Valencia – Almeria 21 March 2010

Valencia last 5 league matches:

Valencia last 3 home matches: 

Almeria last 5 league matches: 

Almeria last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Valencia -3, Almeria -11

Valencia home table position: 10

Almeria away table position: 10

Having lost to Barcelona in the last round 3-0, Valencia is in desperate need of points if they are to consolidate their third spot in the Primera Division but this match against Almeria will probably prove a difficult task considering the teams recent performances and results.

Valencia has won only one of the the past 5 matches played in the Spanish league against Getafe, from the followed a painful defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid and a goalless draw with Racing Santander coped with last week defeat at Barcelona. Valencia played a very good game in the first half of the confrontation with the Catalan side but made a terrible last part conceding all 3 goals.

Their statistic on home ground is very modest with only 6 victories in 12 played and a very high number of draws, no less than 5 as well as a modest goal ratio of 21 scored and 11 conceded.

Almeria is showing a very good form lately which allowed them to climb considerably up in the charts to their current 11th spot with a total of 33 points in all 26 matches played. No less than 3 victories for them in the last 4 matches and an important morale boosting 2-2 draw against champions Barcelona.

In away matches their record is very poor with only 2 victories so far and 4 draws in 13 played completed with a negative goal ratio of 14 scored and 21 conceded.

My pick:  Valencia to win

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Marseille – Lyon 21 March 2010

Marseille last 5 league matches:

Marseille last 3 home matches: 

Lyon last 5 league matches:

Lyon last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Marseille -6, Lyon -5

Marseille home table position: 11

Lyon away table position: 2

Derby match in the French Ligue 1 on Sunday with Olympique Marseille welcoming Lyon in a battle for advancing in the table and the top spots.

Marseille and Lyon are separated only by one point but with the home side in this match having played a game less than their competition and implicitly more chances of advancing.

With a total of 50 points in 27 matches played, Marseille trail leaders Bordeaux by joust one point and theoretically hold the chance to get the driver’s seat this week depending on the other results. No victory for them in the last 2 round of the Ligue 1 with 2 draws against Lorient and Toulouse, both matches started as favorites.

They hold evenly balanced statistic both at home and away with 7 victories, 3 draws and 2 defeats in front of the home crowd with a fairly good goal ratio of 23 scored and 11 conceded.

Lyon has a surprisingly similar show of results with their adversaries in this match, as Marseille they have not won any of the past 2 games with embarrassing draws against low ranked Boulogne and Saint Etienne.

Their away record is decent, having won 6 out of the 14 matches played and ending another 6 in draws. This match may seem more important for Lyon as they have a game more played as the opposition but i expect both teams to be highly motivated and determined in claiming all points.

My pick:  draw

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Real Madrid – Sporting Gijon 20 March 2010

Real last 5 league matches:

Real last 3 home matches: 

Gijon last 5 league matches:

Gijon last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Real -1, Gijon -12

Real home table position: 1

Gijon away table position: 15

No luck for Real Madrid last week as Barcelona trashed Valencia and managed to stick in the second spot only due to the inferior goal ratio. With this match against Sporting Gijon comes another great opportunity to claim all 3 points and hope their bitter rivals stumble.

As Real Madrid suffered a big blow when eliminated from the Champions League by Olympique Lyon, the Primera Division is the only competition left for them this year and a set back here would probably bring some important changes to the club.

They have managed to win the last 8 matches played in the competition and as far as home statistic goes, it’s a perfect one with 13 victories in 13 matches played and an impressing goal ratio of 44 scored and 10 conceded.

Sporting Gijon is looking like a certain victim when compared to Real Madrid but this small them from the middle of the table managed to produce some surprises this season and it’s known that they look highly motivated when dealing with giants of the competition.

No victories for them in the last 2 matches played with a loss away to Mallorca and a goalless draw at home against Athletic Bilbao but with only 2 victories and 3 draws in 13 matches played away their mission on Santiago Bernabeu is close to impossible.

My pick:  Real Madrid to win

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AS Roma – Udinese 20 March 2010

Roma last 5 league matches:

Roma last 3 home matches: 

Udinese last 5 league matches:

Udinese last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Roma -3, Udinese -15

Roma home table position: 2

Udinese away table position: 20

After 3 straight draws in the Italian Serie A, AS Roma are looking to break the dry streak with a victory over struggling Udinese.

Roma is third in the overall standings and with a total of 43 points there’s not much room for them to move in as whatever the outcome of this leg will be, their position is secured and most likely it’s the one they will end the season in.

