Gonzalo

Although Marca were unusually generous in putting Leo Messi on the front cover of Tuesday’s edition in honour of the Argentinean’s award, the paper’s main concern - and that of AS - is Madrid’s Copa del Rey last 16, second leg clash with Málaga. Although there are technically five more games to be played until the final and Madrid have a handy 3-2 lead, Marca are fretting that the game in La Rosaleda is “the first final.”

Even Gonzalo Higuaín is getting in on the act by claiming that Málaga “always have good games against us” - aside from the 3-2 loss last week, the 4-0 defeat earlier in the season, the 7-0 thrashing last year, and the fact that Málaga have not beaten Madrid since the 1983-84 season...