Real Madrid are preparing for the first leg of their Round of 16 tie with Osasuna later on Thursday. All the talk leading up to this match has been focussed on Angel Di Maria, who's been dropped from the starting line up with many suggesting it could be because of an unseemly gesture he made on Monday.

The incident in question saw the midfielder grab his crotch as he was substituted during the game with Celta de Vigo, leading to speculation that he was aiming an insult at either the crowd or Carlo Ancelotti. The club are investigating the incident, but Real's head coach says that gesture had nothing to do with his decision to drop the Argentine from the starting 11 for their match against Osasuna, instead Ancelotti saying it was simply a numbers game.

"All of that happened outside. Inside the dressing room he is different - the player is calm, he has a good relation with the others, he has the will like everyone to play a good season. He will not start the match tomorrow, but this is not the reason. He will not start the match because we have Gareth Bale, who did not play against Celta de Vigo, and so Bale will start the game tomorrow," Real Madrid coach Ancelotti says.