Sunday, March 6, 2011

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06-03-2011 21:00 Racing Santander - Real

DID YOU KNOW?
The biggest news ahead of this fixture is the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was injured after scoring a hat-trick against Malaga, and is now expected to be out for two weeks with a thigh muscle strain.
Racing have not lost at home in nine league games, but have drawn four of their last five matches at El Sardinero. Their only victory was a 3-2 win over Sevilla.
Racing have lost the last seven times they have faced Madrid in La Liga, and have scored only two goals in those fixtures.
Real Madrid have scored just two goals in their last four away fixtures.
Madrid's last three games at El Sardinero have all finished 2-0 in their favour.
After 26 rounds, Jose Mourinho's Los Blancos have collected 64 points, one point less than Manuel Pellegrini at this same stage last season.

LAST MEETING
October 23rd, 2010: Real Madrid 6-1 Racing Santander

Madrid destroyed Racing at the Bernabeu, thanks to a four-goal haul by Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Mesut Oezil. Curiously, only one of those three will be available at El Sardinero.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Racing: Tono; Torrejon, Henrique, Domingo, Pinillos; Giovani, Colsa, Gonzalez, Rodriguez; Munitis, Rosenborg


Real Madrid: Casillas; Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo; Alonso, Khedira; Kaka, Oezil, Di Maria; Benzema

Toño13
Christian3
Torrejón19
Henrique0
Pinillos14
Pedro Munitis Álvarez10
Adrián González23
Markus Rosenberg7
Lacen5
Kennedy Bakircioglu16
Ariel Nahuelpan Osten22
Iker Casillas1
Álvaro Arbeloa Coca17
Sergio Ramos4
Ricardo Carvalho2
Marcelo12
Ángel Fabián Di María22
Lassana Diarra10
Mesut Özil23
Xabi Alonso14
Kaká8
Emmanuel Adebayor25
Prediction
Madrid got a big win in midweek, and can be expected to continue their good form in this one. It should be another big win for them, with a few goals in it.
Editor's Prediction
 Racing0
Real Madrid 3

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06-03-2011 21:00 Olympique Marseille - Lille Metropole

DID YOU KNOW?
Marseille have not suffered a league defeat at the Stade Velodrome since the opening day of the season, when they lost 2-1 to newly-promoted Caen.
They are currently the form team in Ligue 1, having won four and drawn one of their last five league matches.
Of the 24 meetings between the two sides in Ligue 1 history, Marseille have emerged victorious 11 times, while Lille have claimed all three points on 7 occasions.
Marseille have scored in each of their last eight matches against Lille.
In 2011, they have notched up 16 points, more than any other Ligue 1 side.
Lille have opened the scoring in a league-high 18 matches this season.
Should Moussa Sow score against Marseille, it will be his 30th Ligue 1 goal. He is currently top scorer in Ligue 1 this season with a tally of 17.
Against the other teams currently occupying the top five places in the Ligue 1 table, Lille have yet to register a victory.
In all competitions, they have won just one of their last seven matches in normal time, with their victory against Lorient in the Coupe de France on Wednesday coming after penalties.

LAST MEETING
October 24, 2010: Lille 1-3 Marseille

After trailing 1-0 at half-time through a Yohan Cabaye half-volley, second half goals from Loic Remy and Lucho Gonzalez saw Marseille leave the Stade Metropole with all three points.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Marseille: Mandanda; Heinze, Diawara, Mbia, Taiwo; Kabore, Cisse, Gonzalez; Ayew, Remy, Valbuena.


Lille: Landreau; Beria, Chedjou, Rami, Debuchy; Balmont, Cabaye, Mavuba; Hazard, Gervinho, Sow.

Prediction
League leaders Lille have faltered in recent weeks, and their grasp on the title is becoming increasingly tenuous as the season progresses. Conversely, Marseille are experiencing something of a resurgence, and in such a decisive encounter, it is likely that they will prove too strong for a Lille side that is desperately lacking in confidence.
Editor's Prediction
 Marseille2
Lille 1



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06-03-2011 20:45 Lazio - Palermo

DID YOU KNOW?
Lazio remain in fourth place in Serie A despite their defeat to Cagliari last weekend. They have 48 points from 27 matches and are 10 points behind leaders Milan.
In none of the last six games in Serie A involving Lazio have more than two goals been scored.
The Aquile have won just one of their last four matches against Palermo in Serie A - that was in Sicily in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
The Biancocelesti have found the target in each of their 20 previous Serie A clashes with Palermo in Rome.
Lazio have lost two and drawn three of their 14 league fixtures at the Stadio Olimpico this season.
Palermo are in eighth place in Serie A with 40 points from 27 matches, six points off a Europa League slot.
The Aquile have lost their last three games in Serie A and if they lose to Lazio, then they would repeat their four-defeats-in-a-row streak of March 2008.
Serse Cosmi, who replaced Delio Rossi as the coach after the weekend's 7-0 humiliation to Udinese, is the 17th appointment at Palermo since Maurizio Zamparini took the helm in 2002.
The 7-0 loss to Udinese in Sicily was the Rosanero's second-worst defeat in Serie A and their worst on home ground.
Palermo have the fourth best attack in the Italian top flight this season (44 goals scored) and the second-worst defensive statistics (43 conceded).

LAST MEETING
October 31, 2010: Palermo 0-1 Lazio

Lazio defeated Palermo in Sicily in the reverse fixture despite finishing the game with ten men. Andre Dias' goal on 27 minutes eventually proved to be the difference between the two sides at the Renzo Barbera. Giuseppe Biava was sent off in the 77th minute

ROBABLE LINE-UPS
Lazio: Berni;, Lichtsteiner, Biava, Stendardo, Radu; Ledesma, Matuzalem; Zarate, Hernanes, Sculli; Floccari


Palermo: Sirigu; Munoz, Bovo, Andelkovic; Cassani, Nocerino, Migliaccio, Ilicic, Balzaretti; Hernandez, Pastore

Néstor Muslera Micol86
Stefan Radu26
Guglielmo Stendardo13
Giuseppe Biava20
Stephan Lichtsteiner2
Matuzalem11
Hernanes8
Cristian Ledesma24
Giuseppe Sculli77
Sergio Floccari22
Alvaro González15
Salvatore Sirigu46
Siniša Andelković66
Cesare Bovo5
Ezequiel Muñoz6
Federico Balzaretti42
Giulio Migliaccio8
Josip Iličič72
Antonio Nocerino23
Mattia Cassani16
Abel Mathías Hernández9
Javier Pastore27
Prediction
Lazio have proved themselves to be strong at home and with Palermo having been destroyed last weekend the Aquile will head into this encounter with confidence. A win for the Sicilians could be tough; a draw is the most they can aspire for.
Editor's Prediction
 Lazio1
Palermo 0