Football: Pepe likely to play King’s Cup 2nd leg

MADRID: Real Madrid defender Pepe is expected to play in the King’s Cup quarter-final’s second-leg at Barcelona today despite the controversy over his alleged stamp on Lionel Messi’s hand, according to coach Jose Mourinho. Pepe denied intentionally treading on Messi in last week’s 2-1 first-leg defeat and the incident was missed by the referee. The 28-year-old is available for the game at the Nou Camp after the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) decided to take no action against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2012.