They have made the home ground a true fortress with few waisted points as they managed no less than 11 victories and 1 draws in 14 played with a very good goal ratio of 25 scored and 10 conceded, only leaders Inter ranking better.

Udinese is showing small steps of improvement from their disastrous season, only on the 15th spot so far and 7 points over the relegation zone. The team’s only reason for confidence is a fairly good home football as in away games the situation is terrible.

They have yet to win any of the matches played whilst traveling managing only 5 points in 5 draws and losing the rest of 9 with an incredible weak goal ratio of only 8 scored and no less than 21 conceded

My pick:  AS Roma to win

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Rennes – Toulouse 20 March 2010

Rennes last 5 league matches:

Rennes last 3 home matches: 

Toulouse last 5 league matches:

Toulouse last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Rennes -8, Toulouse -11

Rennes home table position: 5

Toulouse away table position: 10

With a comfortable spot in the French Ligue 1 table, Rennes is far from any spot in a European event next season but with no worries regarding the danger zone as are their adversaries in this match Toulouse.

Stade Rennes is currently on the 8th spot of the charts with a total of 43 points, the same as 7th Lorient and 8th Marseille and an improvement in form lately as after 3 straight losses they managed to win the last 2 matches played.

Their statistic in home matches is one of the strongest in the league with no less than 9 victories and 2 draws in all 14 played and a very good goal ratio of 23 scored and 11 conceded, less than one goal received per game.

Toulouse is struggling in the last few week with only one victory in the last 5 matches played in the domestic league, leaving them on the 11th spot of the table with a total of 38 points.

Nothing we can see in their away record would recommend them to pose problems against Rennes as they managed to win only 3 and end 5 in draws in all 14 played and a neutral goal ratio of 13 scored and conceded.

My pick:  Rennes to win

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David Beckham’s Loss Could Be Joe Cole’s Gain For England World Cup Squad

All the focus this week has been on the injury to David Beckham which has ruled him out of the World Cup but doesn’t it seem a huge fuss has been made about nothing? He may be a hugely popular player but he was probably never going to play more than an hour in the entire tournament and it could actually be a blessing in disguise.

The Achilles tendon injury clearly isn’t expected to hamper England’s chances at the World Cup as the England World Cup Odds remain unchanged and England are still one of the favourites to win the World Cup. What is much more worrying than the Beckham injury is Aaron Lennon’s groin injury that has kept him out all year. He has looked the complete right winger this season, skinning opponents, setting up goals with great crosses and also chipping in with goals now.

The bookies make Aaron Lennon the odds on favourite to start for England on the right wing against USA and if he returns and proves his fitness then that looks about right. But what if Lennon’s niggling problem continues and he doesn’t make the place to South Africa?

The next players on the list appear to be Capello favourite James Milner, the inconsistent Theo Walcott and also Shaun Wright Phillips, who appears to have booked a spot on Capello’s plans from a decent twenty minutes off the bench against Egypt.

The Beckham injury could be good news for Joe Cole, who is still struggling for form since his injury problems but he remains a great talent and his World Cup 2010 hopes might not be dashed yet, he could still be the twenty third man that makes the squad, which will be announced on June 1st.

Whatever happens it seems England are not short of options on the right wing but they could end up short of top quality options and that can sometimes make the difference between winning and losing.

Werder Bremen – Bochum 20 March 2010

Werder last 5 league matches:

Werder last 3 home matches: 

Bochum last 5 league matches: 

Bochum last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Werder -6, Valencia -14

Werder home table position: 10

Bochum away table position: 12

Coming out of a very difficult period for them in terms of results, Werder Bremen is once again in the books for a spot in next season’s European tournament but can’t afford any missed steps especially against lower ranked teams like Bochum.

Werder Bremen managed 3 victories in the last 5 matches played in the Bundesliga, curiously all in away games as at home they finished in draws against though opposition such as Leverkusen and Stuttgart. With this good run they have landed a 6th spot in the table and a total of 42 points, joust one under 5th Hamburger SV and 3 from 4th Borussia Dortmund, 2 of their most likely candidate for for this part of the standings.

The team’s home statistic is very poor, after no less than 12 matches in front of their supporters they gathered only 17 points from 4 victories and 5 draws losing the rest of 5 and displaying a modest goal ratio of 21 scored and 16 conceded, more than one goal received per game.

Bochum is falling dangerous in the table, ending up on the 14th spot before the start of this leg with a total of 27 points, only 4 above Hannover and the danger zone.  More important is the fact that their form has taken a big plunge with no victories in the last 4 matches played in the Bundesliga and losing the last 2 with Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund, nonetheless very competitive sides.

