Thursday, October 13, 2011

Argentina Apertura Round 11 Preview


Franco 'Mudo' Vazquez - Belgrano de Cordoba
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Round 11 Game of the Week: 
Boca Juniors vs. Belgrano, Sunday 23:30 CET

The showpiece fixture of this 11th round throws up a truly intriguing encounter. The runaway leaders of the Apertura who appear unstoppable so far, and the underdogs who have made a habit of stopping the big-guns in their tracks. 
After defeating River Plate in that infamous promocion clash, Cordoba institution Belgrano have been busy collecting the scalps of the Primera's marquee names. San Lorenzo were the next grande to fall to the aptly-named Pirata, followed by Independiente and then struggling Estudiantes. After a tough start, Ricardo Zielinski's pugnacious charges now find themselves in eighth place and another giant-killing in the Bombonera would put them within five points of Boca. 

They are in for a tough task, however. The Xeneixe are unbeaten in 10 matches and opened up a five point cushion over closest chasers Rafaela in the last round, with Juan Roman Riquelme playing some of his best football in the past five years. A Belgrano win would not quite provoke the shock their victory over River induced, but it would go a long way to keeping the 2011 Apertura from becoming a foregone conclusion.

Prediction: Boca have to start favourites for this clash, as they continue to look impenetrable at the back while doing enough to keep harvesting points. It would take a brave soul to predict anything other than a Boca Juniors win in their own backyard.

Friday's Action

The weekend begins in earnest after two weeks off with three matches to savour. A relegation six-pointer gets us started; Tigre have been impressive so far this season, but an awful three-year average means that the sixth-placed side need to beat Olimpo to drag themselves out of the direct drop-zone. 

Newell's Old Boys will then be seeking their second win of the season at home to Arsenal de Sarandi, before San Lorenzo try and put a week of off-field crisis and acrimony behind them by taking three points against Banfield.

Saturday's Action

A 1-0 win on Wednesday evening was not enough to keep Independiente in the Copa Sudamericana, as the holders crashed out to 2009 champions Liga de Quito. Ramon Diaz's team have just three days respite before facing Godoy Cruz, who face their own Sudamericana test midweek. 

There is further action at the bottom of the pile when Union take on All Boys in Santa Fe, before Diego Simeone's Racing Club prepare for a must-win match. Unbeaten but six points off Boca, La Academia have to improve on last round's clasico draw away to San Martin (SJ)to keep up the pressure. 

Sunday's Action

Sunday kicks off with what could be the defining fixture of Miguel Angel Russo's latest term atEstudiantes. Another defeat at home would probably spell the end for the coach, and the Pincha will not find it easy in La Plata against second-placed surprise package Rafaela.

Argentinos Juniors then host high-flying Colon, before a rerun of the Clausura's title race sees Velez Sarsfield take the short trip down to southern Buenos Aires and Lanus. Neither team is right in the mix in the current campaign, although Lanus could get their championship ambitions back on track if they can triumph in what will be a tensely-fought fixture.

Full Fixtures and Predictions 
Round 11
predicted scores in 
bold

Olimpo 1 1TigreFri 17:10
Newell's 1 2Arsenal19:25
San Lorenzo 2 0Banfield21:30
Independiente 1 0Godoy CruzSat 14:00
Union 0 0All Boys16:30
San Martin (SJ) 1 3Racing21:15
Estudiantes 1 1RafaelaSun 14:00
Argentinos 0 1Colon16:10
Boca Jrs. 2 1Belgrano18:30
Lanus 1 1Velez20:30

15-10-2011 MIROSLAV STEVIĆ (NEMAČKA) TIPUJE PREDSTOJEĆE KOLO BUNDESLIGE

Srpski internаcionаlаc Miroslav Miki Stević ostаvio je veliki trаg u nemаčkom fudbаlu, i kao igrač i kao funkcioner. Veliki poznavalac prilika u Bundesligi pokušaće savetima da pomogne našim čitaocima da pronađu put do dobitka.
VERDER – DORTMUND 1Dž - Moje srce kucа zа Dortmund, zа koji sаm igrаo sа velikim uspehom. Međutim, Verder je bliži trijumfu.
BAJERN – HERTA 1 - Bаvаrci su neprikosnoveni. Sve osim ubedljivog slаvljа bilo bi zа Riplijevu rubriku.
MAJNC – AUGSBURG 1 - Domаćini su veliki fаvoriti. Sigurno pobeđuju.
ŠTUTGART – HOFENHAJM 1 - Igrаči Štutgаrtа neće dozvoliti iznenаđenje. Biće i goleаdа.
VOLFSBURG – NIRNBERG 1 - Domаći žele tri boda, pa da krene u gornji deo tabele. Imаju snаge zа to.

