Malaga vs Real Madrid preview - Pellegrini only focused on his team

Manuel Pellegrini heads into their clash with Real Madrid focused solely on claiming three points for Malaga rather than worrying about what implications a defeat could have on former club Real Madrid and their coach Jose Mourinho.

Pellegrini was sacked, harshly in the eyes of many, by Madrid in May 2010 and replaced by Mourinho.

He subsequently took over at Malaga and led the Andalusians into the Champions League for the first time in his first full season in charge.

This season they have progressed into the last 16 of Europe's premier club competition and lie fourth in the Primera Division.

But while Pellegrini continues to flourish, Mourinho is going through a testing time.

The Portuguese has been jeered at the Bernabeu in recent weeks with speculation in the Madrid media suggesting it will be his final season in the Spanish capital.

A fourth league defeat of the season would place even more pressure on the former Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan boss but Pellegrini insists he is only interested in continuing Malaga's recent good form.

He told Onda Cero: "I'm not going to be Mourinho's judge and jury.

"We won't approach this weekend's game with that in mind, neither will we concern ourselves with what might happen at Real Madrid."

Pellegrini dismissed suggestions a defeat at La Rosaleda could prompt Madrid president Florentino Perez to make a change.

"No, not at all, I do not think that would happen following Malaga-Madrid in December," he said.

"We are not concerned about what happens in Madrid. For us it is an important game because it closes a brilliant year and (with a win) we would be able to move within two points of them.

"We are going in with that viewpoint and with no other intention."

Madrid go into the 17th round of fixtures 13 points behind arch-rivals Barcelona with Mourinho admitting following last weekend's disappointing 2-2 home draw with Espanyol it was "practically impossible" to catch the Catalans.

Perez, however, is adamant his club will not give up the fight.

He said: "We love an escape and we hope that in 2013 we can escape from this brutal crisis.

"Real Madrid never gives up, not in a sporting sense and not in the sense that we want to improve our relations.

"Real Madrid is not a normal club. It has made it to 110 years of history having kept its identity, belonging to its members, and at the level we are at."

Mourinho may have to do without full-back Fabio Coentrao for the trip south after he trained separately from the rest of the group but his fellow Portugal international Pepe is likely to start.