Portugal League Cup - Semi Final

*matches in all competitions

Sporting last 5 matches: 

Sporting last 3 home matches: 

Benfica last 5 matches: 

Benfica last 3 away matches:

The first semi final in the Portuguese League Cup with 2 of the giants going neck to neck for a place in the final with Sporting Lisbon welcoming Benfica.

With FC Porto looking like clear favorites in the other match of the phase, against Academica on home ground, this cannot be said about this math with 2 teams of similar strength and playing it out.

Sporting Lisbon after a period in witch they regained their form and advance especially in the domestic league has lost the past 3 matches played, 2 in the Portuguese liga against Braga and Academica and where knocked out from Taca de Portugal by rivals FC Porto with an embarasing 5-2 scoreline.

They looked very strong on home ground where after 4 consecutive victories they where defeated by Academica, nonetheless showing a great appetite for scoring but with some visible gaps in defense as well.

Benfica seems to be favorite to reach the final after their very good results this season in the domestic league where they top the table with 4 points advantage over second Sporting Braga with 2 matches more played than their direct adversaries.

After no less than 4 consecutive victories, the team suffered it’s first set back this week with an unexpected 1-1 draw away to Vitoria Setubal. They showed a very good form in away matches lately with no defeats in the past 9 played from which they won 5.

My pick: Benfica to win

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Osasuna last 5 league matches: 

Osasuna last 3 home matches: 

Tenerife last 5 league matches: 

Tenerife last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Osasuna -9, Tenerife -19

Osasuna home table position: 16

Tenerife away table position: 20

Showing a great improvement both in form and results lately in the Spanish Primera Division, Osasuna has climbed up to the 9th spot of the table and with this match against Tenerife they have a very good chance of consolidating their position.

Seems like Osasuna’s main concern now is the domestic league in with they have won the past 3 matches played whilst getting knocked out of the Copa del Rey with 2 defeats at the hand of Racing Santander. 9th spot and a total of 26 points for the team with no chances of advancing this week as next in line Athletic Bilbao has a 4 point advantage but feeling the pressure from 3 followers witch await one missed step to overcome them.

Their record at home is very poor so far with most of their points gathered from trips, in front of the home crowd managing only 3 victories and 3 draws in 9 played with a weak goal ratio of 9 scored and 8 conceded.

Tenerife seems to be destined for the second league in Spain, 19th spot of the table and a total of 17 points they still have chances of salvation as they are only one point from the safe zone but their recent results do not give much hope.

They have yet to win any matches whilst traveling and gathered only 2 points in 9 matches played away with a disastrous goal ratio of only 6 scored and no less than 23 conceded.

My pick: Osasuna to win

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Inter last 5 league matches: 

Inter last 3 home matches: 

Cagliari last 5 league matches: 

Cagliari last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Inter -1, Cagliari -8

Inter home table position: 1

Cagliari away table position: 5

Leading the Italian Serie A by a comfortable margin, Internazionale Milan will encounter Cagliari this Sunday in their attempt for another champions title.

Inter has a very solid 8 point advantage from second AC Milan in the overall standings with 21 matches played by each and AS Roma with game more. They are in a very good form with 4 victories in the last 5 matches played and a 2-2 draw away to Bari in what was a very challenging game.

They have the best record of all the teams on home ground, winning no less than 9 matches and ending 2 in draws in all 11 played with a solid goal ratio of 24 scored and 11 conceded.

Cagliari have a very though mission on their hands and obtaining one point from this clash would be a positive result for them. They sit on the 8th spot of the table with a total of 32 points, still in arms reach of a European tournament spot but feeling the pressure from no less than 5 followers in holding their position.

Two victories for the in the last 5 played and an important number of matches ended in draws. In away, their statistic is decent with 4 victories and 2 draws in 10 played but a weak goal ratio of +1 with 11 scored and 10 conceded.

My pick: Inter to win

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Marseille last 5 league matches: 

Marseille last 3 home matches: 

Valenciennes last 5 league matches: 

Valenciennes last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Marseille -7, Valenciennes -11

Marseille home table position: 13

Valenciennes away table position: 4

Two teams with very similar results lately in the French Ligue 1 will go head to head this Sunday as Olympique Marseille welcomes Valenciennes.