Bundesliga Round 9 Preview


Friday SEPTEMBER 15KOSaturday SEPTEMBER 16KO
 Werder Bremen - Dortmund2030Mainz - Augsburg1530


Monchengladbach - Bayer Leverkusen1530


Bayern Munich - Hertha Berlin1530
  Wolfsburg - Nurnberg1530
  Stuttgart - Hoffenheim1530
  Schalke - Kaiserslautern1830
  Sunday SEPTEMBER 17 KO

 Freiburg - Hamburg1530
              all kick-off in CET
Koln - Hannover1730

Werder BremenvsDortmund
Cesena                                                                 
Champions League hopefuls visit high-flying northerners, who have put last season's woes behind them, and are now just three points behind leaders Bayern.

MainzvsAugsburg

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

  Roma 
H. Muller
Pospech, Bungert, Noveski, Fathi
Kirchhoff
Risse, Baumgartlinger, Ivanschitz, N. Muller
Choupo-Moting
 

   Catania 
Jentzsch
Hosogai, Mohrle, Sankoh, Bellinghausen
Baier, Callsen-Bracker
Werner, Davids
Rafael, Molders
TEAM NEWS
  • Mainz are winless in their last six games (two draws, four defeats).
  • Thomas Tuchel's side have dropped a league-high 13 points from winning positions this season.
  • The last meeting between these two sides, a 1-1 draw, came more than two years ago in the 2. Bundesliga.
 
  • Augsburg have not won a league away game in six months.
  • The Bavarians have only lost one of the last seven matches against Mainz (three wins, three draws).
  • FCA are yet to win a game in their first-ever adventure in the German top flight (four draws, four defeats).

MonchengladbachvsBayer Leverkusen

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Roma 
Ter Stegen
Jantschke, Stranzl, Dante, Daems
Marx, Neustadter
Herrmann, Reus, Arango
Bobadilla
 

Roma 
Leno
Balitsch, Reinartz, Toprak, Kadlec
Bender, Ballack
Castro, Kiessling, Schurrle
Derdiyok
TEAM NEWS
  • Belgian striker Igor de Camargo will miss out on the match due to an ankle injury sustained during the International break.
  • Gladbach have gone 19 games without a home win over Leverkusen.
  • Lucien Favre's side are unbeaten in seven Bundesliga games at Borussia Park (six wins, one draw).
 
  • Renato Augusto is set for a lengthy lay-off after undergoing a knee operation earlier in the week.
  • Leverkusen have only lost one BL game against Gladbach (14 wins, 12 draws) in the last 17 years.
  • Bayer have been held scoreless in three of their eight league games this season.

Bayern MunichvsHertha Berlin
Catania                                                                 Catania
Manuel Neuer will hope to extend his clean sheets record as the league leaders host promoted side Hertha Berlin in what will be a homecoming for ex-Bayern trio Christian Lell, Thomas Kraft and Andreas Ottl.

A full preview of this fixture can be found here.

WolfsburgvsNurnberg
PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 Roma 
Benaglio
Hasebe, Madlung, Chris, Schafer
Trasch, Josue
Ochs, Mandzukic, Dejagah
Lakic
 

Roma 
Stephan
Chandler, Wollscheid, Klose, Plattenhardt
Simons
Mak, Feulner, Hegeler, Esswein
Pekhart
TEAM NEWS
  • With Sotirios Kyrgiakos suspended,Chris is expected to deputise in defence.
  • None of Wolfsburg's last 12 Bundesliga games has ended in a draw.
  • Only against Bayern have Wolfsburg won fewer points per game on average than against FCN.
 
  • Nurnberg have lost just one of their last seven Bundesliga matches against Wolfsburg (two draws, four wins).
  • The injury-hit Bavarians will miss key first-team regulars Javier Pinola and Raphael Schafer.
  • None of the 18 Bundesliga meetings between these two sides has ended in a goalless draw.
StuttgartvsHoffenheim

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 Juventus 
Ulreich
Boulahrouz, Tasci, Maza, Boka
Kvist, Hajnal
Harnik, Okazaki
Cacau, Pogrebnyak
 

Brescia 
Starke
Braafheid, Compper, Vorsah, Beck
Rudy, Williams
Obasi, Sigurdsson, Babel
Firmino
TEAM NEWS
  • Shinji Okazaki's availability from the start is in question; the Japanese forward may be replaced by Timo Gebhart.
  • None of Stuttgart's last 64 Bundesliga matches has ended in a goalless draw.
  • Cacau has been involved in a goal in each of his five Bundesliga games against Hoffenheim (four goals, one assist).
 
  • Hoffenheim have yet to beat Stuttgart in their competitive history (four draws, three defeats).
  • Holger Stanislawski's men have failed to score in their last two Bundesliga games.
  • Seven of Hoffenheim's last eight goals in the Bundesliga have been scored by Ryan Babel (three) and Roberto Firmino (four).

