| Borusija Dortmund - Sevilja | 3+ | 1.83 | |
| Pari Sen Žermen - Karpati | 0-2 | 1.76 | |
| Atletiko Madrid - Bajer Leverkuzen | 3+ | 1.60 | |
| Soccer | 5.64 | ||
Thursday, September 30, 2010
30.09.2010. Tiket
30.09. (Thu) 21:05 Manchester City - Juventus
Manchester City started the 2010-11 campaign on a rather slow note but they have started to pick momentum. At the weekend Roberto Mancini's side defeated Premier League champions Chelsea 1-0 at Eastlands and are in hugely confident mood ahead of the visit of Juventus to the city.
City have won three of their last five matches and are gathering momentum. Furthermore, the Citizens will be looking forward to picking up their second win in the group stage of the competition after having won 2-0 against Salzburg in Austria a fortnight ago.
Midfielder Patrick Vieira, who is himself a former Juventus player, believes that the Bianconeri can be beaten and enthuses, "We have beaten Liverpool and Chelsea who are seen to be part of the big four. That just shows how strong we are. There is still a long way to go but we believe in ourselves. "We know how good we are. Now we have to win games week in, week out. We have to show it on the pitch.''
Repairing The Damage
Juventus' start to the 2010-11 season in all competitions has been very disappointing but Luigi Del Neri's side seem to be picking up momentum. The Bianconeri hammered Cagliari at the weekend and there is a suspicion that the former Italian and European champions have turned the corner.
However, Juve striker Alessandro Del Piero knows that a win against Manchester City at Eastlands is not an easy task but remains optimistic. The former Italy international says, "Manchester City are in excellent shape and it will be very hard for us. It always is when you are in England. They have invested heavily and one of the reasons they can be successful is that they have a great squad of players.''
Juve were held to a 3-3 draw by Polish side Lech Poznan in Turin in their opening game of the Europa League a fortnight ago and are desperate for all three points.
TEAM NEWS
Manchester City
Jerome Boateng is fit and could start on Thursday evening. Micah Richards too could be available although Shaun Wright-Phillips is doubtful with a knee problem while Wayne Bridge and Aleksandar Kolarov are out.
Juventus
Jorge Martinez is ready to return to action and this will increase the options for coach Del Neri.
Prediction
Manchester City will go into the match as slight favourites but should know that Juventus are not a bad side. Although the Italian giants have been struggling so far this campaign, they do have the quality. A narrow win for the Citizen looks to be the most likely outcome.
Man City 2-1 Juventus 
30.09. (Thu) 21:05 Atletico Madrid - Bayer Leverkusen
Anyone who had the impression that the Europa League group stages would be a breeze for Atletico Madrid was made to think again after los Colchoneros travelled back from Greece on the back of a 1-0 defeat a fortnight ago. Defeated by Aris, there is now a very real need for the Primera Division club to earn a positive result against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday if they are to maintain hopes of defending the title they won against Fulham last season.
Los Rojiblancos started the campaign in terrific form, getting the better of Inter in the European Super Cup and then beginning La Liga with a blast. The Aris loss rather halted the momentum of Quique Sanchez Flores’ side, who would then lose the following Sunday against Barcelona. They have since mounted a recovery of sorts, earning a fine point away to Valencia and then defeating Zaragoza 1-0 at home, but already their European lives are starting to disappear.
“We suffered an unexpected setback in Greece, but tomorrow we will go all out for the victory,” president Enrique Cerezo told the press. “The Germans are not going to give anything away. They are a complicated team, who have scored eight goals in their last two matches, and will certainly be very dangerous to us. Atletico Madrid are the defending champions, though, and so we have to prove it.”
Meanwhile, Raul Garcia also lamented the loss against Aris when previewing the forthcoming tie. “The truth is that if we had won in Aris, we would not have the obligation to win, but now we must get the first victory,” he explained to the media.
Last season’s successful tilt was characterised by strong away form on Atleti’s part, but it’s at the Vicente Calderon they now need to shine.
In Spain To Win
Atletico might have started their Europa League campaign with a distinct stumble, but that certainly wasn’t the case with Bayer Leverkusen, who hit their stride immediately in the competition, smashing the challenge of Norwegian outfit Rosenborg 4-0. Patrick Helmes was the undoubted star of that encounter, striking a fine hat-trick.
Helmes’ efforts rather sparked a goal glut for die Werkself, who have moved themselves up to fifth in the Bundesliga, aided by some solid away form that has seen them claim two victories and one draw on their travels. Coach Jupp Heynckes hope his side’s unbeaten run continues in the Spanish capital, though he has specifically targeted maximum points.