Marseille has fallen to the 7th spot of the table after a very poor period in terms of results that shows only one victory in the past 5 matches played and with a total of 34 points no less than 3 teams are in reaching range of them and could overtake them in case of a bad step and a game in hand.

Their record at home is modest with 5 victories and 2 draws in all 9 played but especially in terms of their goal ratio where they managed to scored only 12 goals whilst conceding 8, almost one for every match played.

Valenciennes experiencing a though period of it’s own with only one victory in the past 7 played in the domestic league and a total of 32 points, leaving them only 2 behind their current adversaries and a significant advancement in the standings.

Whilst at home they managed only 3 victories all season, the team gathered most of it’s points in away matches with a record of 6 victories and no draws in all 11 played and a positive goal ratio of 19 scored and 15 conceded showing a decent offensive strength.

My pick: Marseille to win

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Real Madrid last 5 league matches: 

Real Madrid last 3 home matches: 

Espanyol last 5 league matches: 

Espanyol last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Real Madrid -2, Espanyol -14

Real Madrid home table position: 1

Espanyol away table position: 17

A match in the Spanish Primera Division that at first glance should go only one way with Real Madrid as clear favorite against Espanyol this Saturday.

Real Madrid 5 points short of leaders Barcelona in the table and with a total of 47 points much improvement is needed in away matches if they are to close the gap.

Their second position is secured with an important 8 point advantage from third Valencia, they are far from aspirations and the pressure is high for the ultimate trophy in Spanish football. On home pitch their record is perfect with 10 victories in 10 played and a very good goal ratio showing no less than 32 scored and only 6 conceded.

Espanyol is struggling in the lower part of the standings with only 23 points in total, 6 advantage from the first team in the relegation zone but seeing an important improvement both in results and in form lately with 2 victories in the last 5 matches played and another point obtained against Mallorca on home ground.

In away matches their situation is disastrous with one of the poorest statistic of all teams in the competition, joust one victory early in the season coupled with 2 points from draws in all 9 played and losing the previous 5 to date.

My pick: Real Madrid to win

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Barcelona last 5 league matches: 

Barcelona last 3 home matches: 

Getafe last 5 league matches: 

Getafe last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Barcelona -1, Getafe -7

Barcelona home table position: 3

Getafe away table position: 9

One of 2 matches between Madrid and Barcelona in witch the giants of the Spanish Primera Division will go head to head as this is the case here when leaders FC Barcelona will welcome Getafe.

With a solid 5 points advantage in the top of the league in front of rivals Real Madrid, Barcelona will have a tricky match on their hands with a very challenging Getafe witch has proven over the years that they can motivate themselves in derby matches.

Already out of the Copa del Rey, the Catalan side will have to focus on the 2 remaining competitions in witch they are involved and the most important is the Spanish league. A very good statistic for them in home matches where they won 8 out of the 9 played with a 1-1 draw against Villarreal and an incredible goal ratio of 26 scored and 6 conceded.

Getafe with a total of 31 points in all 20 matches played has climbed to the 7th spot of the table but encountered some difficulties lately as they won only 2 of the previous 5 played, looking very strong on home pitch but with real gaps whilst away.

Their record on home ground is a very good one with no less than 7 victories in 10 played but in away they managed only 3 victories this season, losing the rest of 7 matches and a negative goal ratio of 11 scored and no less than 16 conceded.

My pick: Barcelona to win

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Palermo last 5 league matches: 

Palermo last 3 home matches: 

Parma last 5 league matches: 

Parma last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Palermo -6, Parma -13

Palermo home table position: 3

Parma away table position: 12

A great chance for Palermo to build on their current position in the Italian Serie A as they welcome struggling Parma this Saturday.

Palermo is showing inconsistency lately in the domestic league, alternating good performances mainly on home pitch with loss of precious points in away matches. They sit on a very respectably 6th spot of the table with a total of 34 points in 22 matches points, the same as Juventus but with a weaker goal ratio.

The pressure is high as no less than 5 teams can take their place in case of a loss here. The team performs very well on home ground winning the last 4 matches played and not losing an since the start of the championship with a statistic of 7 victories and 4 draws in all 11 played and a very good goal ratio of 17 scored and 7 conceded showing great emphasis for their defensive play.

Parma is losing ground very fast and now fallen on the 13th spot with a total of 29 points and only one point gathered from their last 5 encounters in the competition.

