Wednesday, March 2, 2011

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03-03-2011 22:00 Real - Malaga

No Criticism

Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid know that any slip they make will be heavily punished by league leaders Barcelona, and as if to reinforce the point, they slipped further behind the Catalan club at the weekend, having been held to a scoreless draw by Deportivo La Coruna. Los Blancos meet Malaga on Thursday night, eager to keep pace with their great rivals, who play 24 hours earlier.

The door had been opened for los Blancos to make an assault on the title a couple of weeks ago when Sporting de Gijon held Barca, but almost as quickly as crisis talk at la Blaugrana rose, Madrid’s inability to break down a packed and well organised Depor defence at the weekend has seen it quelled.

Mourinho evidently wasn’t impressed by the tactics adopted by the ultra-defensive Galicians at a venue that has previously proven cruel to los Merengues. “We played against one goalkeeper and 10 defenders for the second half,” he said after the draw. “Only one team played to win. The other played to exhaustion and defended and they won the prize. We, who tried to win, are penalised for this.

“I cannot criticise my players for their efforts as they did all they can.”

While it hasn’t been uncommon for teams to hold los Blancos to low scoring draws away from the capital, no-one has yet to breach the great club’s perfect record under Mourinho at their Bernabeu home. Madrid boast a perfect home record in all competitions this season, and they’ll expect to maintain it through this fixture, at least.

Slipping Back

Real Madrid may be the masters at spending big, but comparatively speaking, Malaga have splashed the cash this season, though their efforts in the transfer market have come up drastically short. Despite a number of relatively high profile acquisitions both in the summer and during January, the Andalucian club find themselves towards the bottom of the table and in deep relegation trouble.

Former Blancos boss Manuel Pellegrini took the reins from Jesualdo Ferreira in November, but just as the ex-Porto boss struggled to get the team playing, so too has the Chilean, whose side arrested a worrying run of seven matches without a victory with their 3-1 win over Almeria at the weekend.

Pellegrini’s return to the Bernabeu should simply be a sub-plot for the coach, who needs to be targeting quick points for his side against any opponents. Presently, Malaga are on a run of four matches unbeaten, which includes a point earned against Villarreal at El Madrigal. That impressive tie was secured thanks to a late goal from Sebastian Fernandez, and recent draws against Sevilla and Getafe potentially point to a brighter future.

But Malaga’s season has been one long false dawn for the club, starting when they were bought by Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani in the summer. Anything earned at the Bernabeu would be quite remarkable.


TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid


Los Blancos will again be without Gonzalo Higuain and Jerzy Dudek. Pepe has had his yellow card from the weekend rescinded. 

Malaga

Julio Baptista, Helder Rosario, Javier Malagueno, Duda and Reuben Martinez are out due to injury problems.


Real

DateOpponentHA
HACompetitionSeason
26.02.2011.Deportivo La Coruna0:0USpain 12010/2011
22.02.2011.Olympique Lyonnais1:1
UChampions League - Final stage2010/2011
19.02.2011.Levante2:0
USpain 12010/2011
13.02.2011.Espanyol1:0
USpain 12010/2011
06.02.2011.Real Sociedad4:1
OSpain 12010/2011
02.02.2011.Sevilla2:0
USpain, Cup2010/2011
30.01.2011.Osasuna0:1
USpain 12010/2011
26.01.2011.Sevilla1:0
USpain, Cup2010/2011
23.01.2011.Mallorca1:0
USpain 12010/2011
20.01.2011.Atletico Madrid1:0
USpain, Cup2010/2011

Malaga

DateOpponentHA
HACompetitionSeason
28.02.2011.Almeria3:1
OSpain 12010/2011
20.02.2011.Villarreal1:1
USpain 12010/2011
13.02.2011.Getafe2:2
OSpain 12010/2011
06.02.2011.Sevilla0:0USpain 12010/2011
29.01.2011.Zaragoza1:2
OSpain 12010/2011
22.01.2011.Valencia3:4
OSpain 12010/2011
16.01.2011.Barcelona1:4
OSpain 12010/2011
08.01.2011.Athletic Bilbao1:1
USpain 12010/2011
05.01.2011.Sevilla0:3
OSpain, Cup2010/2011
02.01.2011.Real Sporting Gijon2:1
OSpain 12010/2011

