Hamburg last 5 league matches: 

Hamburg last 3 home matches: 

Werder last 5 league matches: 

Werder last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Hamburg -5, Werder -4

Hamburg home table position: 5

Werder away table position: 2

A highly charged match in the German Bundesliga with 2 teams from the
upper part of the table sharing the same amount of points as Hamburger
SV welcomes Werder Bremen for a match counting for the 17th leg of the
league.

Hamburg seems to be the most motivated team with it’s coach
disappointed by it’s squad’s recent performances in the Europa League
and putting a great emphasis on this clash.

The team has a modest statistic on it’s own stadium with 4 victories
and 2 draws in 8 matches played so far and a goal record of 13 scored
and no less than 7 conceded. With Borussia Dortmund breathing down their
neck they can’t afford a bed step.

Werder Bremen is in front of Hamburg due to the better goal ration
but with hopes of surpassing Bayern Munchen and installing themselves on
the third spot of the table with a victory here and depending on the
play of results.

The team have yet to taste defeat in away matches as they won 4 and
ended 4 in draws, a very good performance accomplished so far by only 2
other teams in the league and with a very good goal statistic of 18
scored and 6 conceded.

My pick: Hamburger SV to win (over 2.5 goals scored)

Bayern last 5 league matches: 

Bayern last 3 home matches: 

Herta last 5 league matches: 

Herta last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Bayern -3, Herta -18

Bayern home table position: 3

Herta away table position: 18

A good chance for Bayern Munchen to consolidate their position after
this first part of the Bundesliga with a match against the last team in
the table Herta BSC Berlin.

Bayern is third in the league table and in reaching distance from
leaders Leverkusen and second Schalke but with little hope of surpassing
them this week as both have relatively easy games.

They have yet to suffer any defeats on home ground in the domestic
league and have a statistic of 4 victories and 4 draws, the latter being
an important number and a very good goal ratio of 12 scored and 6
conceded.

Adding to this the fact that they have 3 straight victories they
should have no problem in disposing of their adversaries.

Herta is already destined for the second league and it seems that no
matter the changes that the leaders inflict on the team, the result are
the same.

They gathered only 2 points from the last 5 matches played and have a
total of 6 in the table. The team has yet to win any away matches and
against such an opponent they stand little chances to do so in this
game.

My pick: Bayern Munchen to win

Schalke last 5 league matches: 

Schalke last 3 home matches: 

Mainz last 5 league matches: 

Mainz last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Schalke -2, Mainz -8

Schalke home table position: 4

Mainz away table position: 16

The first match of day 17 in the German Bundesliga and the only one
on Friday as second Schalke 04 will welcome Mainz in the hope achieving
the first place before the winter break.

The last official match in this year for both these teams as the next
leg is scheduled on the 16th of January and Schalke are only one point
short of leaders Bayer Leverkusen and one above third Bayern Munchen.

The team is in good form in the Bundesliga with 2 victories in the
last 2 matches played, taking full advantage of the leaders draw against
Hannover and Herta and managing to relaunch the championship.

Their home record is good but not impressive, from the 8 games played
so far they have won 4, ended 2 in draws and lost 2 with the goal ratio
of 15 scored and 8 conceded.

Mainz is currently on a honorable 8th spot in the table with a total
of 24 points, they have little room to move as in case of a victory they
can advance only one position and if defeated falling to the 10th spot
depending on the other teams results.

Their good table position is mostly due to their home statistic as in
away matches the record is very poor, with only one victory so far and 3
draws in 8 played.

My pick: Schalke to win

*matches in all competitions

Lille last 5 league matches: 

Lille last 3 home matches: 

Slavia last 5 league matches: 

Slavia last 3 away matches:

One of the most complicated groups in the Europa leagues is Group B
where the top 3 teams have chances of advancing with only 2 spots
available and Lille in need of a victory against Slavia Praha to do so.

Lille is second to Valencia in the group with a 2 point gap from the
leaders and sharing the same amount of points as third Genoa, seven in
total, but a better statistic as far as direct matches are concerned.

The team seems to be in fine form in all competition with 4 victories
in the last 4 matches played in the French Ligue 1 and only one defeat
ruining the series away to Valencia in the Europa League.

Slavia Praha is last in this group and with only 3 points in total
there are no chances for them to advance or even improve on their final
spot.

Concerning the direct match between the team in the Czech capital,
they lost to Lille with a humiliating result of 1-5 and with no
motivation in this one it’s hard to see any other result.

My pick: Lille to win

*matches in all competitions

Panathinaikos last 5 league matches: 

Panathinaikos last 3 home matches: 

Dinamo last 5 league matches: 

Dinamo last 3 away matches:

The last leg of the Europa League group stages and in Group F, with
Galatasaray already qualified, Panathinaikos will settle even with a
draw to advance to the knock-outs.

Panathinaikos is second in the group and lost a good chance of
qualifying in the last round when they lost away to an already qualified
Galatasaray.

They are still big favorites to win this and with 2 victories in the
last 2 matches played their form is good. They also come with a good
morale as the score in Bucharest was a 0-1 for the Greek side.

Dinamo Bucharest is in a difficult position and stand slim chances of
advancing. They need a victory with any other result than 1-0 due to
the direct result and goal ratio.

Their form is weak with the last 2 matches played ending in draws in
the Romanian Liga 1, starting both of them as favorites. They where a
team with a great offensive force but this season the situation is
different, with only 4 goals scored in the Europa League and 9 conceded.

