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Jose Mourinho’s men had no time for sympathy as they won their quarter-final first leg 3-0 in Cyprus last week, all but securing a semi-final place and ending tiny APOEL’s valiant first foray into Europe’s elite club competition.
The Cypriots failed to muster a shot on Iker Casillas’s goal in front of their own fans, and will face an onslaught from three strikers in rampant form at the Bernabeu.
Portugal’s former World Player of the Year Ronaldo has amassed 47 goals in all competitions this year, and scored two and set up two more as Real routed Osasuna 5-1 in La Liga last Saturday.

French international Benzema opened the scoring in Pamplona with a sumptuous        volley reminiscent of Marco van Basten’s famous effort for Netherlands in the Euro    1988 final, and took his tally for the season to 28.
Argentina’s Higuain bagged two and took his season total to 24 as leaders Real closed on the league title, six points ahead of Barcelona with eight games left to play and having scored 100 goals in their 30 matches.

Mourinho will have one eye on Sunday’s league clash against third-placed Valencia and will probably use the occasion to rotate his squad.
APOEL will want to bow out of the Champions League with their heads held high, and will take some comfort from having held the Spaniards at bay for more than 70 minutes in the first leg.

They received a boost to morale with a 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Omonia Nicosia on Saturday, which left them second in the domestic league behind AEL Limassol.
“It is a very important win for us at a crucial stage of the league,” APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic said.

“We still have a long way to go, but I am pleased that my players responded the way they should. We had a tough week and we have another one ahead of us.”
Jovanovic will have Sunday’s game                for the play-offs against Anorthosis Famagusta on his mind, but is likely to give his regulars  the opportunity to play in what will         probably be their final match in Europe this season.
Defender Marcelo Oliveira, whose early exit from last Wednesday’s game was a major setback, will be sidelined for several weeks after tests showed ruptured knee ligaments.

Ivan Trickovski will also miss the game after breaking his arm during the first leg.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will be hoping they can keep their perfect home record in the Champions League intact when they host Benfica tonight.
Roberto Di Matteo’s side have won all four home matches in Europe’s top competition this season, and another win today will be enough for them to reach the semi-finals.

A lone goal from Salomon Kalou gave Chelsea a handy 1-0 win in the first leg of their quarter-final against Jorge Jesus’ side last week.
Indeed Chelsea have lost just once in their past nine home games in the Champions League, the defeat coming against Manchester United in last season’s quarter-final.

The Blues have also been in good form since Di Matteo took over from the sacked Andre Villas-Boas in early March, with a narrow       loss to Manchester United and a scoreless    draw with Tottenham the only blemishes           on the Italian’s record after eight games in charge.
They showed no ill-effects from their trip to Benfica in a 4-2 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday, with defender Branislav Ivanovic returning from injury and scoring a brace.

Striker Didier Drogba missed the match at Villa Park with a toe injury while defender David Luiz was sidelined with an ankle complaint, and both will face fitness tests ahead of tonight’s return leg against Benfica.
The Portuguese side are second in the Liga Sagres, one point behind Porto, but will need to continue to punch above their weight in Europe if they are to progress to the semi-finals.

Benfica have already seen off one English side in the Champions League this season, claiming two draws against Manchester United as they topped Group C, while Sir Alex Ferguson’s men finished third and were eliminated.
They will also take confidence in their impressive away record in the Champions League this season, with just one loss in six matches away from the Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

And goalkeeper Artur believes there is no reason his side cannot get a result in London.
“We’ll have to work really hard to win the second leg. Benfica showed the reason why we’re in the quarter-finals and, despite the loss, we have the quality to turn the tie around,” Artur said.

“We drew 2-2 with Manchester United, who are also a great team, so I don’t see why we can’t go to London thinking of winning the game. Nothing is impossible in football and we will fight to win that match.” — Rtrs/Soccerway.