Thursday, January 13, 2011

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13-01-2011 22:00 Real - Atletico Madrid

Still Going Strong

The Copa del Rey may not always take top billing for Real Madrid, but Jose Mourinho indicated from the beginning of the competition that he intends to win this crown. If the Portuguese was having any second thoughts about deploying a strong side in the tournament, a derby fixture against Atletico Madrid will compel him to focus firmly on Thursday evening’s quarter-final first leg encounter.

Los Blancos remain on the coattails of Barcelona in the Primera Division, and even a difficult encounter against Villarreal on Sunday evening could not break their momentum. There may have been a good deal of controversy involved, but there could be little doubting the importance of Madrid’s 4-2 success, during which they twice had to recover from behind.

“In the second half, we were the only side in it,” Mourinho told the media following the match, though he was also quick to praise the Yellow Submarine’s first half endeavour.

Already the former Inter and Porto boss has tasted success against Atleti this season, leading his men to a formidable 2-0 success against their cross-town rivals. The final score of that encounter didn’t really reflect the dominance of the Bernabeu club, who felt so comfortable that Cristiano Ronaldo played an audacious pass with his back to Xabi Alonso.

With the winter transfer window open, it might have been expected that los Merengues would be taking up great column inches with rumours of potential signings, but instead they’re taking a back seat and letting their play on the pitch do the talking.

Troubled Times

A storm is brewing at the Vicente Calderon, where Atletico Madrid are perceived to be underperforming in the Primera Division. Under pressure coach Quique Sanchez Flores was left frustrated by Monday night’s 4-1 humbling against Hercules in Alicante. From the outset, los Colchoneros were second best, and Jose Antonio Reyes’ late goal was scant consolation on a bleak evening for the capital side.

“I believe my players can do big things... I am confident in them,” Flores told the press prior to Thursday’s encounter against Real Madrid, retaining great faith in his side. “All these years we have not won at Real Madrid can act as a stimulus.”

After a great start to the season, Atleti are rather coming apart at the seams. Only two wins have been gleamed from their last six Primera Division encounters, of which four were played against sides in the bottom half of the table. During this period, they’ve also been embarrassingly eliminated from the Europa League.

Los Rojiblancos have been knock-out specialists under Flores. They’ve yet to lose a two-legged affair under the 45-year-old former Real Madrid right-back, though they have certainly not faced a challenge as great as los Blancos previously.

The squad is set to be supplemented by the addition of exciting Brazilian midfielder Elias, while Juanfran’s signing from Osasuna is another positive sign that a corner may be getting turned in the Arganzuela district of the Spanish capital.

Nevertheless, if Atleti were to end their decade long Derbi jinx on Thursday, it would be a huge shock.


TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid

Gonzalo Higuain is expected to miss the next four months due to a back problem. The Argentine striker may not play again this season.

Jerzy Dudek and Pepe are the only other injury concerns.

Alvaro Arbeloa returns after a ban.

Atletico

New signings Juanfran and Elias have both been named in the 20-strong squad to travel to the Bernabeu.

Quique Sanchez Flores has no fresh injury worries from Monday’s loss.

Prediction
In such affairs, it’s impossible to back against Real Madrid. Atletico seem to freeze at the Bernabeu, and Quique Sanchez Flores’ unpredictable side are unlikely to buck that trend on Thursday evening. If los Blancos take their eye off the ball, however, their guests are strong enough to punish them.

Real Madrid 3-1 Atletico Madrid

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13-01-2011 21:00 Juventus - Catania

Un-Collapsing The Collapse

Juventus had ended 2010 with an 18-match unbeaten record in all competitions and had gone 13 Serie A encounters without dropping all three points in a single match. But the start of the new year has seen the Old Lady collapse almost radically, their 4-1 hammering of Parma in their first game of 2011 was followed by a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Napoli in Naples.

Back-to-back defeats have once again raised questions about the extent of success the rebuilding of Juventus under Luigi Del Neri has and will achieve and has also forced them to almost relinquish hopes of a Scudetto triumph.

There are suggestions that the Old Lady's season has been deflated by the two losses but they would be keen to prove that theory wrong tonight against Catania in the Round of 16 tie in the Coppa Italia.

Juventus striker and all-time legend Alessandro Del Piero remains confident of a victory tonight and explains, ''We have to come out of this situation as soon as possible and not be affected by pessimism and negativity. The year has only just begun and there are many games left to play.

"We have to concentrate on what we have to do rather than on what we have not done and focus on our Coppa Italia match against Catania and in Sunday's game against Bari."

Cup Distraction

Just like Juventus, Catania too are coming off the back of two successive losses in the new year. The Sicilians commenced the new year with a 4-2 defeat to Roma in Rome and at the weekend went down 2-1 to Italian and European champions Inter at home despite taking the lead.

The results mean that Marco Giampaolo's side are now 16th in Serie A, just three points above the relegation zone, and there is no doubt that Catania's sole objective for the rest of the campaign is to avoid the drop to the Italian second division.

''Our main priority this season is to avoid the drop,'' said Giampaolo. ''But we will try to honour the Coppa Italia and play well against Juventus. We played well against Inter and although we accept the defeat, we didn't deserve to lose.''

Catania will also attempt to avenge themselves after losing to Juventus at the Angelo Massimino in December in a league encounter in what was their first home defeat in around a year.


 
TEAM NEWS

Juventus

Gianluigi Buffon is back in the Bianconeri squad and has been called up along with 20 others players. Luca Toni has been passed fit to play after recovering from the calf injury he suffered at the weekend. Amauri is unavailable with a fractured nose.

Catania

Catania are likely to line up in a 4-4-2 formation with Mirco Antenucci and Giuseppe Mascara to start as the front-two.

Prediction
Juventus have already defeated Catania this season and will head into tonight's encounter looking to achieve a similar result. The Bianconeri have lost their two games this year but should have more than enough to eke out a narrow win in Turin tonight.

Juventus 2-0 Catania