“We’ve come to Madrid to win. My team has the technical abilities to make the running,” he explained to the media, before warning of los Colchoneros’ ability. “The team is well organised, plays creatively and defends well. Things weren’t always like that for Atletico.”
Boasting a team of players in rich goal scoring form, Bayer will certainly travel to Spain with genuine hope of deepening Atleti’s European woes, though the Germans must be careful to balance an attacking approach with strong defence as their hosts have some pretty handy players in front of goal themselves.
TEAM NEWS
Atletico
Key central defender Diego Godin picked up a knee injury at the weekend that will keep him out for the best part of a month. Diego Costa also acquired a slight issue, but he’s expected to be involved on Thursday.
Coach Quique Sanchez Flores is likely to implement a rotational system in his side, with Sergio Aguero potentially in line to start after playing a reduced role of late due to injury. Flores said on Thursday afternoon that he was unsure whether the Argentine would start or not.
Bayer
The quality rather than the quantity of Bayer Leverkusen’s injuries could pose coach Jupp Heynckes problems. Michael Ballack is just about to start his rehabilitation from a tibia fracture, while Stefan Kiessling and Gonzalo Castro are out too.
Prediction
This should be an exciting all-action affair as neither Atletico nor Bayer are especially noted for their defensive capabilities. There can be little doubt that los Colchoneros have tightened up their rearguard significantly since last term, but their German foes have been strong on the road this season. A high scoring affair is in order, though the guests will be the happier side if things end all square.
Atletico Madrid 2-2 Leverkusen 
30.09. (Thu) 21:05 Rosenborg - Aris
Rosenborg are one of the regulars in European club competitions but the Norwegian giants suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in their opening game of the Europa League a fortnight back.
Rosenborg are not expected to progress from this group that also comprises of Spanish side Atletico Madrid but starting on a note of disaster is not going to help their confidence. However, coach Nile Arne Eggen has urged his players to forget the past and concentrate on the task at hand, that is, to defeat Aris at home.
"We are not going to be like we were against Bayer Leverkusen,'' said Eggen. "Now we have Aris at home and Rosenborg have to go on the pitch at Lerkendal to run over them.
"We must take our first points, and preferably three. I have asked the players to forget, as quickly as possible, the Leverkusen game.''
Aiming For Yet Another Win
Greek side Aris Salonika conjured up arguably the most shocking result of the first matchday of Europa League action earlier this month when they defeat holders Atletico Madrid 1-0 at home. It was indeed a deserved win for the Grecian side and one that now puts them in a favourable position to qualify for the second round.
However, Aris are still searching for a first group stage success on their travels in the UEFA Cup/Europa League and will face stiff opposition against Rosenborg in Norway. But even a point will be good for the Thessaloniki-based side as that will keep them unbeaten in Europe.
Furthermore Aris have avoided defeat in their two European away fixtures so far this season and will themselves not be easy pushovers.
TEAM NEWS
Rosenborg
There are no reported major injury concerns for the Norwegian side.
Aris
Danijel Cesarec, Darcy Dolce Neto and Juan Toja are back into contention after sitting out the last match because of suspension.
Prediction
This promises to be an interesting clash as Aris will be looking forward to their second win of the competition. The Greeks will make it tough for their Norwegian hosts, but Rosenborg should prevail in the end.
Rosenborg 2-1 Aris Thessaloniki 
30.09. (Thu) 19:00 Utrecht - Liverpool
Liverpool travel to the Netherlands to take on FC Utrecht in the second round of fixtures in the Europa League on Thursday night, with both side's European form considerably better than their results on domestic duty.
Utrecht will have been pleased with their start to Europe League competition. Having overturned a two-goal deficit to eliminate Celtic 4-2 on aggregate in qualifying, the Dutch side started life in Group K with a resolute goalless draw against Napoli in Italy to secure a valuable away point.
Ton du Chatinier's side have not begun the new Eredivisie campaign looking like a Europa League side, losing four of their first seven games and kicking their heels in the bottom half of the table, 12th in a league of only 18 teams. They were overcome by AZ Alkmaar most recently, and also needed a penalty shootout to get the better of fellow strugglers De Graafschap in cup competition.
Utrecht made the home advantage count against Celtic however, and have proved difficult to beat at the Galgenwaard Stadium in domestic competition. They will be hoping to pile on the misery for Thursday's visitors.
