英语文摘：Real Madrid looks to confirm improvement against Milan

MADRID, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid will look to confirm their improved form when AC Milan visit the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Real Madrid's 4-1 win away to Malaga on Saturday seemed to prove that Jose Mourinho's tactics are slowly beginning to pay off with his new club. Cristiano Ronaldo appears to be recovering his form, while in defense the team is as solid as ever.

Milan will be the biggest test Madrid have had to face this season. Mourinho's men have been lucky with the fixture calendar and have only played one side in the top half of the table in their first seven matches in the domestic BBVA Primera Liga.

Their first two Champions League games have seen Madrid beat Ajax and score a lucky 1-0 win away to Auxerre, so a win on Tuesday would virtually assure them a place in the knockout stage of the competition.

Milan will have some familiar faces in their side in the Bernabeu. Former Real Madrid winger Robinho can expect a hostile reception for the fans, while former Barcelona duo Zlatan Ibrahimovich and Ronaldinho have shown in the past that they know how to score goals against the Spanish side.

The good news for Mourinho is that Sergio Ramos has shaken off a muscle problem and will take his place in the defense alongside Portuguese duo Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe, while Marcelo continues at left back.

Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira will provide a solid midfield pairing behind an attacking quartet of Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Higuain scored twice in Malaga to confirm that he too has rediscovered his form but it will be interesting to see if he can perform against the Italians. The main criticism of the striker is that he has so far failed to be at his best against really big sides.

Rivals don't come much bigger that AC Milan and the fans who are expected to pack the Bernabeu can expect to see a classic game of football between two sides that have won a total of 16 European Cups between them.