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)

Barcelona – Inter 28 April 2010

*matches in all competitions

Barcelona last 5 matches:  

Barcelona last 3 home matches: 

Inter last 5 matches:

Inter last 3 away matches:

The return leg of the second semi-final in the Champions League and Barcelona looks like they have a mountain to climb as they need to overcome a 3-1 aggregate scoreline against Inter on Camp Now this Wednesday.

Barcelona lost the first round played in Italy and worst than that they had very few opportunities to make any difference with their star player Lionel Messi marked at all times by 2 of Inter’s defenders.  They manage to win last week against Deportivo Xerez but their game was not impressive especially in the first half when the team looked very fragile in defense.

They hope that the home ground advantage will make the difference as they have made Camp Nou a fortress this season and most certainly Guardiola has studied Inter in dept to find their weak spot.

Inter is heading into this match with a very good morale both from the victory against Barcelona and more recently by reclaiming the top spot in the Serie A with a very good chance of keeping it to the end of the season thanks to their close victory away to Fiorentina and AS Roma’s defeat at the hands of Sampdoria.

Although their away play was not at all impressive this season, with a 3-1 advantage they will do what they know best and that is defending in my opinion from the start of the match and clustering players in their half so Barcelona will not have much space to work with.

My tip:  Barcelona to win

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Inter – Atalanta 24 April 2010

Inter last 5 league matches:

Inter last 3 home matches:

Atalanta last 5 league matches: 

Atalanta last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Inter - 2, Atalanta - 18

Inter home table position: 1

Atalanta away table position: 18

Just 2 matches are being played on Saturday in the Italian Serie A and between them this one in which current champions Inter welcome a struggling Atalanta.

Inter is in a fine form and with a good morale after 2 straight victories, bots against world class opponents, Juventus in the Serie a and Barcelona in the Champions league this week at the end of a superb display of football on Tuesday.

They still trail AS Roma by one point in the table as their direct opponents managed to come back after being led by Lazio in the Roma derby and won 1-2 with Vicinic scoring a double. Inter has the best home statistic of all teams in the competition with 13 victories and 4 draws in all 17 played showing a great goal ratio of 35 scored and 11 conceded.

Atalanta is still in the relegation zone with a total 34 points they sit just 2 under salvation and the team is showing important signs of recovery with 3 victories in the last 5 matches played making the battle at the bottom of the table a very disputed one.

Although they managed to grab important points lately, they all have been on home ground as in away things are terrible with no points in the last 4 trips and a total of just 2 victories and 3 draws in 17 played.

My pick: Inter to win

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Inter – Barcelona 20 April 2010

*matches in all competitions

Inter last 5 matches:  

Inter last 3 home matches: 

Barcelona last 5 matches: 

Barcelona last 3 away matches:

First semi-final of the Champions League, a true match of champions as Internazionale Milan welcome Spanish giants Barcelona for the 3rd clush between them this season after the group confrontations.

Barcelona dominated in the group confrontations in the start of the season with a goalless draw on Inter’s pitch and a 2-0 victory on Camp Nou, but now the Italian squad seems to have the upper hand and the favorite status at least in this first leg.

Inter is heading into this match with a very good morale after maintaining themselves in the Serie A championship title chase last week with a victory over rivals Juventus and displaying a very good form in the process.

Home matches are their specialty with superb statistics both in the domestic league and the Champions League but the team needs to start in force against Barcelona and block all Catalan attempts to score if they are to stand a chance for the big final.

Barcelona will be heading into this match highly motivated after losing ground last week in the Spanish Primera Division with their goalless draw against local rivals Espanyol. A very though trip for them which saw Dani Alves leaving the pitch on the 62′ after receiving the second yellow card.

They don’t seem to have any complex against Inter or their coach but i expect a very close match with both teams striving to get a goal in whilst concentrating on the defense.

My tip:  Draw

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Inter – Juventus 16 April 2010

Inter last 5 league matches:

Inter last 3 home matches: 

Juventus last 5 league matches:

Juventus last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Inter - 2, Juventus - 6

Inter home table position: 3

Juventus away table position: 4

Stadio Giuseppe Meazza will host an important venue on Friday as Internazionale Milano welcomes Juventus for this traditional derby of the Serie A.

After a long domination in the competition, Inter lost it’s first spot of the Serie A to AS Roma and now trail them by only 1 point making this a very important match for them as one mistake could see them out of the race and their adversaries building a comfortable position.

The team is going through a though phase with only 2 victories in the last 7 matches of the tournament and showing real problems in morale and motivation as in the Champions League their game is much improved over what they have showed in the championship. They still look solid on home ground with 12 victories and 4 draws in all 16 played and a very good goal ratio of 33 scored and only 11 conceded.

Juventus has taken a huge plunge in the standings and ended up on the 6th spot with real pressure from next in line Napoli but still prospects of claiming a Champions League spot for next season as 4th Palermo are just 3 points away.

Two victories for them in the last 3 matches played but both obtained with lower ranked teams of the competition Atalanta and Cagliari and showing real problems in away games failing to grab any points from the last 3 bringing the record to 7 victories, 2 draws and no less than 7 defeats.