Liverpool Look For Landmark Win
The Reds have suffered an awful start to the season by their own high standards. Out of the League Cup at the hands of Northampton last week and sitting 16th in the Premier League after six games, the suggestions that manager Roy Hodgson is out of his depth have, perhaps prematurely, already begun.
Having bossed clubs around Europe, Hodgson knows his stuff on the continent, and the Reds will be hopeful of putting all their problems behind them in Holland on Thursday night, in their 300th Uefa club competition fixture.
All the omens are good for Hodgson's side, too. Having beaten Steaua Bucharest 4-1 in their opening fixture after a shaky spell, they now face a Dutch side and boast a fine record against teams from the orange nation, losing only once in 12 games, to Ajax back in 1966.
TEAM NEWSUtrecht
The hosts are carrying no new knocks following their loss to AZ Alkmaar, and could even opt to field a three-man attack, such is their positive outlook at home.Possible starting XI: Vorm; Nesu, Wuytens, Schut, Cornelisse; Asare, Lensky, Silberbauer; Duplan, Van Wolfswinkel, Danso.
Liverpool
Hodgson will be without Paul Konchesky, who limped out of the 2-2 draw with Sunderland on Saturday, and with Fabio Aurelio still struggling for fitness, Daniel Agger is set to deputise at left-back.The Reds boss has also suggest Raul Meireles, Dirk Kuyt and Fernando Torres could all start on Thursday, meaning David Ngog may miss out despite his goalscoring form in the competition this season.
Possible Starting XI: Reina; Kelly, Carragher, Skrtel, Agger; Poulsen, Meireles; Kuyt, Gerrard, Joe Cole; Torres.
Prediction
Utrecht 2-2 Liverpool 
30.09. (Thu) 19:00 Borussia D. - Sevilla
Europa League Group J was considered to be one of the most intriguing when the draw was initially made, though Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla were certainly favourites to overcome Paris Saint-Germain, with Karpaty expected to end the pool bottom. In the first round of matches, BVB recovered from a scare to win in Ukraine, but los Nervionenses didn’t have the strength to overcome PSG at home, setting up a vital second game in Germany.
Second in the Bundesliga at present, Juergen Klopp’s side are certainly living up to their pre-season billing as potential winners. Having engineered a seven point advantage over Bayern Munich in the opening six weeks of action, they are well placed to make a real tilt for the title.
European success would not seem to be outside the reach of the Ruhr side, though their opening gambit in the group stages was not especially convincing. With three minutes remaining in Lviv, BVB trailed 3-2, yet by full-time Lucas Barrios and Mario Goetze had struck to seal a dramatic 4-3 success.
That victory accounts for only one match of the club’s six-game winning streak, which has been characterised by Klopp’s men scoring with great regularity. Should such a high level be maintained then Sevilla will certainly have their hands full when they visit the intimidating Signal Iduna Park on Thursday evening.
Alvarez No More
In contrast to their hosts’ smooth getaway for the season, Sevilla have already hit severe turbulence in their campaign. Even before the Primera Division campaign started los Nervionenses were out of the Champions League, and though they initially started their domestic campaign well, one victory in four has left the Andalucians in problems.
A 2-0 defeat against Hercules at the weekend ultimately accounted for Antonio Alvarez’s head, with former Mallorca boss Gregorio Manzano stepping into the void. Given that Manzano had been linked with the role even before the summer, this move was little surprise, and indeed the only shock was that it took so long to come about.
Manzano will take to the dugout under the flag of Sevilla for the first time on Thursday, and he will certainly be seeking a better outcome than his predecessor achieved at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Matchday 1, when an under-strength PSG side quickly undermined los Rojiblancos’ place in the competition by stealing away with a 1-0 victory.
There may be a talented squad at the coach’s disposal, but tidying up the mess will not be a job that can accomplished quickly. La Liga will be his immediate priority, though a run in Europe would clearly be a welcome distraction to the difficulties the domestic game is presently posing los Nervionenses.
TEAM NEWS
Borussia
The big players missing for the home side include Mohamed Zidan, Sebastian Kehl and Tamas Hajnal, who is less a regular that the aforementioned duo.
Coach Juergen Klopp is liable to deploy a strong side for Thursday’s match.
Sevilla
Gregorio Manzano named his first squad on Wednesday afternoon. He was able to welcome back a number of figures who missed out at the weekend, including Jesus Navas, Frederic Kanoute and Martin Caceres, meaning that he effectively has a full panel of players to select from.