Mutual matches

DateHA
HACompetitionSeason
16.10.2010.4:1
OSpain 12010/2011
16.05.2010.1:1
USpain 12009/2010
24.01.2010.2:0
USpain 12009/2010
04.04.2009.1:0
USpain 12008/2009
08.11.2008.4:3
OSpain 12008/2009
23.04.2006.2:1
OSpain 12005/2006
11.12.2005.2:0
USpain 12005/2006
20.03.2005.1:0
USpain 12004/2005
07.11.2004.2:0
USpain 12004/2005
07.02.2004.2:1
OSpain 12003/2004
21.09.2003.3:1
OSpain 12003/2004
18.05.2003.5:1
OSpain 12002/2003
21.12.2002.3:2
OSpain 12002/2003
19.01.2002.1:1
USpain 12001/2002
08.09.2001.1:1
USpain 12001/2002
04.02.2001.4:3OSpain 12000/2001
16.09.2000.3:3OSpain 12000/2001

Prediction
There should be no problems for Real Madrid in this fixture. Jose Mourinho’s men have won all of their home games this season, and Malaga don’t have the ability to match them.
Editor's Prediction
 Real Madrid3
Malaga 0

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03-03-2011 20:45 Ajax - RKC Waalwijk

DID YOU KNOW?
 
  • Ajax have lifted the KNVB Beker 18 times so far.
  • Maarten Stekelenburg has not conceded in his last four games.
  • Miralem Sulejmani is Ajax's topscorer this KNVB Beker campaign with three goals in four outings.
  • RKC have never reached the final of the KNVB Beker.
  • Winger Derk Boerrigter came through the ranks of the Ajax youth academy.
LAST MEETING

March 
21, 2010: RKC 1-5 Ajax

The Waalwijk side never really stood a chance against the Amsterdam giants and were heavily beaten. RKC eventually dropped to the Eerstedivisie after a disappointing season.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Ajax: Stekelenburg; Van der Wiel, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Blind; De Jong, Eriksen, Enoh; Sulejmani, El Hamdaoui, Ebecilio

RKC: Levita; Mulder, Van Mosselveld, Varela, Drost; Duits, Ramos; Braber, Boerrigter; De Groot, Benson

Ajax

DateOpponentHANHACompetitionSeason
27.02.2011.PSV Eindhoven0:0UNetherlands 12010/2011
24.02.2011.Anderlecht2:0
UEuropa League2010/2011
20.02.2011.VVV Venlo1:0
UNetherlands 12010/2011
17.02.2011.Anderlecht3:0
OEuropa League2010/2011
13.02.2011.Roda2:2
ONetherlands 12010/2011
04.02.2011.De Graafschap2:0
UNetherlands 12010/2011
30.01.2011.NAC Breda3:0
ONetherlands 12010/2011
27.01.2011.NAC Breda4:1
ONetherlands, Cup2010/2011
23.01.2011.Utrecht0:3
ONetherlands 12010/2011
19.01.2011.Feyenoord2:0
UNetherlands 12010/2011



RKC Waalwijk

DateOpponentHANHACompetitionSeason
25.02.2011.Veendam3:2
ONetherlands 22010/2011
18.02.2011.Emmen2:0
UNetherlands 22010/2011
11.02.2011.MVV Maastricht0:3
ONetherlands 22010/2011
07.02.2011.Telstar1:0
UNetherlands 22010/2011
04.02.2011.Helmond Sport1:0
UNetherlands 22010/2011
28.01.2011.Den Bosch0:1
UNetherlands 22010/2011
25.01.2011.Noordwijk6:0
ONetherlands, Cup2010/2011
21.01.2011.Almere City3:1
ONetherlands 22010/2011
18.01.2011.Achilles 291:1
UNetherlands, Cup2010/2011
14.01.2011.Eindhoven4:1
ONetherlands 22010/2011



