Serie A Preview: Atalanta - Chievo Verona

Atalanta look to bounce back from last weekend’s surprise defeat to Sampdoria with a victory over lowly Chievo Verona on Sunday afternoon…

Kick off: Sunday, March 01, 15:00 CET, Bergamo, Italy

Home Cooking

Atalanta currently sit in eighth place in the domestic table and have put together a successful season so far. The Nerazzurri have a realistic shot of securing a coveted UEFA Cup spot if their good form continues in the business end of the campaign.
Luigi Del Neri’s men were riding a season-high three-match winning streak before it was surprisingly snapped by Sampdoria last weekend. Del Neri was less than pleased with the outcome and warned his players to concentrate on survival rather than European glory.
"We look too much for beautiful goals,” he said, speaking after the Sampdoria loss. “There was talk of qualifying for Europe but I think about reaching safety. We might talk about Europe next season but then we can't afford drops in concentration like today. We are built to achieve safety and we have to do it quickly. Our objective remains safety and that's it."
Atalanta's inconsistency away from home has been one of their major flaws this season as they have only managed two wins on the road. This is in stark contrast to their home form; they have brushed aside the likes of Inter Milan and Rome with relative ease at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia.
Atalanta will look to bounce back from the disappointing loss to Samp and will welcome lowly Chievo to Bergamo on Sunday. The home side will be the heavy favourites and will need all three points to continue their European quest - whether their manager wants to admit it or not.

Survival Mode

Chievo have been mired in the relegation zone for most of the season but have been fighting off Serie A extinction with renewed vigour as of late, losing only one match in the new calendar year.
Domenico Di Carlo’s men drew their first match after the winter break but then went on to defeat Napoli and Reggina to give their supporters hope that safe land was on the horizon.
After four consecutive 1-1 draws, Chievo lost a controversial thriller to Fiorentina last weekend when Adrian Mutu scored an injury time winner on an attack that the Flying Donkeys thought began with a blatant foul on one of their players.
A precious point was lost and Di Carlo was less than pleased with the final outcome but urged his troops to put the defeat behind them
"There's no point talking about the unfavourable episodes against Fiorentina," he said. "I have nothing to say against the players. My team has shown personality but now we must concentrate on Atalanta."
Chievo will travel to Bergamo, where obtaining a positive result is easier said than done, to face Atalanta on Sunday and even a draw would go a long way in helping the Flying Donkey’s in their attempt soar out of the relegation zone by season’s end.

TEAM FORM

Atalanta

February 22 vs Sampdoria (A) LOST 1-0
February 15 vs Roma (H) WON 3-0
February 08 vs Cagliari (A) WON 1-0
February 01 vs Catania (H) WON 1-0
January 28 vs Bologna (A) LOST 1-0

Chievo Verona

February 22 vs Fiorentina (A) LOST 2-1
February 15 vs Catania (H) DREW 1-1
February 08 vs Torino (A) DREW 1-1
February 01 vs Sampdoria (H) DREW 1-1
January 28 vs Lecce (H) DREW 1-1

TEAM NEWS

Atalanta

Del Neri will be without the services of Cristiano Doni, Jose Leonardo Talamonti and Christian Vieri, who are all nursing various types of injuries.
Possible starting XI- Consigli- Garics, Capelli, Manfredini, Bellini- Ferreira Pinto, Cigarini, Guarente, Padoin, Valdes- Floccari

Chievo Verona

Di Carlo has no serious injuries to contend with but will be without the influential sharpshooter Vincenzo Italiano, who will miss out through suspension.
Possible starting XI- Sorrentino- Frey, Morero, Yepes, Mantovani- Luciano, Marcolini, Bentivoglio- Pinzi, Pellissier, Makinwa

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Luca Cigarini ( Atalanta )

The club’s marquee summer signing returned from a long injury lay-off and injected the midfield with some creativity and flair that sparked his side to three straight victories before losing to Sampdoria last weekend. He will be in the thick of things on Sunday afternoon as he tries to link up with Sergio Floccari in what should be a straightforward affair against Chievo

Sergio Pellissier ( Chievo Verona )

The Chievo captain has been a bit of a disappointment this season after leading the Flying Donkey’s out of the Serie B last term. He has found the back of the net only three times in 25 games and needs to find his goal scoring touch sooner than later if Chievo wish to retain their Serie A status.

PREDICTION

Atalanta are a tough nut to crack at home and even without Doni should cruise to a comfortable victory with Floccari bagging a brace in the process.

Atalanta 2-0 Chievo Verona

Max De Luca, Goal.com
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Serie A Preview: Palermo – Catania

The Sicilian derby takes place in Palermo this weekend, as the Rosanero host Catania in what is certain to be a fiery affair in the south of Italy.

Kick-Off: Saturday 1 March, 15:00 CET. Renzo Barbera Stadium, Palermo.

European Football On Palermo’s Agenda

Palermo had an outstanding start to 2009, as they managed to win their first three matches of the year, against Atalanta, Sampdoria and Udinese respectively. Since then however, their results and form have gone from bad to worse, with just one win and three goals recorded in their past five outings.
Despite their inconsistency of late, the Rosanero still find themselves in the top half of the table, and in a position where they can challenge for European football next term.
In fact, the home side in this match are seven points adrift of the sixth placed Roma, the team that occupies the sixth and final European qualifying position. In addition to this, just one point separates them and the seventh placed Cagliari, a position that will guarantee a club a spot in Europe next season, if Inter and Juventus are to make the Coppa Italia final.
With this in mind, Davide Ballardini’s men will be desperate to win this contest, to ensure that they maintain the pace with Cagliari, as well as Atalanta, who they currently are equal on points with.
Fortunately for their sake, this weekend’s Sicilian derby is scheduled to be played at the Renzo Barbera stadium in Palermo, a ground that has become a fortress for the club, as they have recorded nine wins, no draws and only three defeats this season.
This should give them enough confidence in the lead up to the match; however they will need to be switched on for the entire 90 minutes against their fierce rivals, if they are to attain a positive result this weekend.

Catania Edging Closer To Drop Zone

Catania were one of the surprise packets in the first half of the campaign, as they managed to comfortably sit in the top half of the table towards the end of 2008. Since then however, they have dropped off completely, and consequently their position in the standings has worsened.
At present, the Sicilian outfit are in thirteenth place, just eight points clear of the relegation zone, and although they may not be in danger of losing their topflight status at this point in time, a few more negative results may very well change that.
In addition to this, their form this year has been disastrous, so the signs are not looking good for them. In fact, last weekend’s 2-0 victory over the cellar dwellers Reggina was to be their first of 2009, after they had failed to do so in their opening seven fixtures.
Their most impressive results this term have come in front of their own fans, although unfortunately for their sake, this particular match will be played away from their Angelo Massimiliano stadium.
Their away form this season has been dreadful to say the least, so the Rossazzurri will certainly not be confident heading into this encounter with a team that has one of the best home records to their name.
In fact, in 12 matches on the road thus far, Walter Zenga’s men have managed just six goals and zero victories. In addition to this they have recorded five draws along the way; however the main issue for the club is that they have the worst traveling record in the competition.
With this in mind, a draw would be an acceptable result for the visitors in this match, as Zenga and his players will certainly be aware of the fact that their opponents simply must win, as they can ill afford to lose more ground in the race for European qualification.
Catania defeated Palermo earlier in the season by a 2-0 score line, and if they can play half as well as they did on that day, then anything could be possible at the Renzo Barbera stadium this weekend.

FORM GUIDE

Palermo

February 21 v Juventus (H) LOST 0-2
February 15 v Reggina (A) DREW 0-0
February 8 v Napoli (H) WON 2-1
February 1 v Genoa (A) LOST 0-1
January 28 v Roma (H) LOST 1-2

Catania

February 22 v Reggina (H) WON 2-0
February 15 v Chievo (A) DREW 1-1
February 8 v Juventus (H) LOST 1-2
February 1 v Atalanta (H) LOST 0-1
January 28 v Inter (H) LOST 2-0

TEAM NEWS

Palermo:

The news on the injury front is fairly positive for the Rosanero, as they are only without Levan Mchedlidze and the long term casualty Igor Budan. Ballardini is likely to employ his traditional 4-3-1-2 formation that has worked wonders for his team this season, with Fabio Simplicio playing in behind Fabrizio Miccoli and Edison Cavani up front.
Possible Starting XI – (4-3-1-2): Amelia; Cassani, Kjaer, Bovo, Balzaretti; Nocerino, Liverani, Bresciano; Simplicio; Cavani, Miccoli.

Catania:

Walter Zenga has a full strength squad available for the Sicilian derby, as there are no injuries or suspensions to deal with for his side. A whole host of players are one booking away from a one match ban however, and so they will have to be careful this weekend. These players include Albano Bizzarri, Pablo Ledesma, Jorge Andres Martinez, Giuseppe Mascara, Michele Paolucci and Takayuki Morimoto, the last three of which are in line to head the Catania attack in this match.
Possible Starting XI – (4-3-3): Bizzarri; Potenza, Silvestre, Stovini, Capuano; Biagianti, Ledesma, Tedesco; Morimoto, Paolucci, Mascara.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Palermo – Fabrizio Miccoli: The Rosanero hitman is going to need to be at his best to ensure that his side achieve their desired outcome this weekend. Despite their opponent’s inconsistent form at present, Miccoli will be aware that Catania will be as motivated as ever to perform well in this match, so the 29-year-old veteran must lead from the front right from the onset.

Catania – Albano Bizzarri: The Argentinean goal keeper has been simply spectacular this season, and he will need to put in another outstanding performance if his side are to take anything away from this contest. Palermo have been brilliant at the Renzo Barbera this term, as they have managed 23 goals in 12 matches, and because of Catania’s inability to score on the road, the 31-year-old must be switched on from the word go.

PREDICTION

This match is certain to be a fiery affair, between two sides that will be desperate to claim victory for differing reasons. The Rosanero need a victory to enhance their chances of qualifying for Europe next season, whilst the Etnei require the three points to calm their relegation fears. For that reason I am expecting this one to end all square, with Miccoli and Paolucci finding the back of the net in the process.

