Champions League Final

Bayern Munchen – Inter 22 May 2010

*matches in all competitions

Bayern last 5 matches:  

Bayern last 3 UCL matches:

Inter last 5 matches: 

Inter last 3 UCL matches: 

The match that all have been waiting for, the Champions League final between Bayern Munchen and Internazionale Milan this Saturday on Santiago Bernabeu.

Both Bayern and Inter have plenty to cheer about in this season, Bayern with the Bundesliga title in the bag and winners over the DFB Pokal as well as Inter with yet another Serie A title of champions and the Coppa Italia aiming for the ultimate trophy in club football.

Bayern has finished the Bundesliga season in stile with 2 victories over Bochum and Herta 3-1 the final score followed by a clear victory in the DFB Pokal final 4-0 over Werder Bremen. Their season suffered a slow start in all competition but the team kept growing match after match passing Fiorentina, Manchester United and Lyon in the knock out stages of the UCL.

Frank Ribery is their big star to miss this match after a suspension but with Altintop to take it’s place the team will gain a better defender on the flank. Sneijder is the big player to watch, surely after a superb season he will want to prove it all in the much anticipated final.

Inter Milan finished the season in the Serie A with a 0-1 victory away to Siena but this final is all there is on their mind missing this ultimate trophy for almost 50 years. Although they dominated the domestic league since 2000, their performances in international events have been limited.

Running past though opposition like Chelsea, CSKA Moskva and last year’s champions Barcelona, Inter Milan proved that a strong team and tactics will make them overcome any opponent.

A big miss for them will be Tiago Motta who was sent out during the last match with Barcelona, adding to Davide Santon’s long injury and Ivan Cordoba presence in doubt.

My tip:  Bayern Munchen to win ( 2-1 scoreline)

Bayern Munchen – Bochum 1 May 2010

Bayern last 5 league matches:

Bayern last 3 home matches: 

Bochum last 5 league matches:

Bochum last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Bayern - 1, Bochum - 16

Bayern home table position: 1

Bochum away table position: 12

Only 2 more round to go in the German Bundesliga and Bayern Munchen are on their road to make this an historical season with a spot in the Champions League final reserved and the first chance in getting the domestic league champions title.

They are clear favorites in this match against a struggling VfL Bochum especially as they will play on home field and the stadium will be packed of supporters welcoming them back after eliminating Olympique Lyon in the UCL.

The team has the best home record of all teams in the competition with no less than 11 victories and 4 draws in 16 played so far and a clear goal ratio of 36 scored and only 12 conceded.

VfL Bochum are on a dangerous 16th spot of the Bundesliga table and facing at least a knock-out to remain in the first league. With a total of just 28 points and no victories in the last 10 matches played they could prove as saviors for Hannover who are just one point behind.

Only 4 victories and 4 draws for them in all 16 away matches this season completed by a terrible goal ratio of 14 scored and 26 conceded.

My pick: Bayern Munchen to win (over 2.5 goals)

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Lyon – Bayern Munchen 27 April 2010

*matches in all competitions

Lyon last 5 matches:  

Lyon last 3 home matches: 

Bayern last 5 matches:

Bayern last 3 away matches:

The return leg of this semi-final in the Champions League and Bayern Munchen is traveling to Olympique Lyon with an aggregate advantage of just one goal.

Lyon has taken dramatic plunge in results in all competitions in which they are involved, both the French Ligue 1 and the Champions League. They are now out of the race for the title of champions in the domestic league and even in danger of missing out on any European tournaments next season as they currently sit on the 5th spot with pressure from next in line Bordeaux.

A positive factor for the French giants could be the fact that they have not played any matches last week in the championship and this could lead to a fresh display on the pitch but with no victories in the last 4 games played, morale is a real problem.

Bayern Munchen will be heading into this crucial match after a 1 all draw in the Bundesliga against Borussia Monchengladback in a very closed game with few opportunities on both sides. Even with this negative result, the team manages to keep their first spot of the table but only in front of Schalke 04 due to goal ratio.

They have the better chance in advancing with their one goal victory in the first round and especially the fact that they did not concede any. I expect them to play a very defensive match and base their offensive strategy on Robben and Ribery’s speed and tactical display.

My tip:  Draw

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Bayern Munchen – Lyon 21 April 2010

*matches in all competitions

Bayern last 5 matches:  

Bayern last 3 home matches:

Lyon last 5 matches: 

Lyon last 3 away matches:

The second semi-final match of the Champions League 2009-1010 season and with Bayern Munchen welcoming Olympique Lyon we are guaranteed yet another night of spectacle in the competition.

No doubt the big favorite to win this match and even advance is Bayern Munchen as they eliminated one of the big favorites for the trophy in 2 dramatical games against Manchester United 2-1 on home ground and a 3-2 loss away.

The first part of this season when Bayern’s season seemed compromised is a total different story for what the team is achieving now, semi finalist in the Champions League so far and 2 points advantage in the Bundesliga table.

They certainly are a very strong team on home ground and their fantastic 7-0 victory over Hannover 96 this weekend speaks volumes about their offensive force, morale and current form.

Olympique Lyon, on the other side, seems to have taken a plunge with no victories in the last 3 matches played in all competitions, a loss against Bordeaux in the return leg of the Champions League and 2 consecutive draws in the French Ligue 1 championship.

Away matches have been a problem with their record showing only 1 victory in the last 6 played and without victory in the last 3 Champions League trips against Fiorentina, Real Madrid and Bordeaux.