Their away statistic strikes as very decent for a team with their problems showing no less than 4 victories and 3 draws in 13 played but not completed with a good goal ratio as they managed to score only 11 and conceded no less than 20 thaws making me belive that this match will be one with quite a few goals.

My pick:  Werder Bremen to win ( over 2.5 goals )

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Wolfsburg - Rubin Kazan 18 March 2010

*matches in all competitions

Wolfsburg last 5 matches:  

Wolfsburg last 3 home matches: 

Rubin last 5 matches: 

Rubin last 3 away matches: 

With the one all draw in Russia, Wolfsburg is certainly thinking of avoiding Sevilla’s faith in the Champions League and end up with a victory against Rubin Kazan.

Wolfsburg is showing an extraordinary form in all competitions, after the unfortunate first part of the season which left permanent marks especially in the Bundesliga where with only the 8th spot for now there’s little hope of claiming any places in the summer qualifications for an European tournament.

After an unbelievable string of 13 consecutive matches without victory, Wolfsburg managed to win 5 out of the last 6 played, their only interruption was suffers away to Rubin Kazan in a very close and difficult match.

With the Russian championship starting last week, current champions Rubin Kazan where quick to claim top spot with a 2-0 victory over Lokomotiv Moskva and travel to Wolfsburg with a good morale in consequence. The team will certainly report itself to CSKA and try to duplicate their performance by eliminating a favorite of the competition.

The away games have caused them quite some problems in Europe with the last 2 ending in defeat away to Inter and more surprisingly only a draw against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Although a goalless draw will see Wolfsburg advance, this risky strategy is not what we would expect from them and with all hope gone in the Bundesliga this competition remains a good opportunity to show their real force.

My tip:  Wolfsburg to win

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Sevilla – CSKA Moskva 16 March 2010

*matches in all competitions

Sevilla last 5 matches:  

Sevilla last 3 home matches:

CSKA last 5 matches:

CSKA last 3 away matches:

One all result in aggregate before this decisive match will kick off and Sevilla has the motivation and support of the home crowd to go past the Russians from CSKA Moskva.

Sevilla is not doing so well these last few week with the team’s last victory dating back on 20 of February, almost one moth without the taste of success for this highly competitive Spanish side in all competitions. These latest performances let them fall to the 4th spot of the Primera Division and created a 3 point gap from third Valencia and mounted the pressure from next in line Mallorca and Deportivo for a spot in next season of the Champions League.

The goal scored in the first leg of the confrontation will give them a very important advantage over their competition as in theory they can settle for a goalless draw and still qualify. This would be a very risky strategy and Sevilla will most likely search for a goal before closing all paths to it’s own goalkeeper leading me to believe that this will be a match with few goals.

CSKA Moskva presence in this stage of the Champions League is enough reason to celebrate for them but we have to note the result obtained in the first leg as they had not played any official matches this year.

The Russian Premier League joust kicked off and for CSKA it was a good debut as they went past Amkar Perm one goal to nil. They have left the impression of a team concentrated on defense with little initiative in attacking fact supported by their recent result, only one goal per match scored in the last 3 played.

My tip:  Sevilla to win (and qualify, under 2.5 goals)

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Chelsea – Inter 16 March 2010

*matches in all competitions

Chelsea last 5 matches:  

Chelsea last 3 home matches:

Inter last 5 matches:

Inter last 3 away matches:

With Internazionale Milan leading in overall with 2-1, this should make a very exciting and disputed match on Stamford Bridge with Chelsea having the advantage of the home crowd and away goal.

Chelsea will most certainly push for the offensive from the start but the English team will have to worry in defense as a goal received from Inter will make life very difficult. The team’s form has seem a big improvement since their trip to Italy as they won in the FA Cup against Stoke and last week crushed West Ham in the Premier League 4-1 to stay joust 2 points behind leaders Manchester United in the table.

Their home matches have been their strong point this season, losing only once in the domestic league and no matches without points in this season of the Champions League.

Inter is on a downward spiral both in match performance and results, their loss last week against Catania 3-1 left them with joust one point advantage over rivals AC Milan in the Serie A, far from their comfortable lead in the start of the year.

Their match against Chelsea on home ground was a good one and especially Jose Muorinho has a point to make against the English side. Their mission is very hard and with a goal received on home ground, qualification in the next round is especially difficult.

My tip:  Chelsea to win (and qualify)

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