Palermo 1-1 Catania

Adrian Del Monte, Goal.com
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Serie A Preview: Udinese - Lecce

Udinese and Lecce both desperately need points when the two meet in the north on Sunday...


Kick-Off: Sunday, March 1, 15:00 CET. Stadio Friuli, Udine

Matching European & Domestic Form

Udinese remained the last Italian side in the UEFA Cup when Thursday evening arrived. Their 2-1 victory over Polish side, Lech Poznan left them flying the flag for the whole country, and they will want to translate some of that confidence into Serie A points.
In the league however, the Zebrette have not been able to recapture last year’s form. They currently lie outside the top ten in Serie A, and European football next season looks a long way away, unless they go the full distance and triumph in this term's UEFA Cup.
They have not won in the league since Febuary 8, when they secured a home victory against Bologna. Since then, there was the draw against Siena, and the shocking loss to Torino in the last round. It seems teams have gotten used to coach, Pasquale Marino impressive front three.

Falling Down

Lecce have now lost three in a row, and their league position is beginning to reflect their bad form.
Their last points in the league, came on February 1, when they won away to Siena. Everything looked rosy then, but how quickly things have changed.
With Torino beating the southerners' opponents, Udinese, in the last round, Il Toro condemned Lecce to the relegation zone. Today’s visitors are only a point behind however, and there is no need for Mario Beretta or his men to panic yet.
But it is a case of clear and present danger, and if they are to get out of this hole, they better start working... and fast.
Lecce have been unlucky in recent games, though. Against Cagliari, only the woodwork denied them an equaliser before the Sardinians got their second goal.
And although they were outplayed by Lazio over the course of their last match, things could have been so different, and the Biancocelesti really had the post to thank.
If they are to stay in Italy’s top division, Beretta’s team will have to somehow change their luck.

FORM GUIDE

Udinese

08/02 (Serie A): Udinese 1-0 Bologna
15/02 (Serie A): Siena 1-1 Udinese
19/02 (Serie A): Lech Poznan 2-2 Udinese
22/02 (Serie A): Torino 1-0 Udinese
26/02 (Serie A): Udinese 2–1 Lech Poznan

Lecce

28/01 (Serie A): Chievo 1-1 Lecce
01/02 (Serie A): Siena 1-2 Lecce
07/02 (Serie A): Lecce 0-3 Inter
15/02 (Serie A): Cagliari 2-0 Lecce
22/02 (Serie A): Lecce 0-2 Lazio

TEAM NEWS

Udinese

It is always easier to get over fatigue when you have won, and that will surely be the case here.
The 4-3-3 formation is one they use to good effect, and unless anyone feels drained, the team should be similar to the one that played on Thursday. The only exception should be the inclusion of Dias Felipe in central defence to replace Maurizio Domizzi, who has to serve a two-match ban following his sending off at the end of the Torino game for protesting too vehemently when his side was denied a penalty.
Possible Formation (4-3-3): Belardi – Zapata, Coda, Felipe, Pasquale – Inler, D'Agostino, Isla – Pepe, Quagliarella, Di Natale

Lecce

It looks like Beretta will make a handful of changes, including a formation switch to a 3-5-2 system for this match, with Andrea Esposito as third central defender beside Guglielmo Stendardo and Brazilian, Fabiano.
In midfield, another Samba-man, Angelo, could come in for Guillermo Giacomazzi, who seems to have picked up a knock. In attack, Daniele Cacia, looks like he will not make this clash, leaving Jose Castillo to slot back in up front to partner Simone Tiribocchi.
Possible Formation (3-5-2): Benussi – Stendardo, Fabiano, Esposito – Angelo, Munari, Edinho, Caserta, Ariatti – Castillo, Tiribocchi

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Udinese

Two of the home side’s three strikers were on target in midweek. While Antonio Di Natale and Simone Pepe got the goals, it was Kwadwo Asamoah who stood out, but whether or not he did well enough to earn a starting spot in this one remains to be seen.
Young midfielder Gaetano D’Agostino also had a good game, and he is fast becoming the player who creates chances and inspires the side.

Lecce

Their two best players at present are at opposite ends of the pitch. Despite the string of bad results, goalkeeper Francesco Benussi has been doing superbly well.
At the other end, forward Simone Tiribocchi has been coming close to earning vital points for his team, game after game, but maybe this time he will manage something significant.

PREDICTION

The home side have been very shaky in the league recently, but with Lecce’s situation getting ever more dangerous, the Udine outfit could get a decent result, although this one should end in a draw.

Udinese 1-1 Lecce

Simone Finaldi, Goal.com
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UEFA Cup Preview: CSKA Moscow – Aston Villa

After achieving a 1-1 draw at Villa Park, CSKA Moscow welcome a weakened Aston Villa side to Russia hoping to finish the job and secure their place in the last 16.

Kick-Off: Thursday, February 26, 2009, 17.00 GMT. Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.

From Russia With Love

Vagner Love was the name on most lips after the first leg of this tie which ended 1-1 at Villa Park.
The Brazilian opened the scoring with a great strike, later cancelled out by John Carew, to ensure he remains the tournament’s top scorer.
His goal has only increased interest in the striker, especially from the Premier League, where Chelsea have reportedly joined his long list of suitors.
Love’s strike also means that CSKA possess a vital away goal which could prove so crucial in this tie.
Therefore,Villa must score on the plastic pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium if they are to progress to a last 16 date with either Shakhtar Donetsk or Tottenham Hotspur.
Zico’s men, meanwhile, will know that a goalless draw will be enough to see them through, but with Love in their ranks they will be confident of finding the back of the Villa net again.

Premier Priorities

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has made his priorities for this season plain by leaving eight first-team regulars back in Birmingham for the second leg.
Brad Friedel, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Emile Heskey, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and Stiliyan Petrov all miss out as Villa concentrate their energies on the quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Despite losing to Chelsea at the weekend, the Midlanders remain fourth, six points ahead of Arsenal in fifth, meaning their mission to secure Champions League football next season remains on track.
Defending his decision to rest so many players O’Neill insisted his squad simply is not strong enough to cope with the demands of UEFA Cup and Premier League action, and claimed his squad section was “realistic” and not “defeatist”.
The Villa boss pointed to his side’s defeat to Chelsea at the weekend as evidence his players were tired and needed a break, and with Stoke City looming at the weekend, O’Neill is eager not to see tired legs for a second successive weekend.

FORM GUIDE

Last Five Results

CSKA Moscow

Feb 18: Aston Villa 1-1 CSKA Moscow
Dec 4: Nancy 3-4 CSKA Moscow
Nov 27: CSKA Moscow 2-1 Lech Poznan
Nov 22: Shinnik 1-0 CSKA Moscow
Nov 16: CSKA Moscow 4-0 Rubin

Aston Villa

Feb 21: Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Feb 18: Aston Villa 1-1 CSKA Moscow
Feb 15: Everton 3-1 Aston Villa
Feb 7: Blackburn 0-2 Aston Villa
Feb 4: Aston Villa 3-1 Doncaster Rovers

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa

Villa rest eight first teamers as they concentrate on domestic matters. Whilst the back four remains fairly intact Brad Guzan replaces Brad Friedel in goal whilst up front John Carew may be partnered by young Nathan Delfouneso.
Possible Starting XI: Guzan, Luke Young, Davies, Knight, Shorey, Sidwell, Salifou, Gardner, Osbourne, Carew, Delfouneso.

CSKA Moscow

Anton Grigoriev and Deividas Semberas are both available after missing the first leg through suspension.
Possible Starting XI: Akinfeev, Grigoriev, Vasili Berezutsky, Ignashevich, Alexei Berezutsky, Semberas, Rahimic, Aldonin, Zhirkov, Dzagoev, Vagner Love.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aston Villa – John Carew

The Norwegian striker is one of few experienced names in O’Neill’s squad for the second leg.
Villa must score to have any chance of progressing in the tie and Carew, who cancelled out Vagner Love’s opener at Villa Park, will hope he can breach the Moscow defence for a second time.

CSKA Moscow – Vagner Love

It is difficult to look past Moscow’s flamboyant striker Love, who lived up to his billing with a superb strike in the first leg.
The Brazilian has nine goals already in this competition and another on Thursday night would make Villa’s task very, very hard indeed.

PREDICTION

A full-strength Aston Villa side could only manage a draw with CSKA at Villa Park which suggests a weakened side may well struggle away in Moscow.
Villa must score to continue in the tournament but with Love on the opposing side you feel they will need at least two.
With the likes of Ashley Young, Gareth Barry and Gabriel Agbonlahor all missing this looks a tough test and could prove to be a step too far for Villa’s small squad.

Prediction: CSKA Moscow 2-0 Aston Villa

Gill Clark, Goal.com
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UEFA Cup Preview: Milan-Werder Bremen

The draw between these two sides last week leaves the tie still up in the air heading into the second leg in Milan.

Kick-Off: Thursday, February 26, 20:45 CET. San Siro, Milan, Italy

Slight Advantage

Following the 1-1 draw last Wednesday in Germany, Milan have high hopes of securing their advancement by obtaining another positive result on home soil. Seen as the tournament favorites at the start of the season, they will be looking to keep that status.
It is not going to be an easy task to defeat Werder in the second leg. The Germans possess great aerial ability and will surely use that to their advantage, and Milan know this full well.
When asked about this match, Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko said, "The whole team wants to do well in the UEFA Cup, especially against a tough opponent like Werder. I hope the stadium is full. Milan will have to play well to go through. They will be forced to look for the goal to qualify, and we will have to stop them.
"Werder have very tall players and the whole team will have to collaborate to avoid conceding goals, especially on headers.”
Kaka was not risked at the weekend, and will feature in this match. He hasn’t played since injuring his foot against Reggina on February 7, so he will be a bit off-form. Still, a player with his ability cannot be left on the bench when healthy.