My pick: Inter to win

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Inter – Bologna 3 April 2010

Inter last 5 league matches:

Inter last 3 home matches:

Bologna last 5 league matches: 

Bologna last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Inter - 1, Bologna - 15

Inter home table position: 3

Bologna away table position: 12

As AS Roma managed a win over Inter in the last round of the Serie A, things are heating up again at the top of the table with only 1 point separating the 2 teams. This is a great opportunity for Inter to get the morale boost they need and with a conclusive victory over struggling Bologna but as seen in previous matches the determining fact is motivation for the current champions.

Inter already grabbed an important victory in the Champions League this week against CSKA Moskva but the scoreline of 1-0 is only encouraging as their adversaries have not scored away. In the Serie A things are much more complicated with Inter managing only one victory in the last 5 matches played and holding on to the top spot especially due to AC Milan’s downfall.

Even Giussepe Meazza doesn’t seem to be the fortress it one was as they won only one of the past 3 matches on home ground bringing the statistic to 11 victories and 4 draws, reassuring remains the goal ratio of 30 scored and only 11 conceded.

Bologna has fallen dramatically in the standings in the recent period with 3 losses in the last 3 matches played in the tournament and now a total of  just 35 points, only 7 above the relegation zone and if all goes in the same manner they have real reasons to be caution.

A very poor statistic in away matches for them with the last 2 played ending in losses they won only 3 and 4 draws in all 15 played with a very poor goal ratio of 14 scored and no less than 22 conceded.

My pick:  Inter to win

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Roma - Inter 26 March 2010

Roma last 5 league matches:

Roma last 3 home matches: 

Inter last 5 league matches: 

Inter last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Roma - 3, Inter -1

Roma home table position: 2

Inter away table position: 1

A very good week so far for Inter as they managed to win over Livorno and Ac Milan stumbled away to Parma but the trip to Roma is certain to put up more problems.

As Roma is in a good shape after wining the last 2 matches of the competition and entering the championship total race as they are on the third spot with a total of 59 points, 4 from the leaders and current opposition, Inter Milan.

They are very strong on home ground with no less than 12 victories so far and 1 draw, losing only 2 in all 15 played and showing a very good goal ratio of 29 scored and 12 conceded, a great appetite for offensive football.

Inter thrashed Livorno this week 3-0 the final score but this match will most certainly cause more problems especially as they will travel to a packed stadium of hostile supporters.

The team still holds the best statistic for away matches in this competition with 7 victories and 5 draws in 15 matches played on other stadiums with a good goal ratio of 27 scored and 15 conceded.

With both teams playing on offense this match will probably be one with many goals and occasions at both posts.

My pick:  AS Roma to win

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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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Inter last 5 league matches:

Inter last 3 home matches: 

Genoa last 5 league matches:

Genoa last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Inter -4, Genoa -9

Inter home table position: 10

Genoa away table position: 9

With rivals AC Milan becoming a real threat in the fight for the top spot, Internazionale Milan seem to have found their motivation and started winning matches in the last week with the hope of continuing this good streak against Genoa this Sunday.

Inter gained a great deal in terms of morale as they defeated Chelsea in the Champions League and managed to successfully complete their difficult trip to Udinese and claim the vital 3 points in a 3-2 victory.

They still maintain a 4 point advantage at the top of the Serie A table over second Milan and no less than 7 over AS Roma. The champions look very strong when looking at the home pitch statistic in the competition with 10 victories and 3 draws in all 13 played and a very good goal ratio for the Italian championship of 27 scored and 11 conceded.

Genoa is mid table for now in th standings with some hope of claiming a Europa League spot at the end of the season but with though opposition in achieving this from Napoli, Sampdoria and Cagliari.

They seem to be alternating good performances coped with 3 point results with poor displays especially when traveling. In away matches their statistic is awful managing to win only 2 and end 2 in draws in all 12 played and a negative goal ratio of 12 scored and no less than 23 conceded.

My pick:  Inter to win

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*matches in all competitions

Inter last 5 matches:  

Inter last 3 home matches: 

Chelsea last 5 matches:

Chelsea last 3 away matches:

With both Inter and Chelsea leading in their domestic leagues, this looks like the match of the evening in the Champions League with the traditional Italian-English rivalry placing it’s mark.

Internazionale Milan has lost ground lately, with important points waisted against lower ranked teams and now only 5 points separate them from followers AS Roma in the Serie A.

Their last match saw 2 of their players sent off in a very tense matches, but the team managed to resist and claim a point i their goalless draw against Sampdoria. They are a team that is dominating adversaries on home ground from start to finish but Chelsea is a though nut to crack. It all depends on how well the players can be motivated in this crucial phase of the competition.

Chelsea is in a similar position in the English Premier League, with a 4 point advantage over Manchester United and feeling the pressure from their rivals. In the last 5 played they ended one in a draw against Hull City and lost against Everton, both matches away.

Only one victory for them in the last 3 matches played whilst traveling and important injuries like Deco, A. Cole, M. Essien and J. Bosingwa, all valuable players especially with such a busy schedule.

My tip:  Draw

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