The last time these two sides met, Malaga struggled to keep Porto at bay, but the Portuguese side was only able to manage a 1-0 victory. A controversial goal which with video review, shows that Joao Moutinho is clearly offside, but that will not take away from how Porto played.
Since losing at the Estadio do Dragao last month, Malaga has been unable to get back on track domestically. Their match with Porto was followed up with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of a Real Betis side who is now just one point behind Malaga.
Manuel Pellegrini's side then played to a scoreless draw at home against Atletico Madrid, capping their run off with a 1-1 draw away to mid-table Valladolid.
While it goes without saying that the Spanish side is struggling to find the form that got them such praise in the Champions League Group Stage, current form will be irrelevant on Wednesday night.
Portuguese International, Duda believes that their match against Porto is the most important in the club's history.
"It is going to be a difficult match, but we play in our stadium, with our fans supporting us," Duda said. "It is the biggest match in our history."
Needing to score at least one goal at home to at least have a chance of keeping their hopes alive, Malaga will not be too excited to know that Porto's Mangala could be fit for Wednesday's match. The French defender is returning from a slight knock, but just like Joao Moutinho, the two players have made the short trip to Spain.
For Porto, scoring has not been all that difficult. With four victories in their last five matches, Jackson Martinez has enjoyed his short amount of time in Portugal. The Colombian striker has 28 goals in all competitions, making the Malaga defenders aware of what they are up against.
Previous Meetings
02-19-13 Porto 1-0 Malaga
Prediction
Porto's current form clearly gives them the upper hand in this matchup, regardless of the match being on Spanish soil. Vitor Pereira's side has been very consistent in the current campaign, something Pellegrini's men have not been as of late.
Having Joao Moutinho back in the squad will be a positive for the Portuguese side. The former Sporting midfielder has really established himself since arriving at Porto and he has been a pivotal piece to Vitor Pereira's puzzle.
The Portuguese side has been at this stage in European Football a number of times, giving them the additional edge when it comes to experience.
Pellegrini's side also has some players that can make the difference and have experience, such as Javier Saviola, but making that experience count is not always easy.
Pereira's men should be able to eliminate Malaga, who has not been impressive as of late. Knowing they need a goal will leave some open space for Porto to take advantage of. An early goal for Malaga could really make this match interesting, but Porto could grab the first goal, putting a difficult task even more out of reach for Malaga.
Malaga 1-1 Porto