All Of Their Eggs In One Basket

Seeing as Werder Bremen lost once again on Saturday, 2-1 away to Energie Cottbus, they must now put everything they have into winning this match. They are in eleventh place in the German Bundesliga, currently fifteen points behind leaders Hamburg.
Having failed to win against Milan in the first leg, drawing 1-1, Werder now have a tough task ahead of them. The Italian outfit will surely be eager to score early in the second leg, hoping to put the Germans out of the competition with a classy display. But Milan haven’t played very well since February 1, when they defeated Lazio 3-0 in Rome.
Werder simply cannot sit back and allow the Rossoneri to control the match. They must go for the win and play hard. That is what they’ve been doing this season, of course, but they just haven’t obtained the results they wanted.
Manager Thomas Schaaf summed the situation up by saying, "We can be satisfied with how we have been playing, but obviously we can't be happy with the results. At the moment this team isn't getting results, but the situation doesn't scare us. We'll see things in a realistic way, we have understood our problems."

FORM GUIDE

Milan

01/02 (Serie A): Lazio 0-3 Milan

07/02 (Serie A): Milan 1-1 Reggina

15/02 (Serie A): Inter 2-1 Milan

18/02 (UEFA Cup): Werder 1-1 Milan

22/02 (Serie A): Milan 1-0 Cagliari

Werder

01/02 (Bundesliga): Werder 1-2 Arminia Bielefeld

07/02 (Bundesliga): Shalke 1-0 Werder

14/02 (Bundesliga): Werder 1-1 Borussia Monchengladbach

18/02 (UEFA Cup): Werder 1-1 Milan

21/02 (Bundesliga): Energie Cottbus 2-1 Werder

TEAM NEWS

Milan

Alessandro Nesta and Gennaro Gattuso are long term injury absentees. Kaka will be able to play in this match, and chances are that he will play from the start. Andriy Shevchenko has returned to training and could play a part in this match if Milan need a goal late on.
Milan have no suspended players, but Luca Antonini and Giuseppe Favalli will miss the next round if they get a yellow card here, should Milan progress that is.
Possible Formation (4-3-2-1): Dida; Antonini, Bonera, Maldini, Jankulovski; Beckham, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Ronaldinho, Kaka; Inzaghi

Werder

The Germans have been struggling mightily for wins, but they will have a bit of a boost with the news that Aaron Hunt has returned to training and should be available to play. First choice goalkeeper Tim Wiese is suffering from a muscle tear in his thigh and will not be able to play in this match, while Jurica Vranjes has also been left out of the squad.
Torsten Frings returns from suspension, while Frank Baumann, Daniel Jensen and Diego face a suspension should they be cautioned.
Possible Formation (4-3-1-2): Vander; Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Boenisch; Frings, Jensen, Baumann; Diego; Almeida, Pizarro

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Milan

Having not played for a couple of weeks, Kaka may be rusty in the early going. Also, if Ronaldinho gets the nod ahead of Clarence Seedorf, he too will need to recover his form, having not played at the weekend.

Werder

Diego is the always the main target for opposing defenses when playing Werder Bremen, and that will not change in this match. He was the reason they took anything away from the first leg last week. Players such as Per Mertesacker and Claudio Pizarro will be key for the Germans on set pieces.

PREDICTION

Here’s how it will go― Milan will control the pace of the match, but do so in a methodical manner; Werder Bremen will try to absorb the Milan attack and hit them on the counterattack, which often works against Milan. However, the Italians will do their utmost to score early and often, and their efforts may well pay dividends.

Milan 2-1 Werder Bremen

Joel Whitehead, Goal.com
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UEFA Cup Preview: VfB Stuttgart - Zenit St Petersburg

This tie is finely poised after the first leg at an icy Petrovsky finished 2-1 to the Russians. It promises to be a night of excitement in Germany on Thursday...

Kick-off: Thursday, February 26 2009 (20:45 CET). Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart

The first-leg saw an early strike from Szabolcs Huszti put the Russians into the lead only for Super Mario Gomez to get Stuttgart level. However, a fine strike from Zenit captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk just before half-time handed Dick Advocaat’s side a slender lead to take into the second-leg.

Game On!

With the second leg at home and a potentially priceless away goal to their names, Stuttgart will go into the second leg on Thursday relatively confident of progressing. However, as holders of the UEFA Cup, Zenit will not go down without a fight -and showed enough quality in the first leg, even though they are still currently in their pre-season.
The Swabians have a valuable away-goal from the first leg, but that is a fact that doesn’t impress the man who scored it too much. "We can't be satisfied with the game here because we stopped playing football after we conceded the second goal," explained striker Mario Gomez to the club’s official website.
"We did a lot right in the first half; we held our own and played brave, attacking football. We didn't do that after the break. That's how St. Petersburg managed to force us back and create so many clear chances," he added.
Going into the second-leg at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, VfB trainer Markus Babbel is full of confidence and looking forward to the challenge.
"We hope to be able to turn over the 1-2 deficit. We are playing at home and can go into the game against the current title holders with every confidence," the Stuttgart trainer explained.
"We can go into the game with the comforting knowledge that we are always capable of getting a goal. If we are to do that though, we will have to go into this game with the same attitude and with the same mentality that we approached the Hoffenheim game in, but at the same time, we must put a stop to our individual mistakes.
"I appeal to everyone, despite the late kick-off time and the live television broadcasting of the match, to come to the stadium and support us. We could really do with that twelfth man," he stressed.

Missed Opportunity

Last season's UEFA Cup winners Zenit St Petersburg believe they missed the opportunity to put this tie beyond their German opponents when only scoring twice last week at the Petrovsky in St. Petersburg.
"The main thing is that we won," confessed Zenit captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who is set to join Bayern Munich in the summer. "Stuttgart are a household name in Germany with a lot of internationals in their squad. Still, we had a lot of good opportunities to score more goals."
Russian international forward Pavel Pogrebnyak wasted two second-half opportunities, though Zenit could have found themselves pegged back but for keeper Vyacheslav Malafeev's save which denied Mario Gomez a late equaliser.
The Zenit skipper though maintained that the icy conditions last week played into Stuttgart’s hands and that his side were looking forward to playing at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.
"The weather wasn't a positive factor for us. We have a lot of technically gifted players in our team. We like to play quick football, so the pitch suited our opponents more," the 29-year-old said.
"Our physical condition will get better; each one of us will make progress. It was our first competitive match of the season and it's over. It will now be easier for us to adjust."


FORM GUIDE

VfB Stuttgart

21/02/09 VfB Stuttgart 3 Hoffenheim 3 (Bundesliga)
18/02/09 Zenit 2 VfB Stuttgart 1 (UEFA Cup)
14/02/09 Hannover 3 Stuttgart 3 (Bundesliga)
07/02/09 Bayer Leverkusen 2 Stuttgart 4 (Bundesliga)
31/01/09 Stuttgart 2 Bor. Moenchengladbach 0 (Bundesliga)

Zenit St Petersburg

18/02/09 Zenit 2 VfB Stuttgart 1 (UEFA Cup)
14/02/09 Zenit 1 FC Khimki 1 (Friendly)
07/02/09 Zenit 3 Vojvodina Novi Sad 0 (Friendly)
04/02/09 Zenit 2 Slaven Koprivnica 1 (Friendly)
30/01/09 Zenit 3 Metalist Kharkov 1 (Friendly)


TEAM NEWS

VfB Stuttgart

VfB will be without Matthieu Delpierre (ankle ligament tear), Arthur Boka (knee ligament tear) and Yildiray Bastürk (calf strain), while full-back Ludovic Magnin is also a doubt with a heavy cold.
On a more positive note Timo Gebhart is back having recovered from a ligament tear. The trainer is also spoilt for choice as to who to select as partner for Mario Gomez, with Cacau fully fit and Ciprian Marica and Julian Schieber also battling for a first team place.

Probable Starting XI: Lehmann, Osorio, Tasci, Boulahrouz, Traesch, Khedira, Hitzlsperger, Lanig, Hilbert, Gomez, Cacau

Zenit St Petersburg

Zenit trainer Dick Advocaat has two key men suspended for the trip to Germany. Bookings picked up in the first-leg mean that captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and full-back Radek Sirl suspended are banned and will play no part.
Probable Starting XI: Malafeev, Anyukov, Krizanac, Lombaerts, Shirokov, Semshov, Zyryanov, Huszti, Fayzulin, Danny, Pogrebnyak


PLAYERS TO WATCH

VfB Stuttgart - Mario Gomez

The VfB striker is in fine goalscoring form of late, having hit six goals in his last four Bundesliga matches, while also bagging Stuttgart’s away goal last week in Russia. The home side have to score on Thursday and Super Mario is the one to whom they will turn for goals.

Zenit St Petersburg - Danny

The signing of Portuguese star Danny back in August 2008 for a record Russian fee of €30 million was surely an insurance policy against the inevitable sale of Andrei Arshavin. Now that Arshavin is firmly ensconced at the Emirates Stadium, the time has come for Daniel Miguel Alves Gomes to take over the starring role at Zenit. A match-winning performance against Stuttgart on Thursday would be a start.


PREDICTION

The tie is finely balanced following the 2-1 result from the first-leg. Stuttgart have to attack and score, but know that one goal would be enough to see them through. The longer the game goes on the more nervous both sides will become. Stuttgart have drawn their last two league games 3-3 so they have goals in them, but are also likely to concede. The loss of Tymoshchuk is a huge blow to Zenit, but when pushed, I’d have to go for them to edge it.

VfB Stuttgart 1-2 Zenit St Petersburg

Mathew Burt, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

UEFA Cup Preview: Manchester City - Copenhagen

Manchester City have two away goals to protect going into their second leg UEFA Cup clash with FC Copenhagen...

Kick-Off: Thursday, 26 February, 19:45 GMT
City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is arguably the only Premier League manager to go into his UEFA Cup clash with a positive viewpoint as his League Manager colleagues Martin O'Neill and Harry Redknapp are both - by their own admissions - prioritising their respective league campaigns.
It is a catch-22 for many a manager. One spends a long and arduous season trying to secure a domestic trophy and/or a respectable league finish so that European qualification is assured, but once the crucial knock-out stages rear their head toward the business end of the season their respective ambitions for the present year distort projects abroad.
For Aston Villa a rare and elusive opportunity to qualify for a Champions League place, usually monopolised by Chelsea; Manchester United; Liverpool; and Arsenal; is a distinct possibility. While Redknapp's Spurs have their own battle trying to ward off a relegation battle before it's too late.
Mark Hughes and Manchester City on the other hand are mid-table. They are nine points clear of the drop-zone, and 13 points shy of a certain UEFA Cup spot. Europe therefore is an attractive proposition.
The Citizens though have made things harder for themselves considering their capitulation in Copenhagen. They could have had a clear two goal advantage, but they failed to see the game out and allowed their Danish counterparts a way back into the tie. The good news for the Mancunians though is that they have two away goals, something that has been, and will continue to prove to be, a valuable commodity in continental competition.


