Real Madrid are already in the quarter-finals after the 6-1 triumph at Veltins Arena, but los Blancos will want to keep the current run going and enter the business end of the season in great spirits.

Meanwhile, Schalke will have a lot to prove following the dismal showing in the first leg, and it remains to be seen whether they can avoid another heavy defeat.

Real Madrid appear on the road to make this one of their most successful seasons in recent years, although there is still a lot of work to be done.

Nevertheless, los Blancos did really well to get their season back on track following some struggles in the opening changes, with Carlo Ancelotti’s charges still in the race for three major trophies.

And while La Liga title and Copa del Rey trophy certainly have a big meaning, La Decima remains the number one priority.

Having already won nine Champions League titles, Real Madrid are very motivated to win the tenth title as soon as possible and they are 5.00 (4/1) to do it this term.

Los Blancos are 1.25 (1/4) favourites to win the second leg against Schalke and Cristiano Ronaldo is 3.25 (9/4) to score the first goal.

Karim Benzema is unlikely to be risked after suffering a concussion at the weekend, whilst Alvaro Arbeloa and Sami Khedira remain sidelined.

Given that Real Madrid face arch rivals Barcelona at the weekend, Carlo Ancelotti could decide to rest some of his regular starters.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-3): Casillas – Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo – Modric, Alonso, Di Maria – Bale, Jese, Ronaldo.

For the second year running Schalke look set to crash out in the Champions League Last 16 stage, but after coming really close to the quarter-finals last term, the Miners couldn’t be further away this time out.

The 6-1 home defeat to Real Madrid was probably a bit harsh on Jens Keller’s side, but it definitely showed difference in class between the two sides.

Schalke then went on to suffer a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich, but they showed a lot of character to recover from two difficult setbacks.

League triumphs over Hoffenheim and Augsburg helped the team restore some of the lost confidence and they are now 1.85 (17/20) to score at Santiago Bernabeu.

The visitors will be without Christian Fuchs, Atsuto Uchida, Marco Hoger, Christian Clemens, Dennis Aogo and Felipe Santana.

Jefferson Farfan is battling a knee injury and he is a major doubt, while former Real striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar will be the man to watch having scored 5 goals in last 2 matches.

Probable starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Fahrmann – Howedes, Matip, Papadopoulos, Kolasinac – Goretzka, Neustadter – Obasi, Meyer, Draxler – Huntelaar.