Long-term absentee Sergio Sanchez has started training with the first team squad again after a heart scare effectively wiped out last season for him.
Prediction
Simply appointing a new coach is often a trigger for sides to perform well, so that plays into the hands of Sevilla, but present form suggests that Borussia Dortmund should scoop all three points on offer. This should be an exciting affair with plenty of goals; expect BVB to have the edge though.
Borussia 3-1 Sevilla 
30.09. (Thu) 19:00 Steaua - Napoli
Romanian giants Steaua Bucharest commenced their Europa League campaign on a note of disaster as they were hammered 4-1 by Liverpool at Anfield a fortnight ago. Steaua are the outsiders to progress from this group but that heavy defeat indeed was a massive blow.
However, Steaua are looking for a fresh new start under new coach Marius Lacatus, who returned for a third spell at the club after Ilie Dumitrescu stepped down last week following criticism from the supporters of the club.
At the moment Steaua are fifth in the league standings in Romania and lost 1-0 at Otelul Galati at the weekend and Lacatus knows of the task at hand. He says, "I watched Napoli's game at Cesena. They played a fantastic game and showed great football.
"I fear not just one or two Napoli players, but the whole group. We will have to step up our game if we are going to surprise Napoli.''
Stepping Up Their Game
Napoli have a brilliant team and are expected to make it through from this group along with Premier League giants Liverpool but so far they have been under par. A fortnight ago the former Italian champions were held to a goalless draw by FC Utrecht in Naples and now know that they have to get a point at least in Bucharest on Thursday evening.
Napoli have started to gather momentum in Serie A and came from a goal down to defeat Cesena 4-1 at the weekend. Coach Walter Mazzarri hopes that his team can pick up the thread from there and enthuses, "This is a high-level Napoli. I don't think we can play any better. I have complimented all my players and especially the new signings - they have surpassed expectations.
"This is a group victory and I would like to underline that this team always play good football whether they are at home or away.''
The Azzurri will aim to collect maximum points on Thursday evening given their firepower in the attackline.
TEAM NEWS
Steaua Bucharest
There are no major injury concerns for the Romanians although Lacatus may like to shake things a little bit after their weekend loss in a domestic league fixture.
Napoli
Defender Paolo Cannavaro is a suspected injury concern with a muscle problem.
Prediction
Napoli are a good side but perhaps are not that equipped to win away from home. A draw, though, is not out of the picture.
Steaua 2-2 Napoli 
30.09. (Thu) 19:00 Paris Saint Germain - Karpaty
Though Paris Saint-Germain finished last season firmly in the bottom half of the Ligue 1 table, les Parisiens have started this campaign in a bright style, taking advantage of the struggles of France’s big names to leap into the top six. Antoine Kombouare’s men have also been doing well in Europe and meet Karpaty Lviv in the French capital with some confidence.
Only victory in the Coupe de France last season, which led to this European adventure, was enough to save PSG’s face last term, and potentially Kombouare’s job. Yet they are making up for lost time by proving a stronger force against Ligue 1’s lesser lights, enjoying a three match unbeaten domestic run, during which they’ve yet to leak a goal.
In Europe, they’ve overcome the challenge of Maccabi Tel Aviv to reach the group stages, and with president Robin Leproux pushing for les Rouge et Bleu to succeed on multiple fronts they’ve also started confidently on the continent, surprising Sevilla 1-0 with a severely rotated side.
Against Karpaty, PSG will hope to affirm their status as a potential presence in the knock-out stages by recording a victory and maintaining a 10 match unbeaten run in Europe that has seen them go more than 450 minutes at the Parc des Princes without conceding.
Underdogs
Karpaty’s start to the Europa League was nearly glorious. Against a much fancied and highly rated Borussia Dortmund side they cut themselves a 3-2 advantage going into the closing stages but were undone in the final three minutes as they twice conceded.
Having defeated Galatasaray in the play-off round on away goals, the Ukrainians were already aware that they could stand toe-to-toe successfully with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but drawn against BVB, PSG and Sevilla, qualification for the knock-out stages was always likely to be a tough ask.
Home form was likely to be crucial to Oleh Kononov’s side, who now face a severely uphill task if their objective of the top two is to be met.
With striker William Batista recently ruled out for the next month due to a knee injury, that only adds to the problems of the Group J minnows, who are presently occupying fourth position in their domestic top flight. Nevertheless, this group of players cannot be underestimated.
Prediction
PSG 2-0 Karpaty Lviv 
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