FORM GUIDE

Manchester City

Liverpool 1 – 1 Manchester City (Premier League)
FC Copenhagen 2 – 2 Manchester City (UEFA Cup)
Portsmouth 2 – 0 Manchester City (Premier League)
Manchester City 1 – 0 Middlesbrough (Premier League)
Stoke City 1 – 0 Manchester City (Premier League)

Copenhagen

Copenhagen 2 - 2 Manchester City (UEFA Cup)
Club Brugge 0 – 1 FC Copenhagen (UEFA Cup)
Copenhagen 5 – 2 AC Horsens (Danish Ligaen)
Copenhagen 1 – 1 Rosenberg (Danish Ligaen)
Aalborg 3 – 1 Copenhagen (Danish Ligaen)


TEAM NEWS

Manchester City
Vincent Kompany has been given an injection and may play through the pain barrier.
Nigel de Jong is not available as he was not registered. Shaun Wright-Phillips though is available as his ban is for domestic competition only.
Available players: Given, Hart, Schmeichel, Richards, Onuoha, Dunne, Kompany, Bridge, Garrido, Zabaleta, Elano, Caicedo, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Fernandes, Robinho, Bellamy, Vassell, Weiss, Logan.
Last XI (versus Liverpool): Given, Richards, Dunne, Onuoha, Bridge, Zabaleta, De Jong, Kompany, Ireland, Bellamy, Robinho.

Copenhagen
Striker Cesar Santin will require a late fitness test in order to assess his availability.
Last XI (versus Man City): Christiansen, Pospech, Laursen, Antonsson, Wendt, Kvist, Kristensen, Norregaard, Hutchinson, Almeida, Santin.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City
He is arguably a fore-running candidate for Premier League Player of the Season, so Copenhagen will need to watch out for the positive playmaking credentials of Stephen Ireland who, on his day, has the potential to destroy any side.

Copenhagen
If Copenhagen are to find as much joy in Manchester as they did in the home leg then Almeida will need to again be on top form. He had a leg and a head in both goals as he played in Kvist, as well as nodding one in himself with his noodle.


PREDICTION

Manchester City 3 – 2 Copenhagen

Alan Dawson, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

UEFA Cup Preview: Ajax – Fiorentina

Amsterdam giants Ajax defend a 1-0 lead in the second leg of a highly anticipated UEFA Cup clash against Fiorentina...

Kickoff: Thursday, 26 February 2009, 20:45 CET, Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Can Ajax Rob Fiorentina Again?

Ajax manager Marco van Basten happily admitted that his side might have gotten more than they deserved in the first leg between this two matches. Despite having several huge chances to open the score, the Italians simply failed to find the net, while Ajax immediately grabbed the first chance they got to secure a 1-0 win.

Therefore, Fiorentina will have to start the match with attacking intentions in order to proceed to the next round. Starting the match one goal behind shouldn’t be too much of a problem for La Viola though. They bounced back from a 1-0 score last Sunday, while they fought back to a draw after falling 3-0 behind the previous week.

Ajax have been struggling in the Eredivisie after the winter break, but they still managed to grab the full six points from their last two matches. However, Van Basten made it clear that he was everything but happy with the way Volendam were sent home empty handed on Sunday. The Ajax attackers showed some sloppy finishing and will have to do better on Thursday to prevent a defeat.

The match will be overshadowed by Wednesday’s airplane tragedy at Schiphol. Nine persons didn’t survive the crash, while 86 others sustained serious injuries. It’s up to Ajax and Fiorentina to help the people forget about the crash a bit with a nice football show.

FORM GUIDE

Fiorentina

22 February (Serie A): Fiorentina 2-1 Chievo
19 February (UEFA Cup): Fiorentina 0-1 Ajax
15 February (Serie A): Genoa 3-3 Fiorentina
8 February (Serie A): Fiorentina 1-0 Lazio
2 February (Serie A): Bologna 1-3 Fiorentina

Ajax

22 February (Eredivisie): Ajax 2-1 Volendam
19 February (UEFA Cup): Fiorentina 0-1 Ajax
15 February (Eredivisie): Ajax 2-0 Feyenoord
8 February (Eredivisie): Vitesse 4-1 Ajax
3 February (Eredivisie): Ajax 2-2 Heracles Almelo

TEAM NEWS

Ajax

Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Dennis Rommedahl, Hans Vonk and Laurent Delorge were all removed from Ajax’s UEFA Cup list. Youngsters Marvin Zeegelaar and Marco Bizot were added to the list.

Gabri, Eyong Enoh, Dario Cvitanich, Jan Vertonghen, Daley Blind and Ismail Aissati all returned to full match fitness in the past couple of days and are part of the match squad again. Long term injury concerns Mitchell Donald and Jan Arie van der Heijden are still unavailable, as is youngster Siem de Jong.

Probable Starting XI: Stekelenburg – Van der Wiel, Oleguer, Vertonghen, Vermaelen – Lindgren, Gabri, Emanuelson – Suarez, Cvitanich, Sulejmani

Fiorentina

Giampaolo Pazzini and Pablo Osvaldo were removed from Fiorentina’s UEFA Cup roster, while Manuel Pasqual and Gianluca Comotto were added to the list.

Argentine winger Mario Alberto Santana is out for the remainder of the campaign after undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Probable Starting XI: Frey – Comotto, Dainelli, Gamberini, Vargas – Montolivo, Donadel, Felipe Melo, Semioli – Gilardino, Mutu

Players to watch

Ajax will rely on the individual class of Serbian forward Miralem Sulejmani. The tricky forward hasn’t found his best form yet at Ajax, but is always a player to reckon with. His mazy runs and intelligent movement will normally cause a serious threat to the Italian defenders. A good performance against Fiorentina could be his definite breakthrough.

The hosts will be happy to see Adrian Mutu continue his superb form. The Romanian forward scored four goals in his last two league matches. The Ajax defence will have to be in a superb shape to deny the former Chelsea man. Mutu will be happy to return to Holland with La Viola, he scored twice in his last match on Dutch soil in the match against PSV.

PREDICTION

Based on last week’s match, Fiorentina should be able to secure a good result. However, they need to show some better finishing than last week if they want to eliminate Ajax. Especially since several important players are back available again for the Amsterdam outfit. I don’t expect Fiorentina to squander as much chances as last week though, while Ajax probably won’t be that lucky again. Nevertheless, you never know what will happen in the Amsterdam ArenA.

Ajax 1-2 Fiorentina

Stefan Coerts, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Sporting Lisbon – Bayern Munich

Sporting take on a Bayern side short of form as the Champions League enters the knock-out stage...

Kick-off: Wednesday, February 25 2009 (20:45 CET) Estadio Jose Alvalade, Lisbon

The Champions League reaches the nitty gritty stage this week with the onset of the first knock-out round. The first leg will see Bayern Munich try to gain an advantage to take back to the Allianz Arena, whereas Sporting Lisbon will want to profit from the home support at the Jose Alvalade.

German Nemesis

When the draw was made for the first knock-out stage of this season’s Champions League, Sporting Lisbon could have been forgiven for breathing a resigned sigh at being paired with reigning German champions and four times winners, Bayern Munich.
The Lions have faced German opponents on 14 occasions in Europe in their history and have yet to win a single match, so the omens are not great for Paulo Bento’s side. To make matters worse Bayern have a more than decent record against Portuguese sides, losing just once in 20 clashes.
Domestically, Sporting haven’t been firing on all cylinders in the league this season thus far, but did enjoy a 3-2 win over Lisbon rivals Benfica at the weekend. The victory took them level on points with their city rivals, bit still four points behind leaders Porto.
The group stage of this season’s Champions League was a case of all or nothing for Paulo Bento’s side. It was always going to be a case of battling for second place after being paired with Barcelona, FC Basel and Shakhtar Donetsk. They lost home and away to Barca with a combined score of 8-3, but won their other four matches to finish with 12 points.
The Portuguese though, will be confident of a good first leg result and will reflect that there has possibly never been a better time to face Bayern.
Will The Real Bayern Please Stand Up?
The pressure is well and truly back on Bayern and trainer Juergen Klinsmann following the start they have made since the winter break ended. The Bavarians made their worst start to a season in over 30 years back in August, but recovered well to go four months unbeaten.
However, three defeats in their first four league games of 2009 has seen the mood sour at the Allianz Arena. A shock 2-1 loss at home to Koeln on Saturday had the critics out in force, but the trainer is outwardly unmoved.
"I am not afraid about my position, I am trying to give my best every day. But I know I will be judged by my results. As coach of Bayern Munich, you have to have the highest goals. Criticism only serves to make me more ambitious. It's in my nature that when things go badly I work harder," Juergen Klinsmann has said.
The group stage of the Champions League saw Bayern with no such worries and they cruised through Group F with four wins and two draws. An impressive 3-2 away win over Lyon in their final game saw them top the group. The fans will want to see a return to their European form this week as they make the trip south to Portugal, rather than the toothless displays they have witnessed of late.

