Atletico Madrid – Osasuna 15 March 2010

Atletico last 5 league matches:

Atletico last 3 home matches:

Valencia last 5 league matches: 

Valencia last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Atletico -2, Valencia -3

Atletico home table position: 2

Valencia away table position: 2

A very interesting match on Monday and the last of day 26 in the Spanish Primera Division as 2 rivals go head to head in an attempt to distance themselves from the other.

Both teams have a total of 31 points and before the leg started they where ranked 10 and 11, with Atletico Madrid in the better position due only to the goal ratio that is joust slightly better than that of their adversaries.

Atletico Madrid is far from expectation and the hopes that the team had at the beginning of the season and their attempt of claiming a spot in an European tournament in the summer are very slim. Their statistic in home matches is modest with only 6 victories and 3 draws in all 12 played but a better goal ratio with 24 scored and 17 conceded showing a good offense and open strategy which leads also to more goals received.

Osasuna has taken a plunge in ranking these past weeks as they where unable to win any of the past 4 matches played, managing only 2 points from them in draws against Real Valladolid and Getafe on home ground.

The team’s statistic in away matches is poor with only 4 victories to their name and 2 draws in 13 played which lead to a disastrous goal ratio of only 12 scored and no less than 17 conceded.

My pick:  Atletico Madrid to win

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Barcelona – Valencia 14 March 2010

Barcelona last 5 league matches:

Barcelona last 3 home matches:

Valencia last 5 league matches:

Valencia last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Barcelona -2, Valencia -3

Barcelona home table position: 2

Valencia away table position: 2

A spectacular match awaits us this Sunday in the Spanish Primera Division with Barcelona welcoming Valencia in an attempt to reclaim the top spot from Real Madrid.

Barcelona lost the tops spot after last week’s 2-2 results at Almeria and Real took the lead due to their better goal ratio as both teams have 63 points in overall. As time passes it looks more likely that the direct results between the 2 giants could make the difference at the end of the season as neither is able to separate and break off from it’s rival.

Barcelona lost ground especially due to it’s poor displays when playing away as at home their statistic is solid with 11 victories and 1 draws in all 12 played and a superb goal ratio of 34 scored and 8 conceded. This game is of high importance for the Catalan side as Valencia is one of the few teams that really look like posing problems on Nou Camp.

Valencia is as well on a downward trend with no victory in the last 2 matches of the Spanish Primera Division as they lost to Ahletico Madrid and ended last week in a goalless draw with Racing Santander on their own pitch.

Not the best of impression left by them this week as well in the Europa League where they managed only a one all result with Werder Bremen, making the trip to Germany and the qualification to the next phase a very difficult task. In away matches their statistic is one of the best in the domestic league with 7 victories and 3 draws in 13 played but against a team such as Barcelona and in light of their recent displays this might become irrelevant.

My pick:  Barcelona to win ( over 2.5 goals )

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Bayer Leverkusen – Hamburger SV 14 March 2010

Leverkusen last 5 league matches:

Leverkusen last 3 home matches:

Hamburg last 5 league matches:

Hamburg last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Leverkusen -3, Hamburg -4

Leverkusen home table position: 2

Hamburg away table position: 5

All to familiar sight for Bayern Leverkusen with a very good run much of the season and the top spot for a while before falling in dramatic stile both in ranking and form, with an opponent such as Hamburger SV this week this match will guaranty a good spectacle and a true derby important for the top part of the standings in the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen managed only 1 victory in the last 5 matches played obtained against Wolfsburg on home ground, 3 draws with Bochum Werder and Koln and losing the last match of the competition surprisingly against struggling Nurnberg.

Their form has taken an important plunge which led to them losing the top spot in favor of Bayern and ending up on the third, 3 points distance from the leaders with this very difficult match at hand. They still show a great home ground statistic with 9 victories and 3 draws in all 12 played and the fact that they have yet to lose any in front of their supporters might be an important boost against such opposition as Hamburg.

Hamburger Sv not doing well either, with 2 victories in the past 5 matches played and the 4th spot with a total of 43 points, no less than 7 gap from their current adversaries and feeling the pressure from next in line Borussia Dortmund.

The team’s away statistic would not scare even the bottom ranked teams in the Bundesliga, wining only 4 matches so far and ending 6 in draws in 12 played but showing a decent goal ratio of 25 scored and 17 conceded.