They managed their only point in a goalless draw against another deception of the league, Udinese and i away matches the situation is terrible with no victories in the last 4 played and a record of only 2 wins and 3 draws in 11 played, having conceded no less than 22 goals, a medium of 2 per match.

My pick: Palermo to win

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Freiburg last 5 league matches: 

Freiburg last 3 home matches: 

Schalke last 5 league matches: 

Schalke last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Freiburg -15, Schalke -3

Freiburg home table position: 18

Schalke away table position: 2

A very difficult leg in the German Bundesliga with many of the favorites from the top of the table playing away as it’s the case here where Freiburg will welcome Schalke 04.

Freiburg facing the real prospect of relegation this season not mainly by their current position, only the 15th spot, but mostly when looking at the team’s recent performance and results.

They sit joust one point above Hannover and the danger zone with an overall of 18 points in 20 matches played and have a great task at hand in trying to grab points from Schalke. Most of Freiburg’s points come from away matches, a very atypical situation, whilst at home they managed only one victory and 2 draws in 9 played with an awful goal ratio of 5 scored and no less than 18 conceded.

Schalke 04 is showing great strength this season, third place for them with a total of 41 points, only 3 behind leaders Leverkusen and one from second Bayern Munchen with their spot secured for now as they hold a 5 point advantage from next in line Borussia Dortmund.

With 5 victories in the last 6 matches played in the Bundesliga the team looks very strong, their perfect record only ruined 2 weeks ago with a draw away to Bochum. The team holds one of the best records for away matches as well in the competition with 5 victories and 3 draws in 9 played. losing only against M’gladbach and a decent goal statistic of 12 scored and 7 conceded, not very offensive and with some gaps in defense as well.

My pick: Schalke 04 to win

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Nice last 5 league matches: 

Lille last 3 home matches: 

Lille last 5 league matches: 

Leiria last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Nice -16, Lille -3

Nice home table position: 16

Lille away table position: 8

Not an even match at first glance this Saturday clash in the French Ligue 1 as a struggling Nice welcomes a top spot contender OSC Lille.

Nice is only on the 16th spot of the overall table with a total of joust 22 points but still some margin from the relegation zone as they sit 6 points above Le Mans.  No victories for them in the last 9 matches played in the league and if this continues they will sorely find themselves in a very difficult position.

In 10 matches played at home so far, they managed a very decent statistic with 4 victories and 2 draws but that fades in relevance to their current form and already negative goal ratio of 14 scored and 16 conceded.

With a total of 44 points in 22 matches played, OSC Lille is on the third spot currently and in the books for a spot in the Champions League next season if they can keep the good form. This can be very difficult as Lyon, Auxerre and Marseille trail them by joust one point and any missed steps they make will most likely cost valuable points. Eight points from leaders Bordeaux but still pressuring second spot Montpellier with a 2 point deficit.

Some problems for them in away matches with 4 victories and one draw in 10 played losing the rest of 5 including the last one 2-1 with Sochaux.

My pick: OSC Lille to win

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Benfica last 5 league matches: 

Benfica last 3 home matches: 

Leiria last 5 league matches: 

Leiria last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Benfica -1, Leiria -5

Benfica home table position: 3

Leiria away table position: 3

Only one match on Wednesday in the Portuguese Super Liga and leaders Benfica will welcome one of the surprises of the season in terms of results, Uniao de Leiria.

Benfica has won the last 4 matches played in the league but claim the leaders spot in front of Sporting Braga only due to their better goal ratio, with both teams sharing a total of 42 points and a comfortable advantage from the followers.

Only the very first match of the season against Maritimo ruined what could have been a perfect record at home for Benfica, the team has won 7 out of the 8 played with an incredible goal ratio of 29 scored and 4 conceded.

A very decent position for Uniao de Leiria at this stage of the competition, the 5th spot with a total of 26 points and with it a chance to participate in an European event next season.

In 9 matches played so far away, Leiria managed a very decent statistic with 4 victories and 2 draws in 9 played with a goal ratio of 14 scored and 10 conceded. Despite these good performances and the current form witch shows 4 victories in the last 5 matches played it’s a very difficult task for them away to a giant of the Portuguese Liga.

My pick: Benfica to win

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