FORM GUIDE

Sporting Lisbon

21/02/09 Sporting 3 Benfica 2 (Portuguese League)
14/02/09 Belenenses 1 Sporting 2 (Portuguese League)
08/02/09 Sporting 2 Braga 3 (Portuguese League)
04/02/09 Sporting 4 Porto 1 (League Cup)
31/01/09 CD Trofense 0 Sporting 0 (Portuguese League)

Bayern Munich

21/02/09 Bayern Munich 1 Koeln 2 (Bundesliga)
14/02/09 Hertha Berlin 2 Bayern Munich 1 (Bundesliga)
08/02/09 Bayern Munich 3 Borussia Dortmund 1 (Bundesliga)
30/01/09 Hamburg 1 Bayern Munich 0 (Bundesliga)
27/01/09 VfB Stuttgart 1 Bayern Munich 5 (DFB Pokal)

TEAM NEWS

Sporting Lisbon

Striker Helder Postiga will miss both legs against Bayern Munich after spraining his left knee in Saturday's victory against Benfica. The 26-year-old international is expected to be out for around three weeks.
If Paulo Bento opts for a two-man attack, then Derlei, who also scored against Benfica at the weekend, should come in to partner Liedson.
Sporting have also confirmed that Rui Patricio, Miguel Veloso and Adrien Silva will be unavailable to face Bayern on Wednesday because of injury.
Probable Starting XI: Tiago - Pedro Silva, Tonel, Anderson Polga, Grimi - Rochemback, Izmaylov, Vukcevic, Joao Moutinho - Liedson, Derlei

Bayern Munich

Luca Toni is expected to return to the starting XI after having to sit out the weekend loss to Koeln with an Achilles injury. Lucio, who was rested on Saturday, is also tipped to return.
Juergen Klinsmann has said there won’t be wholesale changes following the recent poor run of form, but Hamit Altintop could come in for Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Probable Starting XI: Rensing - Oddo, Lucio, Demichelis, Lahm - van Bommel, Ze Roberto, Altintop, Ribery - Klose, Toni

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sporting Lisbon- Liedson

With Bayern’s defence no way near as strong as it was last season, Sporting will be looking to unleash Brazilian Liedson on the German side. He grabbed a brace at the weekend against Benfica, which took his season’s tally to eight. His goal against Barcelona in the group stage made him the club’s all-time leading scorer in Europe so they will hoping to see a few more against Bayern.

Bayern Munich- Franck Ribery

Despite protestations to the contrary from trainer Juergen Klinsmann, Bayern Munich do tend to rely on Franck Ribery. When the Frenchman sparkles, Bayern sparkle. The Bavarians will be looking for their talisman to hit top form on Wednesday and provide the ammunition for Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose to score the potentially vital away goals that could see them into the quarter-finals.

PREDICTION

It all depends which Bayern Munich turn up - the one with the defensive holes and low confidence, or the Franck Ribery inspired, well-oiled machine. The players will want to show a reaction following successive defeats to Hertha Berlin and Koeln.
Sporting look good against the average teams, but struggle against the big boys (see their 5-2 home loss to Barcelona). That said, are Bayern to be considered a ‘big boy’ in their current form? I’ll tip a narrow win for the Germans though.

Sporting Lisbon 1-2 Bayern Munich

Mathew Burt, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Villarreal - Panathinaikos

2006 semi-finalists Villarreal will be looking to secure a vital first leg win over surprise qualifiers Panathinaikos...

Kick Off: Wednesday 25 February 2009, (2045 CET)

El Madrigal, Villarreal, Spain

The last 16 stage is upon us and the 2008/09 Champions League now begins in earnest. Just seven games separate the remaining sides from European glory and the chance to be included among the greats of the game.

This tie is an excellent opportunity for two of the lesser lights remaining in the competition to progress to the quarter-finals, and from that stage it is possible to start dreaming of a slot in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome in May.

Villarreal come into the match with a renewed fervour after a dreadful run in December and January threatened to destroy their season. From potential title challengers, they dropped out of the top four altogether; coach Manuel Pellegrini and his squad have struggled to pinpoint quite how their form dipped so emphatically in such a short period of time.

In truth, injuries have plagued Los Submarinos Amarillos throughout the season, ever since Nihat Kahveci pulled up lame for Turkey during Euro 2008. Joseba Llorente and Giuseppe Rossi too have had spells on the sidelines, disrupting their goal-scoring form and leaving the team struggling to find the net in their absence from the side.

But in their last three games they have amassed seven points including two hard fought home victories, going some way to re-instilling El Madrigal’s status as a fortress in Spain’s Primera Division.

Italian international Rossi is arguably in the best form of his short career and his performance over the two legs will be pivotal to whether his side can progress.

Second Place Syndrome

Panathinaikos are suffering ‘Real Madrid syndrome’ in the Greek Super League. The Shamrocks’ bid to win their domestic title in their centenary season appears to have been thwarted by the incredible domestic form of league leaders Olympiakos. Panathinaikos face their arch rivals on Sunday but are already twelve points behind a side who have won every one of their home matches this season, and similarly to Los Blancos in Spain, the Shamrocks’ form would usually be good enough to mount a serious title assault.

But they can console themselves with qualification to the knock-out stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2002 and face Villarreal for only the third time in their history in competitive fixtures.

However it looked for some time that their attempt to escape Group B would be consigned to failure, particularly after a humiliating 3-1 defeat to Cypriot rivals Anorthosis Famagusta had left them battling to even secure a UEFA cup place.

But a fantastic 1-0 victory over Inter at the San Siro was followed by a gratifying home win over Famagusta that not only put the Greeks through, but gave them bragging rights as group winners, leading to this clash on Wednesday evening.

Key to this meeting will be their ability to come to Spain and get a result – something that Panathinaikos have never been able to achieve. In each of the nine visits they have made to Spain in UEFA competition, they have tasted defeat, and have only manage to score five goals in those fixtures. History will need to be made in order for Henk Ten Cate’s side to leave Villarreal on a high.

The key tussle may take place in the centre of the pitch, where a battle of the Brazilians will commence between Marcos Senna and Gilberto Silva. The exchanges between the adopted Spaniard and the former Arsenal stalwart could define how this tie is determined, and it is sure to be a frenetic night.

FORM GUIDE

Villarreal

Feb 22 Villarreal 2-1 Sporting (LA LIGA)
Feb 15 Racing Santander 1-1 Villarreal (LA LIGA)
Feb 08 Villarreal 2-1 Numancia (LA LIGA)
Feb 01 Deportivo de La Coruna 3-0 Villarreal (LA LIGA)
Jan 24 Villarreal 1-1 Osasuna (LA LIGA)

Panathinaikos

Feb 21 Panathinaikos 2-1 Panionios (GREEK SUPER LEAGUE)
Feb 15 Iraklis 0-0 Panathinaikos (GREEK SUPER LEAGUE)
Feb 08 Panathinaikos 3-0 PAOK (GREEK SUPER LEAGUE)
Feb 01 Levadiakos 1-2 Panathinaikos (GREEK SUPER LEAGUE)
Jan 24 Ergotelis 1-0 Panathinaikos (GREEK SUPER LEAGUE)

TEAM NEWS

Villarreal

Gonzalo Rodriguez remains out after picking up a thigh injury against Numancia last weekend, while Guille Franco will also miss out through suspension. Coach Manuel Pellegrini’s main problem though is in the left-back position. Joan Capdevilla will miss out, also through suspension, while Angel, who has covered in this position this season, is facing a race against time to be fit for the match. If both miss out, Bruno is likely to be asked to slot into this position.

Probable XI: Diego Lopez, Javi Venta, Godin, Fuentes , Bruno/Angel, Senna, Eguren, Cazorla, Pires/Cani, Llorente, Rossi

Panathinaikos

Giannis Goumas has missed the last fortnight with a knee injury and faces a race to be fit in time for this one, while Gabriel (foot) and Christos Melissis (thigh) are also a doubt. Loukas Vintra damaged his calf in training and will almost certainly miss out, while Marcelo Mattos is expected to be out until March due to a thigh strain.

Probable XI: Galinovic, Sarriegi, Goumas/Moon, Simao, Spiropoulos, Gilberto, Karagounis, Ivanschitz, Nilsson, Salpingdis, Mantzios

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Villarreal

Giuseppe Rossi may appear to be the obvious choice to be the star man on Wednesday, but there is no denying that will be absolutely integral to Villarreal’s progression in this tournament. His goals have carried his side through their recent lean spell and allowed them to hit form at precisely the right time. Who would bet against him scoring yet again on Wednesday?

Panathinaikos

Former Arsenal man Gilberto Silva has added the necessary steel to the Greeks’ midfield this season and has perhaps questioned Arsene Wenger’s decision to make his surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium. He still has the range of passing to excel at this level and provide protection to his defence which could be pivotal to the Shamrocks leaving El Madrigal with a positive result.

PREDICTION

A few months ago this may have been a certain home victory, but Villarreal haven’t been at their fluent best of late and this is the type of fixture they may slip up in. Panathinaikos finished their group strongly to qualify on top and will feel they are capable of coming to Spain and snatching an away goal.

Villarreal 1-1 Panathinaikos

Paul Macdonald, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Chelsea - Juventus

A mouth-watering clash is in prospect at Stamford Bridge as Claudio Ranieri returns to Chelsea with Juventus.

Kick-Off: Wednesday February 25, 2009, 19.45, Stamford Bridge, London

The ‘Tinkerman’ Returns

Claudio Ranieri brings his Juventus side to Chelsea where he is likely to receive a warm welcome from the Stamford Bridge faithful.

The Italian spent almost four years as Blues boss and although he failed to secure a trophy during his tenure, his exploits at the club are not forgotten and indeed his legacy remains.

The Juventus boss brought William Gallas, Emmanuel Petit, Damien Duff and Claude Makelele to Chelsea, as well as Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole – all players who remain vital members of the squad.

Under the Italian the Blues were runners-up in the Premier League and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League. However, this was not enough for owner Roman Abramovich, who replaced him with Jose Mourinho.

Of course the last time Ranieri left the Stamford Bridge pitch, aware that his time at the club was over, he was famously in tears and he will surely be hoping that is not the case again on Wednesday night.

The Hiddink Factor

Guus Hiddink is the latest to be handed the Chelsea hotseat, a man who has already won the Champions League, with PSV Eindhoven in 1988.

Under his stewardship the Blues returned to form at the weekend with a crucial 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Whilst the west Londoners have looked inconsistent this season, particularly at home, there were signs against Villa that they could be on the verge of returning to their previous formidable best.

Certainly they will need to be at the top of their game to defeat Juventus, especially as they have already toiled against Italian opposition in the competition.

Drawn with Roma in the group stages, Chelsea were well-beaten on Italian soil, losing 3-1 in the capital. However, they did manage a 1-0 win at home against Luciano Spalletti’s men.

Welcome Back

After a brief hiatus of two seasons, Juventus are enjoying life back in the Champions League.

Real Madrid were beaten home and away in the group stages as the ‘Old Lady’ topped her group, conceding only three goals along the way.