My pick:  Draw

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Juventus – Siena 14 March 2010

Juventus last 5 league matches:

Juventus last 3 home matches:

Siena last 5 league matches:

Siena last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Juventus -5, Siena -20

Juventus home table position: 13

Siena away table position: 16

With only the 5th spot in the Serie A table and a long way to the top 3 teams, Juventus should have no problems in claiming all 3 points from this match against last Siena on Sunday.

Juventus has seen an increase in their form in the past couple of weeks and with a total of 44 points they are joust 2 points under Palermo and a place in next season’s Champions League. Nonetheless their position is not secured as Sampdoria and Napoli are waiting for any mistakes.

The team’s home statistic is very weak as they managed only 6 victories and 3 draws in 13 matches played with a very modest goal ratio of 21 scored and no less than 19 conceded, unacceptable figure for a team with their pretensions and strength.

Little hope for Siena in their battle to avoid relegation, only 21 points managed by them in all 27 matches played and currently 5 points from salvation. Few hopes but a boost for them as they managed to 8 points in the last 4 matches played, very valuable especially as their opposition’s trend is downward.

Their statistic in away matches is terrible with only 3 victories, but from witch 2 in the last 2 matches played whilst traveling and 10 losses with a goal ratio to match this 16 scored and 28 conceded, curiously the large number of goals scored by them showing that they play an open strategy.

My pick:  Juventus to win

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Bayern Munchen – Freiburg 13 March 2010

Bayern last 5 league matches:

Bayern last 3 home matches: 

Freiburg last 5 league matches:

Freiburg last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Bayern -1, Freiburg -17

Bayern home table position: 1

Freiburg away table position: 13

Bayern Munchen top of the German Bundesliga and in full force after qualifying in the next round of the Champions League will take on relegation candidate Freiburg.

The German giants had only 2 points advantage over second Schalke 04 before the leg started and with a 2-1 scoreline in their Friday match in the ‘83 minute, now 1 point behind  guarantying a spectacular battle to come.

Top of their game on home ground, Bayern has yet to lose any match in the 13 played with 9 victories and 4 draws and a crushing goal ratio for any opposition of 26 scored with only 9 conceded.

Freiburg has not won any of the past 11 matches played in the Bundesliga, claiming only 4 points from them and landing on a relegating 17th spot of the table with a total of 20 points, 1 point from Nurnberg and salvation.

Nothing really would recommend them to create serious problems against Bayern this Saturday but their decent statistic in away matches is in contrast with their overall performances and placement as they won 4 and ended 2 in draws in 13 scored and a normal negative goal ratio.

My pick:  Bayern Munchen to win

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Lyon – Saint-Etienne 13 March 2010

Lyon last 5 league matches:

Lyon last 3 home matches: 

Etienne last 5 league matches: 

Etienne last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Lyon -4, Etienne -16

Lyon home table position: 7

Etienne away table position: 15

With only 2 points gap from first place Bordeaux and Montpellier in the French Ligue 1, Olympique Lyon has a great chance this week to advance in the table and attempt the driver’s seat in this match against Saint-Etienne.

Having joust caused the biggest surprise of the phase in the Champions League after 1-0 and 1 all draw on Santiago Bernabeu, Lyon has a great great morale and time to focus on the domestic league in witch they have the chance to reclaim the title of champions after 2 years.

The team has won all 5 matches played on home ground in 2010 in the cup, Ligue 1 and Champions League and now show a strong statistic in the league with 8 victories and 2 draws in 13 played with a good goal ration of 21 scored and 14 conceded.

Saint-Etienne is struggling in the bottom of the the table, only the 16th spot for them in 20 team and a 6 point advantage over the danger zone, not as nearly as they would have hoped.

As many of their points where won at home, the away statistic is disastrous with only 3 victories to their name and no less than 9 defeats including the last 3 played in all 13 matches and a goal ratio to go with this of 9 scored and 25 conceded.

My pick:  Lyon 04 to win

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Schalke 04 – VfB Stuttgart 12 March 2010

Schalke last 5 league matches:

Schalke last 3 home matches: 

Stuttgart last 5 league matches:

Stuttgart last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Schalke -2, Stuttgart -7

Schalke home table position: 3

Stuttgart away table position: 8

Friday match in the German Bundesliga with title contenders Schalke 04 welcoming mid-table Stuttgart for a very interesting match for the top standings configurations at the end of the week.

Schalke is revealing a great form in the domestic league ending in victory the last 2 matches played in the competition against uncomfortable competition Borussia Dortmund and away to Eintrach Frankfurt in a spectacular 4-1 display.

They reached the second spot of the table, trailing Bayern Munchen by only 2 points and profiting by Leverkusen’s downfall these past weeks. They look very strong when playing at home showing a statistic of 9 victories and 2 draws in 13 matches played and a very good goal ratio of 23 scored and only 9 conceded.

