) – Malaga fans looking on as their club apparently sank into crisis over the summer could have never imagined that a few months later, the team would be beating seven-times European champions AC Milan.

Joaquin’s 64th-minute strike at the Rosaleda on Wednesday secured a memorable 1-0 win for the Champions League debutants, who after three wins in as many matches sit at the top of Group C with a five-point lead over the ailing Italians.

MALAGA, Spain (Reuters) – Joaquin crowned a memorable night for Champions League debutants Malaga and rubbed salt in the wounds of ailing seven-times winners AC Milan when his neat second-half goal secured a 1-0 win for the La Liga side in Group C on Wednesday.

The former Spain winger went from potential villain when he fluffed a 44th-minute penalty to hero when he raced on to Manuel Iturra’s clever pass in the 64th minute and slotted past Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia off a post.

MALAGA, Spain, Oct 24 (Reuters) – Joaquin crowned a memorable night for Champions League debutants Malaga and rubbed salt in the wounds of ailing seven-times winners AC Milan when his neat second-half goal secured a 1-0 win for the La Liga side in Group C on Wednesday.

The former Spain winger went from potential villain when he fluffed a 44th-minute penalty to hero when he raced on to Manuel Iturra’s clever pass in the 64th minute and slotted past Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia off a post.

MALAGA, Spain (Reuters) – Oguchi Onyewu has had more than his fair share of bad luck with injuries and disruptive changes to coaching staff but the peripatetic American feels a loan move to Malaga has given him the perfect chance to get his career back on track.

The 30-year-old defender’s stint at AC Milan, whom Malaga host in Champions League Group C on Wednesday, was at first wrecked by a serious knee injury.

MALAGA, Spain, Oct 23 (Reuters) – Oguchi Onyewu has had more than his fair share of bad luck with injuries and disruptive changes to coaching staff but the peripatetic American feels a loan move to Malaga has given him the perfect chance to get his career back on track.

The 30-year-old defender’s stint at AC Milan, whom Malaga host in Champions League Group C on Wednesday, was at first wrecked by a serious knee injury.

MADRID (Reuters) – Celtic will have to reverse a horrible record in Spain and cope with a Barcelona side fired by the scintillating form of Lionel Messi if they are to reap an unlikely reward from Tuesday’s Champions League Group G clash at the Nou Camp.

The Scottish champions, second in the group behind the 2009 and 2011 winners after two matches, have never managed a win on 12 trips to the Iberian nation, slumping to nine defeats and three draws.