Alessandro Del Piero and Amauri were the star men in the group stages and despite David Trezeguet’s return to fitness both are expected to start at Stamford Bridge.

Ranieri’s men warmed up for the game against Chelsea at the weekend with a 2-0 win over Palermo, a result that keeps them in second place in Serie A, albeit nine points behind leaders Inter.

Yet whilst the group stages were negotiated comfortably, Juve will head to London with some trepidation.

The Italians have been knocked out of the competition by English opposition in their last two Champions League campaigns, by Arsenal in 2005/06 and Liverpool in 2004/05, and will be hoping Chelsea do not complete an unwanted hat-trick.

Juve’s away record in the competition is also far from impressive. Whilst they won at the Bernabeu earlier this season, they only drew at both BATE and Zenit St Petersburg and have won a mere eight of their last 40 Champions League games on the road.

The Bianconeri ‘s record against English opposition also makes for grim reading. The Turin side have failed to win any of their last seven Champions League meetings against Anglo opponents, and worryingly have lost on six of their last seven visits to the country.

FORM GUIDE

Last Five Results

Chelsea

Feb 21: Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Feb 14: Watford 1-3 Chelsea
Feb 07: Chelsea 0-0 Hull City
Feb 01: Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea
Jan 28: Chelsea 2-0 Middlesbrough

Juventus

Feb 21: Palermo 0-2 Juventus
Feb 15: Juventus 1-1 Sampdoria
Feb 08: Catania 1-2 Juventus
Jan 31: Juventus 2-3 Cagliari
Jan 28: Udinese 2-1 Juventus

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

Chelsea have no new injury problems but welcome Ashley Cole back from a domestic suspension.

Ricardo Carvalho is close to fitness but it unlikely to be risked; therefore Alex should continue to partner John Terry at the back.

Possible starting XI: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole, Mikel, Ballack, Lampard, Kalou, Anelka, Drogba.

Juventus

David Trezeguet is fit and firing again but Ranieri may decide to stick with Amauri and Alessandro Del Piero up front, leaving the Frenchman to start on the bench.

Jonathan Zebina, Dario Knezevic, Paolo De Ceglie, Cristiano Zanetti are all out but Georgio Chiellini is fit and should feature after making a successful return against Palermo at the weekend.

Possible Starting XI: Buffon, Grygera, Chiellini, Mellberg, Molinaro, Camoranesi, Tiago, Sissoko, Nedved, Del Piero, Amauri.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea – Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka is the leading scorer in the Premier League this season and was the matchwinner again for the Blues on Saturday.

A sumptuous finish against Aston Villa was Anelka at his instinctive best and with chances likely to be few and far between on Wednesday, he could be the man to make the difference.

Juventus – Amauri

Whilst David Trezeguet’s return to fitness gives Ranieri something of a headache with regard to his striking options, Amauri is expected to play.

Indeed Trezeguet even took time out this week to describe his team-mate as the “best striker in Serie A,” and against a Blues defence weakened by the loss of Ricardo Carvalho, Juve will look to Amauri to find what could be a vital away goal.

PREDICTION

A wealth of experience will be on view at Stamford Bridge in what looks to be a very tight affair.

Hiddink’s arrival appears to have rejuvenated a Chelsea side stagnating under Luiz Felipe Scolari, and they will approach the game with growing confidence.

However, Juve will fancy ending a poor run on English soil at Stamford Bridge, a ground where the Blues have struggled at times domestically this season, and they may just take a positive result back to Turin.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Juventus

Gill Clark, Goal.com Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Real Madrid - Liverpool

The record 31-time Spanish champions with nine European cups will take on the record 18-time English kings with five European crowns. You will not find two football clubs with more silverware together on the pitch this week...

Kick-off: Wednesday, 25 February 2009, 20:45 CET – Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Real Madrid and Liverpool have had the most contrasting of fortunes throughout the season so far. Los Blancos could barely string two decent performances together in the early parts of the campaign, while the Reds were cruising along nicely, seemingly on their way to their first league title in almost two decades.

But the two sides have literally swapped places since the turn of the year, so much so that they have remarkably somehow found themselves in an identical position in their own domestic leagues, both occupying second spot in the table and trailing their respective leaders by exactly seven points.

However, at this point in time, it would appear that the Spaniards are the more satisfied of the two hunters.

Another Year, Another Attempt

Real Madrid have now won nine games in succession, scoring 22 goals in the process and leaking just two. Their wretched early-season form has come as a blessing in disguise, as the players simultaneously but quietly clicked into gear just at the right moment while avoiding being slapped with the cursed favourites tag.

Although the Merengues are hitting peak form in the Primera Division, it is the Champions League where they really need to chain together a flawless run if they are to go far. But they still need to take things one step at a time, starting with the first knock-out phase.

Los Blancos will attempt to get past the round of 16 for the first time in five years. The last four seasons have all ended in disaster at this stage of the competition, despite numerous signs of promise and success. What’s even more frustrating is that they’ve always been eliminated by the narrowest of margins: a 2-1 aggregate loss to Juventus in 2005, 1-0 to Arsenal in 2006, exiting on the away-goal rule to Bayern the following year, and 2-1 defeats in each leg to Roma last term.

While their form will give the team and the Bernabeu faithful an immense burst of confidence, it will also increase the pressure on the players significantly to succeed, considering there wasn’t much hope for the side just two months ago. Back then, a last-16 meeting with Liverpool would have seemed like a lost cause.

Draw Specialists

But the tables have been turned dramatically and the English giants could not have picked a worse time for the Champions League to resume. They have hit, without doubt, their worst patch of form this season, winning just three games in their last nine outings in all competitions.

But amazingly, they have not lost a match in regulation time since early November, when they crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup, just 11 days after losing to the same team in the Barclays Premier League. It remains their only defeat in the league this term, but the ten draws that they have accrued have proven to be their downfall.

While stalemates are rarely beneficial in league play, it can be extremely helpful when it comes to two-legged cup tournaments. Having made the semi-finals of the Champions League three times in the past four years, much of their success can be attributed to their ability to grind out a result when they needed it most; drawing 1-1 with Arsenal in the first leg of last season’s quarter-finals before romping to a 4-2 second leg win; a 1-1 aggregate draw with Chelsea in the semi-finals the year before, which enabled them to win on penalties and the triumphant 2004/05 campaign when they held Juventus and Chelsea to scoreless draws in the away legs of the quarters and semis but emerged victorious at home by the slimmest of margins en route to the final.

This season has been no different, as Atletico Madrid will attest, and they will be looking for a hat-trick of draws against opponents from the Spanish capital, and this one might just be the most valuable.

FORM GUIDE

Real Madrid

Feb 21 Real Madrid 6-1 Real Betis (LA LIGA)

Feb 15 Sporting Gijon 0-4 Real Madrid (LA LIGA)

Feb 07 Real Madrid 1-0 Racing Santander (LA LIGA)

Jan 31 Numancia 0-2 Real Madrid (LA LIGA)

Jan 25 Real Madrid 1-0 Deportivo La Coruna (LA LIGA)

Liverpool

Feb 22 Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City (PREMIER LEAGUE)

Feb 07 Portsmouth 2-3 Liverpool (PREMIER LEAGUE)

Feb 04 Everton 1-0 Liverpool (FA CUP)

Feb 01 Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea (PREMIER LEAGUE)

Jan 28 Wigan Athletic 1-1 Liverpool (PREMIER LEAGUE)

TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid

Lassana Diarra, Julien Faubert, Dani Parejo and 21-year-old Hungarian striker, Adam Szalai have all been registered to the squad to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ruben de la Red and Mahamadou Diarra, all of whom have been ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Coach Juande Ramos has no fresh injury concerns. Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder have fully recovered from their muscular niggles and they are expected to be restored to the first XI. Guti has also returned from a calf muscle tear but he may have to settle for a start on the bench.

Defenders Gabriel Heinze and Fabio Cannavaro picked up minor knocks during Saturday’s 6-1 thumping of Real Betis, but both were able to train normally at the start of the week. Michel Salgado has completed rehabilitation on his right thigh injury, although he will not be match-fit.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Casillas – Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze – Robben, Lass, Gago, Sneijder – Raul (c), Higuain

Liverpool

The biggest news for Rafa Benitez is the return of talismanic captain, Steven Gerrard. The 28-year-old finally returned to training this week after three weeks out with a hamstring injury and he has travelled with the squad to Madrid, although it is still doubtful whether or not he will start.

Veteran centre-back Sami Hyypia has been recalled to the side after being omitted altogether for the group stage. He is expected to replace Daniel Agger, who has been left behind in England to recover from a back problem.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso returns from suspension but fellow Spaniards, Alvaro Arbeloa and Albert Riera will incur a one-match ban if they pick up another yellow card.

Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): Reina – Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher (c), Dossena – Benayoun, Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Riera – Torres, Kuyt

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Real Madrid

There’s one man who wants to beat Liverpool more than anyone else and it’s Arjen Robben. The Dutch winger was in the Chelsea side which lost two semi-finals to the Reds and he is desperate to avenge that disappointment. He has been in superlative form for the last two months but not only that, he will be fresh and well rested after missing the last two league games, and he will be fiercely motivated to impress and score against the Anfield outfit.

Liverpool

There’s one man who wants to score at Real Madrid more than anyone else and it’s Fernando Torres. El Nino heartbreakingly missed the trip back to Madrid to face his former club Atletico during the group stage, but returning to the Spanish capital to take on his one-time bitter crosstown rivals is the next best thing. The 24-year-old has also never scored at the Bernabeu with Atleti, but he’ll be hoping that his Merseyside team-mates can help him rectify that.

PREDICTION

This will be Juande Ramos’ toughest test since the 2-0 loss to Barcelona back in mid-December, five days after he took over the Bernabeu hot-seat. Still, most of the Men In White are optimistic that they can secure a win by at least a two-goal margin while keeping a clean sheet.

As for Liverpool, Benitez will not be afraid to order his troops to defend and stifle their opponents to get a favourable result. He has moulded his team into one of the most stubborn and toughest sides to beat, especially in Europe, and Madrid are unlikely to get the kind of scoring invitation and open spaces they have been afforded in their last two games.

It will be a tight contest but with the hosts obligated and expected to take all the attacking initiative, they should be able to nick at the very least a one goal victory.