VfB Stuttgart made huge improvements from the poor display in the first half of the season and made a great leap in the table to the current 7th spot, still holding some chances of grabbing a spot in next season’s Europa League as they are 7 points from Dortmund and 4 from 6th Werder Bremen.

A great form for them as well these past few week with 3 victories in the last 5 matches played and losing only to Hamburg. Their statistic is still suffering from the first part of the season though with only 4 victories and 4 draws in 12 matches played away and a neutral goal ratio with 16 scored and conceded.

My pick:  SChalke 04 to win

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Lille – Liverpool 11 March 2010

*matches in all competitions

Lille last 5 matches:  

Lille last 3 home matches: 

Liverpool last 5 matches:

Liverpool last 3 away matches:

Europa League first leg of the 8th finals and one of the most interesting matches played on Thursday is this clash between Lille and Liverpool.

Lille is still in the fight for the title of champions in the French Ligue 1 but their good performances seem to have taken a turn for the worst with no victories in the last 2 matches of the competition, losing home to Auxerre and grabbing only one point from their trip to Saint Etienne.

These 2 results made them fall dramatically in the overall table, ending up now on the 6th spot but with only 4 points from leaders Bordeaux and Montpellier. They are a great team on home ground proving this with an incredible statistic of their results as they won 12 out of the past 13 matches played on their pitch also showing a great scoring appetite.

The fact that they have overcome an opponent such as Fenerbahce in the previous rounds says a lot about their intentions in the Europa League this year but with a team such as Liverpool their mission is very though.

Liverpool along with Juventus are the 2 giants that look like they don’t belong in this competition, one thing is shore though this tournament has showed over and over again that favorites often fall to the weakest of opponents.

This is joust a consolation run for Liverpool as they were aiming much higher in the Champions League but with oscillating results they managed only the third spot in the group. In the Premier League they are a long way from the top spot, settling for the 6th so far and joust as their adversaries suffered a defeat in the last match of the domestic league away to Wigan.

My tip:  Lille to win

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Real Madrid – Lyon 10 March 2010

*matches in all competitions

Real Madrid last 5 matches:  

Real Madrid last 3 home matches: 

Lyon last 5 matches:

Lyon last 3 away matches:

With a 1-0 result in the first leg for Lyon this should be a very interesting and disputed match and a chance for Real Madrid to show their strength in front of the home crowd.

Real Madrid is the clear favorite in this match with Olympique Lyon’s advantage of only one goal but the fact that the Spanish giants have no away goal may pose some problems and influence the overall result.

They are a real force on home pitch proving this with results in all competition from the Primera Division in which they have won all 13 matches played this season with an impressive goal ratio and also in the Champions League.

Lyon played a great match 2 weeks ago in the first leg between the 2 but their mission on Santiago Bernabeu is very hard, having to put up to the pressure of the supporters and a strong Real Madrid side on it’s own territory.

The French side suffered a setback and missed a great opportunity for the top spot last week as they settled with only one point from the trip to relegation bound Boulogne. They show some real problems in away matches lately with only one victory in the past 5 matches played in all competitions.

My tip:  Real Madrid to win (and qualify)

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Arsenal – FC Porto 9 March 2010

*matches in all competitions

Arsenal last 5 matches:  

Arsenal last 3 home matches:

Porto last 5 matches: 

Porto last 3 away matches: 

Second leg in this phase of the knock outs in the Champions League and Arsenal welcome FC Porto in their attempt to surpass a one goal deficit and make it to the next round.

A very close match in the first leg with FC Porto winning 2-1 in front of the home crowd but now things look very different as Arsenal is winning match after match in the English Premier League and sitting joust 2 points from leaders Manchester Unite and a Porto team that is having real difficulties in it’s domestic league with no chances for a championship title.

Arsenal is showing a superb form and with a total of 51 points their share the second spot of the Premier League with Chelsea ready to make a real surprise and aim for the first spot until the end of the season. The first leg results also favor the English side as the away goal could make a world of a difference but one threat for them comes from the growing list of injured players like Fabregas and Van Persie joust to name the top 2.

As expected FC Porto played a very good match in the first leg and managed the victory, but with joust 2-1 advantage their task is very hard on Arsenal’s pitch.

They are struggling in the Portuguese Liga having lost the derby match against Sporting Lisbon with an embarrassing 3-0 and last week managing only a draw against bottom side Olhanense.

My tip:  Arsenal to win (and qualify)

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