SchalkevsKaiserslautern

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 
Fahrmann
Hoger, Howedes, Metzelder, Fuchs
Papadopoulos, Holtby
Farfan, Raul, Jurado
Huntelaar
 

  Fiorentina
Trapp
Dick, Amedick, Rodnei, Jessen
Kirch, Petsos
Sukuta-Pasu, Tiffert
Kouemaha, Shechter
TEAM NEWS
  • Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has scored 15 goals in 14 games in all competitions, more than any other Bundesliga player.
  • Only Bayern (21) have scored more goals than Schalke (17) this season.
  • A year ago, S04 were handed a 5-0 defeat - their worst of the season - away to Kaiserslautern.
 
  • Kaiserslautern have only won one out of the possible 12 points on the road this campaign.
  • FCK have scored a league-low five goals thus far.
  • Lautern have failed to find the net in four of their last five BL games.

FreiburgvsHamburg
PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 Roma
Baumann
Hinkel, Barth, Krmas, Butscher
Flum, Schuster
Putsila, Makiadi, Abdessadki
Cisse
 


Drobny
Westermann, Bruma, Rajkovic, Aogo
Tesche, Rincon
Lam, Tore
Guerrero, Petric
TEAM NEWS
  • Mensur Mujdza picked up a fracture in his foot during the international break and is set for a lengthy injury lay-off.
  • SC are unbeaten in six Bundesliga matches on home soil against Hamburg (two wins, four draws).
  • Only Freiburg (22) have conceded more goals than Hamburg this season (20).
 
  • Thorsten Fink was named new coach at HSV on Thursday, replacing Michael Oenning.
  • Hamburg have now gone 12 games without a clean sheet.
  • HSV have won just one of their last 15 Bundesliga games (six draws, eight defeats).

KolnvsHannover

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

 Bari
Rensing
Brecko, McKenna, Sereno, Eichner
Riether, Jajalo
Chihi, Peszko
Novakovic, Podolski
 

 
Zieler
Cherundolo, Haggui, Pogatetz, Schulz
Schmiedebach, Pinto
Stindl, Schlaudraff, Pander
Abdellaoue
TEAM NEWS
  • Lukas Podolski has been directly involved in five of Koln's last six Bundesliga goals.
  • FC have only failed to score in one of their last 15 league home games.
  • Last season, "Effzeh" enjoyed their biggest win of the campaign against 96, a 4-0 home win.
 
  • Artur Sobiech remains suspended following his red card against Dortmund in September.
  • Mohamed Abdellaoue has netted 10 goals in 10 games in all competitions this season.
  • None of the last 14 league meetings between these sides has ended in a draw.

15-10-2011 BOJAN ZAJIĆ (VALERENGA, NORVEŠKA) TIPUJE NORVEŠKU LIGU

NORVEŠKA 1
Valerenga - Viking     1, 3+
Lilestrem - Stabek     1
Molde - Od Grenland     1, GG
HAUGESUND - FREDRIKŠTAD     GG
Sogndal - Stromsgodset     1, 2-3
Sarpsborg - Tromso     2
ROZENBORG - ALESUND     1
Start - Bran     1, GG


Pet kola je do kraja šampionata, a Moldeu malo nedostaje da teoretski obezbedi titulu. To bi moglo da se desi već ovog vikenda, a sigurno je da bi lider to voleo pred svojim navijačima. Ipak, Od Grenland je u odličnoj formi, pa nisam uveren u trijumf domaćina.
Fiks kola je kec na Rozenborg, koji kada već teško može do prvog mesta, barem želi da osigura izlazak na evro-scenu. Mislim da je izvestan i veći broj golova na susretu Haugesunda i Fredrikštada, jer je domaćin na svom stadionu izuzetno ofanzivan, a na mečevima gostiju redovno ima pogodaka.

15-10-2011 FILIP PODOLSKI, NOVINAR IZ POLJSKE TIPUJE POLJSKU LIGU

MOJ TIP
Podbeskidzje - Krakovija     1x2
Leh - Korona     1
Belhatov - Slask     2
Polonija V. - Gornjik Z.     1
Visla K. - Jagielonija     1x
Zaglebje L. - Lehija     1
RUH - LEGIJA     2
Viđev - LKS Lođ     1

Legija ima problem kada se sastaje sa slabijim protivnicima, za razliku od jačih. Od četvrtoplasiranog Ruha je mnogo bolja, a dodatni motiv imaće u tome što je od istog rivala proletos poražena na svom terenu, iako je vodila 2:0. Leh je veliki favorit protiv Korone, jer se zna koliko je teško gostovanje ovom klubu, a i krajnje je vreme da neko prekine seriju Korone.
Slask je lider, a svi u Poljskoj su počeli da pričaju o njemu kao o timu koji može do titule. Fizički i taktički je veoma spremna ekipa, mada sam siguran da će Belhatov da igra sa “150 odsto” svojih mogućnosti.