Champions League preview: Real Madrid v Lyon

Real Madrid host Lyon in their Champions League second-leg clash on Wednesday with the Spanish giants favoured to progress to the last eight.

Madrid are primed for their first quarter-final appearance in the Champions League in six years due to their precious away goal from the 1-1 stalemate at le Stade de Gerland a fortnight ago.

But recent history has proven progression is not a given for the nine-time champions, and that Lyon provide staunch opposition.

Real are yet to defeat Lyon and bowed out of the competition last season at the hands of the former Ligue 1 champions.

However, manager Jose Mourinho is not afraid of Lyon, having dispatched the French side in the Champions League during his reign as Porto coach.

“My team are not afraid of recent history; statistics exist so that we can go out and contradict them,” the Portuguese said.

“Sure [Lyon] have quality, but we must eliminate them,” he said. “[But] I’ve already done that [with Porto] on my way to winning the tournament.”

Also in Real’s favour is their imperious home record, extended on the weekend to 14 games following the 2-0 defeat of Hercules, with the vastly-improving Karim Benzema heading the attack with a fine brace.

The Frenchman, who arrived at Madrid from Lyon in 2009, will be keen to stretch his scoring run when he meets his former side, having netted against them in the first tie.

Olympique Lyon are aiming to reach the last eight of the Champions League for a second year running.

The French side will take plenty of confidence from their resounding 2-0 win over Sochaux on the weekend to Spain.

Lyon, who are four points off the pace in Ligue 1, will also be buoyed by the inclusion of mercurial left-back Aly Cissokho in the travelling party to the Spanish capital.

The once-capped Frenchman was expected to miss the second leg due to picking up a knock during training last week.

Playmaker Yoann Gourcuff is also in the squad after missing the league victory on the weekend.

Lyon, however, will be without Brazilian winger Michel Bastos. The former Lille man is suspended for the clash after picking up a yellow card in the first tie.