My pick: Panathinaikos to win

*matches in all competitions

Fenerbahce last 5 league matches: 

Fenerbahce last 3 home matches: 

Sheriff last 5 league matches: 

Sheriff last 3 away matches:

With Fenerbahce already qualified from the top of Group H in the
Europa League, this match against Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova will only
count for the statistic.

Fenerbahce is in a difficult situation in the Turkish Super Lig where
they lost a lot of ground in the last matches played and with it the
top spot of the league to Kayserispor that has the same amount of points
34 but a better goal ratio.

The Turkish giants have managed to win so far 4 out of their 5 game
campaign in the Europa League, their only loss suffered against Twente
on home ground in the very first leg of the stage 1-2.

Sheriff Tiraspol have a complicated situation and only a victory here
coupled with an eventual defeat of Twente at Steaua Bucharest will see
them advancing to the knock-outs.

They sit on the third spot of Group H with 5 points in total, 2 short
of second place and a goal differential of 0 as they scored 4 and
conceded 4. The recent results in the domestic league and cup do not
have a great importance as they dominate these competitions for some
time now and the levels of the teams encountered is way below them.

My pick: Fenerbahce to win ( a draw is also possible as Fener will
probably rest it’s top players)

Wolfsburg last 5 league matches: 

Wolfsburg last 3 home matches: 

Dortmund last 5 league matches: 

Dortmund last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Wolfsburg -8, Dortmund -7

Wolfsburg home table position: 10

Dortmund away table position: 9

Current Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg is struggling in the middle of
the table and have a very though match on their hand against Borussia
Dortmund.

Wolfsburg with joust one victory in the last 6 matches of the
domestic league and already a defeat this week in the Champions League
home with Manchester United, defeat that put an end to their hopes of
continuing in the competition.

Only 2 points earned by them in the last 3 matches from 2 draws with
the same score 2-2 against Werder Bremen and Freiburg. They also have a
very poor record in home matches with only 3 victories and 2 draws in 8
played.

Borussia Dortmund determined to take advantage of their adversaries
poor shape, they have won the last 2 matches played in the Bundesliga
away to Hoffenheim and thrashing Nurnberg 4-0 on home ground in the last
leg.

Their statistic for away matches is under the domination of the great
number of draws, no less than 4 in 6 played with only 2 victories to
their name and a negative goal ratio of 8 scored and 9 conceded.

My pick: Draw

Schalke  last 5 league matches: 

Schalke  last 3 home matches: 

Herta last 5 league matches: 

Herta last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Schalke  -3, Herta -18

Schalke home table position: 7

Herta away table position: 18

Five points form the leaders Leverkusen before this day 15 of the
German Bundesliga started, Schalke 04 looks to have an easy match on
their hands as they face last spot holders Herta BSC Berlin on Sunday.

No great results for the home side as they won only one of the past 5
games and lost last week away to Borussia M’gladbach, surely a total
shock for them this result.

Their statistic in home matches so far for the Bundesliga does not
stand out in any was as it’s mostly mediocre with 3 victories, 2 draws
and 2 defeats.

Herta is continuing it’s disastrous season and it already seams to be
condemned to the second league as they now total only 5 points in 14
matches played.

They have yet to win any matches in whilst playing away and managed
to earn only one point from Stuttgart in 7 played.

My pick: Schalke to win

*matches in all competitions

Liverpool last 5 matches: 

Liverpool last 3 home matches:

Fiorentina last 5 matches:

Fiorentina last 3 away matches:

At first glance many would say that this is a very interesting game
to watch but as both teams lack any motivation except maybe a morale
boost for further matches all is decided in Group E of the Champions
League.

Liverpool, with 7 points in total is third in the group and stands no
chances of advancing in the stats. Their place in Europa League is
assured as 4th Hungarian side Debreceni have yet to claim any points in
their campaign.

Coach Rafa Benitez will certainly rest some of it’s top players for
this one as the team’s position in the Premier League is still below
expectations. Fernando Torres is back from injury but is expected to
start the match on the bench and goalkeeper Reina set to be rested for
this one.

Fiorentina top the group table with 12 points, 2 above second Lyon
and only a loss here will see them lose the first place.

The Tuscan team will play a team witch is very close to their best
11, only former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu still recovering from a knee
surgery.

My tip: Liverpool to win

*matches in all competitions

Marseille last 5 matches: 

Marseille last 3 home matches:

Real Madrid last 5 matches:

Real Madrid last 3 away matches:

Things look to be settled in Group C of the Champions League with
Marseille in need of a miracle to qualify and that miracle would by a
victory by more than 3 goals in front of Real Madrid.

Marseille with 7 points sits one point below second AC Milan and 3
from leaders Real Madrid and as their statistic against the Spanish
giants shows 3 victories for Real in 3 matches played between the 2 with
the last one a painful 3-0 in the first game of the group stage.

Coach Didier Deschamps will only miss Julien Rodriguez and defender
Cyril Rool for this clash but with the alternating form showed these
past matches and the lack of determination due to their situation in the
competition is hard to see a positive result will emerge.

Real Madrid showing a good form on all fronts with a victory last
week in the Primera Division against Almeria managing to recover from a
1-2 deficit and finishing 4-2. They have 5 victories in the last 6
matches played, their only disappointment was El Clasico when they lost
-10 to Barcelona.

As far as the players go, midfielder Kaka was not included in the
squad, Guti, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Christoph Metzelder have also good
chances of missing this one. A good news for them is the return Lassana
Diarra after sitting one leg due to suspension.

My tip: Real Madrid to win