Real Madrid 1-0 Liverpool

KS Leong, Goal.com Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Arsenal - AS Roma

Premier League representatives Arsenal take on Serie A side Roma in the first of three bouts of Anglo-Italian competition in the Champions League...
Kick Off: Tuesday February 24, 19.45 GMT
Ashburton Grove, London, N5

The hype has been phenomenal and there were even questions raised over how all three Italian sides in the Champions League could have randomly been pitted against those flying the flag for the English, especially when one considers the fierce competition between the two nations as to whom can claim the label of the "best league in the World."

Will Tuesday's game give an indication over which division has the edge? Probably not, but it will no doubt provide many talking points whether it will be their similar romantic ethos on how the beautiful game should be played, or how they have over-performed of late considering the limited funds each has existed on while the heavier-weights of their respective leagues throw their moolah around like a rapper makes it rain.

England and Italy have had their fair share of battles throughout their history, but the most notable of all in a football context was the "Battle of Highbury" in November 1934. The international match was infamous for it's violent manner, but 75 years on nothing could be farther from the truth as Arsenal and Roma both insist on exerting a fluid passing style onto the other.

AS Roma may have been trying to trick Arsenal into a false sense of security with the news that influential trequartista Francesco Totti will be omitted from the starting line-up on Tuesday evening's fixture, as the playmaker's presence is expected to be there from the off.

Arsenal will be welcoming one of their own players to the fold, but unfortunately for Gunners fans it is not key quarterback Francesc Fabregas, neither is it Togolese targetman Emmanuel Adebayor (who built up a prolific partnership with Robin van Persie at the year's turn); Theo Walcott too could have injected some much needed pace on the right flank, but remains sidelined.

Viewpoints may be polarised with the news that the player returning is Abou Diaby, but anyone who can bolster an otherwise lightweight midfield will surely be welcomed by the Red and White army.

The midfield is one where AS Roma will thrive. Daniele De Rossi in particular, if he is on form, can dominate a midfield by himself, and has borne comparisons to a combination of Steven Gerrard and Michael Essien.

Arsene Wenger has claimed that Denilson will be a key player for the Ashburton Grove outfit, but hold your laughs... when Denilson and Alexandre Song have been up against the Premier League's big dogs they have refused to be bitten, and have themselves been the one to inflict the bigger barking.

If Arsenal are to get anything from this round - both legs included - a rigourous containment of their midfield runners is a must. A clean sheet is a mandatory requirement for their home tie, so for the second leg, and in a similar vein to Arsenal's San Siro win against AC Milan at the same stage last season, an away goal (or two) could go a long way in ensuring progression.

FORM GUIDE

Roma

21 Feb 09 Siena (H) WON 1-0 (Serie A)
15 Feb 09 Atalanta (A) LOST 3-0 (Serie A)
08 Feb 09 Genoa (H) WON 3-0 (Serie A)
01 Feb 09 Reggina (A) DREW 2-2 (Serie A)
28 Jan 09 Palermo (H) WON 2-1 (Serie A)

Arsenal

21 Feb 09 Sunderland (H) DREW 0-0 (Prem)
16 Feb 09 Cardiff (H) WON 4-0 (FA Cup)
08 Feb 09 Tottenham (A) DREW 0-0 (Prem)
31 Jan 09 West Ham (H) DREW 0-0 (Prem)
28 Jan 09 Everton (A) DREW 1-1 (Prem)

TEAM NEWS

Roma

Francesco Totti's earlier declaration that he wasn't fit to play was a fairly amusing prank, but what is not a laughing matter is the case of Juan: the centre-back remains a heavy doubt for this fixture. Cicinho, though, is likely to recover to line up at right-back.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-1-2): Doni; Cicinho, Mexes, Diamoutene (Juan), Riise; Brighi, De Rossi, Taddei; Perrotta; Totti, Baptista.

Arsenal

Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott, Eduardo da Silva, and Emmanuel Adebayor all form a part of Arsenal's injury troubles, while winter recruit Andrey Arshavin is cup-tied. Abou Diaby though has returned.

Probable Line-Up (4-4-1-1): Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Toure, Clichy; Eboue, Denilson, Song, Nasri; Diaby; van Persie.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Roma

If Roma get a positive result in north London then there it may go without saying that Daniele de Rossi will be a key player in the scoreline. Always keep an eye on a footballer returning to a former club, and Julio Baptista may be out on a personal mission to prove that he would have been good enough to have his loan spell at Arsenal extended. His sheer power and strength could prove problematic to the Gunners' rearguard.

Arsenal

None other than Robin van Persie. He has been Arsenal's most creative and most influential player for some time now, perhaps since Fabregas' injury in November. He is one of the few starters who can create a moment of magic out of nothing.

PREDICTION

Arsenal 0-0 AS Roma

Alan Dawson, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Inter - Manchester United

Inter are all set to lock horns with Manchester United in what promises to be an enthralling affair at the Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday evening...

Time For The Special One To Deliver

When Jose Mourinho entered the San Siro last summer, the Portuguese tactician was under no illusion that Champions League success was pivotal to Inter patron Massimo Moratti’s decision to hire him.

‘The Special One’ is not a man inclined to feel pressure, but the ghost of ex-head coach Roberto Mancini will hang in the Milan air as Manchester United swing into town for the first leg of this second round clash of the titans.

Mancini was famously jettisoned by Moratti after gifting the Nerazzurri three Serie A titles in a row, but it was his failure to make a splash in Europe's premier club competition that sealed his fate.

Mourinho has upheld Mancini’s fortunes in Serie A, with last weekend’s 2-1 win over Bologna sending La Beneamata nine points clear of Juventus at the top of the division.

Worryingly for the Champions League winner from his days at Porto, he seems to have inherited his predecessor's luck in the Champions League.

Inter stumbled through an elementary group in the first round, drawing 3-3 with Cypriot minnows Anorthosis, and registering defeats to outsiders Werder Bremen and Panathinaikos.

A repeat of these wretched performances will blow apart Moratti’s master plan for Il Biscione to be proclaimed as the continent's finest and place an intense spotlight on the latest incumbent of his clubs hot seat.

Defensive Nightmare

Manchester United have one hand on the Premier League crown after this weekend’s events, but their grip on the Champions League trophy has diminished after a defensive injury crisis took over Old Trafford.

Last season’s double winners charged to a seven point lead at the summit of the English top flight after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City followed the Reds controversial 2-1 win against Blackburn Rovers.

Amidst the euphoria surrounding the Merseysiders slip up, the treatment room at United’s Carrington training base has dampened the sense of excitement.

From the moment that centre-back Jonny Evans felt a recurrence of the ankle injury that sidelined him for the majority of February, Sir Alex Ferguson knew he was in trouble for the trip to the San Siro.

Already missing the suspended Premier League’s defender of the moment Nemanja Vidic, plus the injured duo Wes Brown and Gary Neville, Ferguson was counting on the Ulsterman to contain the twin threats of Adriano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Now, Evans and team-mate John O’Shea face a race against time to be declated match fit. Without them, the Scottish manager faces an examination of the depth of his squad as he struggles to conjure up a centre-back capable of keeping Inter’s strikers from breaking down the door.

FORM GUIDE

Inter:

21 February vs. Bologna (A) won 2-1 (SERIE A)

15 February vs. A.C. Milan (H) won 2-1 (SERIE A)

07 February vs. Lecce (A) won 3-0 (SERIE A)

01 February vs. Torino (H) drew 1-1 (SERIE A)

28 January vs. Catania (A) won 2-0 (SERIE A)

Manchester United:

21 February vs. Blackburn Rovers (H) won 2-1 (PREM)

18 February vs. Fulham (H) won 3-0 (PREM)

15 February vs. Derby County (A) won 4-1 (FA CUP)

08 February vs. West Ham United (A) won 1-0 (PREM)

31 January vs. Everton (H) won 1-0 (PREM)

TEAM NEWS

Internazionale:

Veteran centre-backs Walter Samuel (calf) and Marco Materazzi (knee) miss the visit of Manchester United, whilst midfielders Patrick Vieira and Luis Jimenez are also unavailable to Jose Mourinho.

Last starting XI (vs. Bologna): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Cordoba, Rivas, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Maxwell (Balotelli 81), Muntari (Stankovic 46), Ibrahimovic, Adriano (Vieira 78).
Subs not used: Toldo, Figo, Cruz, Mancini.

Squad: Toldo, Julio Cesar, Orlandoni, Cordoba, Maxwell, Maicon, Burdisso, Rivas, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Stankovic, Figo, Cambiasso, Muntari, Ibrahimovic, Cruz, Adriano, Balotelli.

Possible starting XI: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Cordoba, Chivu, Santon, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Muntari, Maxwell, Ibrahimovic, Adriano.

Manchester United:

Sir Alex Ferguson is definitely without the suspended defender Nemanja Vidic, Gary Neville (illness) and Wes Brown (metatarsal). Jonny Evans (ankle) is a severe doubt, whilst John O’Shea (heel) faces a late fitness test.

Brazilian midfielder Anderson (ankle) has returned to training, whilst Owen Hargreaves (knee) is sidelined until next season.

Last starting XI (vs. Blackburn Rovers): Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans (Vidic 64), Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Giggs 82), Nani (Tevez 64), Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Welbeck, Fabio Da Silva, Fletcher.

Squad: Van der Sar, Foster, Kuszczak, Ferdinand, Evra, O'Shea, Evans, Fabio, Eckersley, Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Scholes, Possebon, Gibson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck

Possible starting XI: Van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, O’Shea, Rafael Da Silva, Ronaldo, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Berbatov, Rooney.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter: A predator strikes when it senses weakness. For Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the prospect of facing a decimated Manchester United defence is an opportunity to be ruthlessly exploited. Ibrahimovic has been terrorising Serie A’s backlines this year in his charge to the upper regions of the scoring charts. The Swede should fill his boots again on Tuesday against the rag tag United rearguard.

Manchester United: Never has there been a time in Rio Ferdinand’s career when he’s been more vital to his team than this Champions League second round meeting. The England international is Manchester United’s only fit centre-back. Ferdinand was flawless in his last visit to Italy against Roma last year. A repeat show will give the Red Devils a chance of progressing.

