Espanyol vs Malaga preview - Simao blow for Espanyol

Posted Saturday, October 27, 2012 by PA

Espanyol will again be without Simao for their La Liga encounter with Malaga with manager Mauricio Pochettino suggesting the forward could be on his way out of the club as early as January, despite only having joined Los Pericos in August.

The former Portugal international has not been selected for the last two matches and will not feature against third-placed Malaga despite Espanyol being second bottom of the Primera Division.

Pochettino told Marca: "I don't know if he will leave the club, I am not in his head. Everyone takes decisions thinking about their personal situation and he has not communicated anything to me.

"In the four years I have been here I have always said the same thing. If someone doesn't like it here or doesn't want to belong to the dynamic or the discipline of the group then the doors are open, no matter what you are called."

The Argentinian coach is more concerned with trying to stop a rampant Malaga side that almost guaranteed its progression to the last 16 of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over AC Milan in midweek.

He said: "They are dazzling in the league and in Europe. They have people in attack with a lot of quality, combination play, individuals and a solid defence. It is a very balanced team in all areas so we need to play with the maximum intensity from the first minute."

Diego Colotto is suspended for the hosts so Juan Forlin could drop back to centre-back with Raul Baena coming into midfield, whilst there could also be a first start of the season for Sergio Garcia after he set up Christian Stuani's late winner against Rayo Vallecano last weekend.

Malaga's villain turned hero on Wednesday and last weekend was Joaquin as he scored the winner in both games after missing a penalty and he admits he may not be on spot-kick duties next time round.

He told AS: "I am having luck. I have never been a great penalty taker, more than anything because I hadn't taken them before. Now the coach has confidence in me, but for the next one we'll see whether he thinks I or someone else should take it.

"No-one imagined, with what has happened, that this Malaga could put on the show it is doing. We feel like the Cinderella of the Champions League, now the teams we have beaten respect us."

Nacho Monreal and Jeremy Toulalan are still out injured so Manuel Pellegrini is expected to name the same side that started against Milan.