Mutual matches

DateHANHACompetitionSeason
21.03.2010.5:1
ONetherlands 12009/2010
08.08.2009.4:1
ONetherlands 12009/2010
18.04.2007.3:1
ONetherlands, Cup2006/2007
08.04.2007.2:2
ONetherlands 12006/2007
20.08.2006.5:0
ONetherlands 12006/2007
16.04.2006.4:2
ONetherlands 12005/2006
04.12.2005.4:1
ONetherlands 12005/2006
07.05.2005.4:0
ONetherlands 12004/2005
03.12.2004.2:1
ONetherlands 12004/2005
06.03.2004.1:0
UNetherlands 12003/2004
13.09.2003.4:1
ONetherlands 12003/2004
03.05.2003.6:1
ONetherlands 12002/2003
26.10.2002.1:1
UNetherlands 12002/2003
10.02.2002.3:1
ONetherlands 12001/2002
13.10.2001.2:0
UNetherlands 12001/2002
03.05.2001.2:2
ONetherlands 12000/2001
30.11.2000.3:0ONetherlands 12000/2001

Prediction
Editor's Prediction
  Ajax3
1           Waalwijk
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02-03-2011 20:45 Celtic - Rangers


DID YOU KNOW?
  • This is the first Old Firm Scottish Cup replay since goals for Harry Hood and Lou Macari secured a the trophy for Celtic in a replay at Hampden Park on May 12, 1971.
  • The Parkhead side lost their 16-game undefeated run against Motherwell on Sunday, when John Sutton hit a double to hand Neil Lennon’s side their first defeat since November.
  • The Hoops will be without first choice keeper Fraser Forster, who was sent off just before half-time in the original tie, when the on-loan Newcastle stopper brought down Steven Naismith, who will also be unavailable for the Ibrox side after receiving a red card later on in the game.
  • Celtic midfielder Kris Commons is the only Hoops player to have scored on his debut, the League Cup semi-final victory over Aberdeen. Then in his Old Firm debut in the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox, before scoring on his Parkhead debut in the league win over Rangers.
  • Striker Anthony Stokes is still looking to open his scoring account in the Old Firm, having already scored 17 goals for Celtic this season.
  • Rangers will be looking to secure the Scottish Cup this season in order to level the Parkhead side’s record of 34 cup victories, with the Ibrox side only being one behind their rivals.
  • The Ibrox side’s bad boy midfielder El Hadji Diouf will be looking for his first goal in Scotland after having scored in the Europa League draw with Sporting Lisbon on Thursday evening.
  • Inverness Caledonian Thistle await the winners of the Old Firm clash in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup at the Tulloch Stadium in the Highland capital.
  • This Old Firm game will be the fifth game in a season in which the Glasgow giants will square up to one another a record seven times, with a League Cup final clash upcoming on March 20.
  • Rangers captain David Weir is set to return to action at the age of 41, after having missed his first league game of this season. The four goal victory over St Johnstone which saw Walter Smith’s side cut the lead enjoyed by Celtic to five points.

LAST MEETING



February 20, 2010: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

Celtic looked to place a huge marker on the league title race with a dominant victory over their Glasgow rivals, with Gary Hooper grabbing a first-half double, before Kris Commons finished the game off late on.

Players to watch

Beram Kayal: The Israeli playmaker has been centre to everything that Celtic have done right, in going to the top of the Scottish Premier League. And his importance to the Parkhead side was illustrated during their weekend defeat to Motherwell, which Kayal was suspended for.

Nikica Jelavic:
 The Rangers hitman scored against the Parkhead side last season when he played for Rapid Vienna. The Croatian will be the key to victory for the Ibrox side after they lost top scorer Kenny Miller who left during the January transfer window.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Celtic: Zaluska; Juarez, Majstorovic, Mulgrew, Izaguirre; Brown, Kayal, Ledley, Commons; Samaras, Hooper.

Rangers: McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Diouf, Davis, Bartley, Edu, Lafferty; Jelavic.
Prediction

After one of the best Old Firm fixtures for years in the first tie, expect this one to be full of fireworks as both sides look to gain the victory that will make them the favourites for the trophy. But home advantage should help Celtic as they look to bounce back from their weekend defeat.

Celtic 2-1 Rangers