PREDICTION

The attention of Europe will fall on the San Siro as the Italian emperors face the Premier League’s finest.

No matter the grandeur, Manchester United will take to the pitch as a wounded beast. This puts the ball firmly in Jose Mourinho’s court, a position the Portuguese is loath to abandon.

Damage limitation is the name of the game for Sir Alex Ferguson. If his charges can register an away goal, then this trip to the Italian peninsula will be considered a success.

Inter 2-1 Manchester United

Matt Monaghan, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Olympique Lyonnais - Barcelona

Barcelona maybe favourites to win the Champions League, but the weekend's defeat by Espanyol has raised many questions as they prepare to visit Olympique Lyonnais.

Kick Off: 20:45 CET - Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - Stade Gerland, Lyon

Barcelona have a chance to put their first league defeat since the opening day of the season behind them when they travel to Stade Gerland on Tuesday evening to take on Olympique Lyonnais in the Champions League.

The Blaugrana were surprisingly beaten in the local derby against Espanyol on Saturday, and have had to suffer the sound-bytes and celebrations coming from Madrid and the criticism closer to home.

Pep Guardiola and his players will welcome the opportunity to return to winning ways with an impressive display in France that would prove that the Blanc i Blau reverse was just a blip.

On the flip-side, anything other than a god display will see those hoping to for a Barcelona slip-up shout even louder that the bubble may have burst at Camp Nou as the pressure increases.

If this game had been played a week ago, then all the statistics and records would have meant that very few would have predicted anything other than Lyon having to sit back and try and do what they could to stop their visitors.

Barça have netted over 100 goals in all competitions this term and had only been beaten on the first day of the league season by Numancia before last weekend, and against Shakhtar Donetsk in the last Champions League group game, by which time they had already qualified.

The away side are still viewed as favourites to progress in the tie, and Lyon have been looking to ensure that the pressure is taken off them by stating that they are playing the best team in the world.

While Lyon coach Claude Puel rates Barcelona very highly, their players are claiming that the French team have nothing to lose as nobody expects them to do well.

It is that kind of talk that Guardiola must keep his players away from because presumption may have been one of the reasons that the Catalan outfit slipped up at the weekend against Espanyol.

Lyon are top of the French league and on course for an eighth consecutive title triumph after winning at Nancy in their last Ligue 1 outing, and have several stars of their own that Barça will have to watch.

Karim Benzema has stated that he wants to win the Champions League with his hometown club, but a good performance over the two legs against Barcelona and he could be trying to help another team win it next term.

Puel and Guardiola may be meeting as coaches for the first time, but the pair have been on opposite sides as players as the Barça trainer helped the Blaugrana to win both legs against the French team's boss who was playing for Monaco in 1993-94.

Last season the teams met home and away in the group stage, and after a 2-2 draw in Stade Gerland, Barcelona ran out 3-0 winners in Camp Nou as Henry and Messi both netted after François Clerc had put through his own goal to open the scoring.

A repeat performance would certainly see the pressure on the Catalan coach ease, but a draw or defeat would leave the doubters able to claim that the Camp Nou wheels are beginning to wobble.


RECENT FORM

Olympique Lyonnais

21/02 A 2-0 Nancy
15/02 H 3-1 Le Havre
08/02 A 3-1 Nice
01/02 H 1-1 St Etienne
28/01 H 1-0 Marseille
24/01 A 6-0 Concarneau

Barcelona

21/02 H 1-2 Espanyol
14/02 A 2-2 Real Betis
08/02 H 3-1 Sporting Gijon
05/02 H 2-0 Real Mallorca
01/02 A 2-1 Racing Santander
29/01 H 3-2 Espanyol


TEAM NEWS

Olympique Lyonnais

The hosts rested Benzema, Juninho Pernambucano, Fabio Grosso and Kader Keita at the weekend, and all are expected to play against Barcelona. Puel's only dilemma is on the right where Clerc and Anthony Reveillere are both out so Lamine Gassama and John Mensah will have to play.

Probable Starting XI: Lloris, Gassama, Grosso, Mensah, Boumsong, Toulalan, Makoun, Keita, Mounier, Juninho, Benzema.

Barcelona

Eric Abidal will be unavailable to face his former club in either leg after picking up a knock at the weekend that has sidelined him for two months, while Andres Iniesta and Gaby Milito ar both still out. Carles Puyol or Sylvinho will move to left-back to cover, while Guardiola must choose between Sergio Busquets and Seydou Keita to play in the midfield with Toure Yaya and Xavi.

Probable Starting XI: Valdes, Alves, Sylvinho, Puyol, Pique, Toure, Keita, Xavi, Henry, Messi, Eto'o.


PREDICTION

If the defeat by Espanyol has refocused Barcelona then Lyon can expect a long evening of chasing the ball and having to push up to try to disrupt their opponents' midfield play. If not, then the French team could remain patient and wait for the nerves to start showing in the Blaugrana and then hope to make the breakthrough.

Olympique Lyonnais 1 - 2 Barcelona

Lucas Brown, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...

Champions League Preview: Atletico Madrid - Porto

After qualifying as runners-up to Liverpool, Atletico take on a Porto side that made it through their group as leaders...

Kick Off: Tuesday February 24, 20.45 CET
Vicente Calderon, Madrid

Atletico Madrid welcome Porto to the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday as the Champions League returns to the Spanish capital. The home side will be looking to get a positive result before travelling to Portugal, whilst the visitors will no doubt be happy if they can grab an away goal…

European Atletico

The Champions League is either returning at the wrong time or the right time for Atletico Madrid and it will probably only be known which it is over the next couple of weeks. For whilst it might appear to be arriving in the middle of a crisis at the club, as Atletico have won just one game in La Primera so far this year, it could also be a welcome break for the Spanish side. At times last year they were really struggling domestically and yet in Europe they were pulling out results that eventually saw them finish second in the group behind Liverpool.

Of course, a lot has changed since 2008, most notably the head coach, with Abel Resino coming into replace Javier Aguirre. The Mexican was sacked mainly because of the terrible league form this year but there he seemed to know exactly what he was doing in the Champions league. The new coach has already admitted that he may well ask Aguirre for advice regarding the competition and Atletico could do a lot worse than play as they did last year against Porto this Tuesday evening.

The Spanish side know that in front of their home fans it will be key to get a good result and after a promising performance against Sevilla at the weekend, they must be positive. Sergio Aguero only had about twenty minutes at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan so he should be perfectly fit for this game, which will be a major boost, and with a passionate crowd behind them Atletico will hope to continue where they left off last year.

Positive Porto

Much like Atletico, Porto will be hoping that the winter break does not have too much of an effect on them as, when they finished last year, they were beating Arsenal to finish top of their group. At that stage the Portuguese side were struggling on the domestic front but they have climbed from fifth in the league to being four points clear at the top, and extended their unbeaten run to twelve matches at the weekend.

Most impressively has been their away form in the league this season though, which has seen them lose just once, draw twice and win seven times. In Europe they were not quite so good away from the Estadio do Dragao last season but they still managed to pick up wins against both Dynamo Kiev and Fenerbahce, neither of which are regarded as easy places to go.

Despite their good form they will still start this tie as the underdogs, but should not be underestimated by Atletico at all. As always they have some quality players in their ranks and most worrying for the Spanish side will be the solidity of the Portuguese team, especially in defence. The back line is both strong and uncompromising, and they are unlikely to give their hosts too many chances to test Helton.

FORM GUIDE

Atletico Madrid

Feb 21 Sevilla 1-0 Atletico Madrid (La Liga)

Feb 15 Atletico Madrid 1-1 Getafe (La Liga)

Feb 8 Recreativo Huelva 0-3 Atletico Madrid (La Liga)

Feb 1 Atletico Madrid 1-2 Valladolid (La Liga)

Jan 25 Malaga 1-1 Atletico Madrid (La Liga)

Porto

Feb 20 Pacos de Ferreira 0-2 Porto (Portuguese Liga)

Feb 15 Porto 3-1 Rio Ave (Portuguese Liga)

Feb 8 Porto 1-1 Benfica (Portuguese Liga)

Feb 1 Belenenses 1-3 Porto (Portuguese Liga)

Jan 24 Braga 0-2 Porto (Portuguese Liga)

TEAM NEWS

Atletico Madrid

The home side will be without defender Luis Perea, who sustained a head injury at the weekend, so Giourkas Seitaridis is likely to come in at right-back.

Ever Banega and Luis Garcia look as though they will both miss the match with injury but the good news is that Sergio Aguero should start after resting for most of the game with Sevilla at the weekend.

Probable Line-Up (4-4-2): Leo Franco – Seitaridis, Heitinga, Ujfalusi, Pernia – Maxi, Maniche, Assuncao, Simao – Aguero, Forlan

Porto

Freddy Guarin and Fucile both missed the victory over Pacos de Ferreira with injury but the latter has travelled with the team and should play.

Elsewhere, midfielder Lucho Gonzalez came on as a sub on Friday after recovering from a knee problem and he should be able to start.

Probable Line-Up (4-3-3): Helton – Cissokho, Rolando, Alves, Fucile – Fernando, Lucho, Meireles – Lisandro, Hulk, Rodriguez

PLAYER TO WATCH

Atletico Madrid

The Porto defence might be strong but they are not always the quickest and this could give Sergio Aguero some joy on Tuesday evening. The Argentine only played the last twenty minutes against Sevilla at the weekend but in that time he looked lively and sharp. In front of his home fans he will no doubt be more than up for the game and will be looking to continue his good form in this competition.

Porto

As his name suggests, Hulk is a man-mountain, and he is sure to give the Atletico Madrid back line plenty to think about at the Vicente Calderon. Not only is he good in the air and strong on the ball, but he also possesses a good first touch and shot. He should get good service from all the attacking players around him and it will be up to him to take his chances.

PREDICTION

There is no doubt that the onus is on Atletico Madrid this Tuesday and they will surely have to get a positive result here if they are to progress to the next round. Porto are not always the strongest away from home and aren’t likely to sit back and defend all game, which could well play into the hands of the home side and allow them to score a couple.

Atletico Madrid 2-0 Porto

James Walker-Roberts, Goal.com
Selengkapnya...