My tip:  Bayern Munchen to win

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Bayern Munchen – Hannover 17 April 2010

Bayern last 5 league matches:

Bayern last 3 home matches:

Hannover last 5 league matches:

Hannover last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Bayern - 1, Hannover - 16

Bayern home table position: 2

Hannover away table position: 16

With only a slight advantage over Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga table, Bayern Munchen has a great opportunity on home ground to build on their lead as they welcome a struggling Hannover.

Only 2 victories for Bayern Munchen in the last 4 matches played in the competition but good results in the last 2, both played away first a victory over their closest competitors Schalke and a draw in the last round away to third Bayer Leverkusen.

They have the best statistic so far on home ground with no less than 10 victories and 4 draws in 15 matches played, losing only against Stuttgart but maintaining a good goal ratio of 26 scored and 12 conceded.

Hannover is on the 16th spot of the Bundesliga table, a spot that leads to a knock-out for them to remain in the first league but with a total of 27 points they are just one point short of salvation. Their recent performances might give them some hope in achieving their objective as they claimed 7 point out of the past 5 matches and pose a real threat to Bayern as they are highly motivated to take advantage of any opportunity.

Their away record is disastrous with only 3 victories and 2 draws in 14 played as it’s the goal ratio they now have, 13 scored and no less than 24 conceded showing the worst defense in the league.

My pick: Bayern Munchen to win

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Manchester United – Bayern Munchen 7 April 2010, Champions League

*matches in all competitions

Manchester last 5 matches:  

Manchester last 3 home matches: 

Bayern last 5 matches:

Bayern last 3 away matches:

One of the most exciting and disputed matches of this stage in the Champions League with Manchester United starting with one goal deficit against Bayern Munchen.

The first round of the confrontation was started perfectly by Manchester United with a goal in the early minutes but then gradually, Bayern took th lead of the game and managed to score the winning goal late, making the outcome of this clash very hard to predict.

The pressure seems to be on Manchester United as the team lost the derby match last week against Chelsea on home ground and felt on the second spot with 2 points gap from their adversaries. Two defeats in a row is not something that Man United is used with and with the Champions League trophy as an objective, determination is not a problem.

The home side has some problems with the players as top striker Wayne Rooney is out due to injury as well are O’Shea and Anderson to name the most important.

Bayern Munchen is heading into this important match with a very good morale as they managed to defeat Schalke 04 in the weekend and reclaim the top spot of the Bundesliga. In the first leg of the match they have proven once again that until the final whistle blows nothing is decided.

They have had great results in away matches recently and will step into this one with defense as their main strategy hoping that Ribery’s speed will cause real problems on counter-attack.

My tip:  Draw

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Schalke 04 – Bayern Munchen 3 April 2010

Schalke last 5 league matches:

Schalke last 3 home matches: 

Bayern last 5 league matches: 

Bayern last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Schalke - 1, Bayern -2

Schalke home table position: 3

Bayern away table position: 4

On Saturday all eyes on this derby match between the first 2 spots of the Bundesliga table with Schalke having a slight advantage due to their better performances in the last few games.

Schalke 04 got a 2 point advantage over Bayern Munchen and lead the Bundesliga with one of their best chances in the last few years to win the champions title, making this match a crucial one as they could get a comfortable lead in case of a victory.

The team is showing a very good form with 4 victories in the last 5 matches and only one draw, 2-2 away to Hamburger SV. They look very strong on home ground this season with 10 victories and 2 draws in 14 matches played with a good goal ratio of 25 scored and 10 conceded.

Of the 2 teams, Bayern seems to have an easier schedule in the last 6 rounds left of the Bundesliga with only Schalke and Leverkusen as strong opposition but with 2 defeats in the last 2 rounds of the competition they made it very easy for their adversaries to overpower them and take the lead.

Bayern Munchen has not won any of the previous 3 away matches, ending 2 in draws against struggling bottom sides Nurnberg and Koln and losing against to Frankfurt displaying a poor form in all 3 and struggling especially in the offense. Tows results completed a modest away statistic with only 6 victories and 4 draws in 13 played.

My pick:  Schalke 04 to win

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Bayern Munchen – Stuttgart 26 March 2010

Bayern last 5 league matches:

Bayern last 3 home matches: 

Stuttgart last 5 league matches:

Stuttgart last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Bayern - 1, Stuttgart -7

Bayern home table position: 1

Stuttgart away table position: 10

There must be something about that first place in the German Bundesliga as all of the teams that until now have claimed it started having difficulties, this is the case with Bayern Munchen which after an incredible display of form and results has own only 2 of the past 5 played and have a very difficult match at hand against a rising VfB Stuttgart.

Bayern is heading into this match after a defeat in the last round away to Eintrach Frankfurt and with a total of 56 points they are only one point above Schalke and 3 from third Bayer Leverkusen.

The team’s home statistic would definitely recommend them as favorites for all 3 points as Bayern has won 10 and ended 4 draws, never tasting defeat this season and with a strong goal ratio of 28 scored and 10 conceded.

Stuttgart made an impressive recovery of their season and after starting off in the bottom of the table they have climbed up to the current 7th spot with 38 points but still with quite some distance from a place that will grant them access to next season’s Europa League.

Their statistic in away matches is still modest having ended in victory only 4 matches so far with another 4 draws in all 13 played and holding a negative goal ratio of 17 scored and no less than 18 conceded.

My pick:  Bayern Munchento win

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