Monday, March 12, 2012

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13.03. (Tue) 21:00 Liverpool - Everton

EPL,Kenny Dalglish,Sunderland v Liverpool
Getty Images

PROBABLE LINEUPS
Liverpool

Reina
Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Enrique
Kuyt, Henderson, Spearing, Downing
Gerrard
Suarez

Everton


Howard
Neville, Heitinga, Distin, Baines
Osman, Coleman, Fellaini, Drenthe
Cahill
Jelavic

Kenny Dalglish should be able to start Steven Gerrard, after the England midfielder returned to the bench against Sunderland, with Glen Johnson also likely to shake off a hamstring problem.

Everton fan Jamie Carragher could replace Sebastian Coates after the 21-year-old failed to impress in the loss against Martin O'Neill's men on Saturday. The Reds boss may drop Charlie Adam to keep Jay Spearing in the centre of the park after the latter was arguably the hosts' best player against the Black Cats.

Nikica Jelavic is likely to keep his place up front for Everton after the former Rangers man netted in his debut against Tottenham on Saturday. Jack Rodwell returned to the bench for the game with Harry Redknapp's men and may play some part on Tuesday night.

Steven Pienaar is available again after the on-loan midfielder was ineligible for the win over his parent club, Spurs. The South African is likely to come back into the starting line-up as the visitors' only change.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Liverpool lost their third consecutive Premier League game against Sunderland on Saturday.
  • They last lost four back-to-back Premier League games in the 2002-03 season with the Black Cats again being one of the teams they were defeated by.
  • After 27 games this season, Dalglish's men have recorded the exact same number of points they had at this stage last campaign.
  • The Reds won the first meeting between the two sides 2-0 at Goodison Park. The last time they did the derby double was in the 2009-10 season.
  • Everton (28) are one of only four clubs to score less than Liverpool (30) this season. The others being Wigan (23), Stoke (27) and QPR (29).
  • Rodwell was controversially sent off in the last meeting with the Reds [pictured], becoming the 21st player to be dismissed in the tie since the start of the Premier League, although the midfielder's red was later rescinded by the FA.
  • Moyes' side will go above their Merseyside rivals if they win at Anfield in the 217th derby on Tuesday.
  • The last time the Toffees were awarded a penalty in a competitive game at Anfield was in 1988, which was converted by Wayne Clarke in a 1-1 draw.
  • Out of the 216 derbies so far, Liverpool have won 86, Everton have triumphed on 66 occasions and there have been 64 draws.
Prediction
With Moyes and his players in good spirits after bringing top-four chasing Tottenham to their knees in their last outing, the visitors should give Liverpool a run for their money on Sunday. Everton will probably keep compact but in Jelavic they have gained something a bit different up front, as we saw against Spurs.

However, Dalgish's side will be desperate to avoid losing their fourth league game in a row as well as stopping their bitter rivals from jumping above them in the table and therefore, with a couple of players returning from the sidelines, the scores could end level after a hard-fought match.
Editor's Prediction
Liverpool 1-1 Everton

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13.03. (Tue) 20:45 Bayern Munchen - Basel

Champions League: FC Basel - FC Bayern Munich, Schweinsteiger, Ferati (Getty Images)


PROBABLE LINEUPS


BAYERN MUNICH


Neuer
Lahm, Boateng, Badstuber, Alaba
Kroos, Schweinsteiger
Robben, Muller, Ribery
Gomez
BASEL


Sommer
Steinhofer, Abraham, Dragovic, Degen
Shaqiri, Huggel, G.Xhaka, F.Frei
Streller, A.Frei

Jerome Boateng, Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben were withdrawn in the 7-1 trashing of Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena on Saturday after suffering minor knocks, but have been cleared to play on Tuesday.

It is yet unclear who Jupp Heynckes will field in the centre of the pitch with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Luiz Gustavo, Toni Kroos and, of course, returning vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger all in with a chance to start in midfield.

Rafinha is likely to return to the squad after missing the weekend's game with flu, but following his poor performance in the first leg he is likely to have to settle for a place on the bench. Daniel Van Buyten and Breno are still recovering from injuries and will not feature against the Swiss champions.

The big absentee for Basel is left-back Jo-Hoo Park, who missed the 2-0 win against Grasshopper on Saturday. Former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund wide defender Philip Degen is expected to deputise for the South Korean on Tuesday.

Kay Voser is back in training after a ankle injury, while Scott Chipperfield is yet to feature in 2012 after suffering a thigh knock in January.

DID YOU KNOW
  • Bayern Munich have won four out of five ties in European competitions after losing 1-0 away in the first-leg.
  • The Bavarians have picked up 11 victories from their last 12 Champions League home outings.
  • Bayern Munich are appearing at this stage of the competition for the fourth consecutive campaign.
  • Basel did not lose a single game on their travels in the group stage, holding Manchester United and Benfica and beating Otelul Galati.
  • Markus Steinhofer began his career in Bayern Munich's youth ranks and played for their reserves from 2003 to 2006.
  • On three out of four occasions Basel have progressed to the next stage of a Uefa competition when they have prevailed 1-0 at home in the first leg.
Prediction
Bayern Munich's experience in the competition could be the Bavarians' ace in the pack on Tuesday. The return of vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger combined with the 7-1 win over Hoffenheim might just have been the tonic Jupp Heynckes' men needed to get back into form.
Editor's Prediction
Bayern 2-0 Basel

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13.03. (Tue) 20:45 Inter - Olympique Marseille

Champions League : Cesar Azpilicueta vs Joel Obi (Olympique de Marseille vs Inter Milan)
Panoramic


PROBABLE LINEUPS


INTER


Julio Cesar
Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Nagatomo
Zanetti, Stankovic, Cambiasso
Sneijder,
Milito, Forlan
MARSEILLE


Mandanda
Azpilicueta, Diawara, Nkoulou, Morel
Diarra, Cheyrou
Amalfitano, Valbuena, Ayew
Remy

Inter boss Claudio Ranieri will be without Cristian Chivu, who will serve a one match ban after incurring a third yellow card of the campaign in the 1-0 defeat to the French side three weeks ago. Joining the 31-year-old on the sidelines is Andrea Ranocchia, whose muscle injury sees him unavailable for the next week at least.
Brazilian right-back Maicon recovered from a knee injury sustained in the first-leg clash at Stade Velodrome to feature in the full 90 minutes of Friday's 2-0 win over Chievo, and is expected to line-up against his former manager Didier Deschamps on Tuesday evening.
The Serie A win at Bentegodi represented the Nerazzuri's first victory in ten games, and they will need to overcome Andre Ayew's stoppage-time goal if they are to progress to a third consecutive Champions League quarter-final.
Olympique de Marseille welcome back key players Loic Remy and Mathieu Valbuena for the return leg of this last 16 tie. Remy has missed the last three weeks, including the 1-0 win over Ranieri's men on 22 February, with a hamstring injury, but the pair featured in Friday's 1-0 defeat to strugglers Ajaccio. Andre-Pierre Gignac and Andre Ayew have both been named in the squad after overcoming groin and shoulder problems respectively.
Alou Diarra is expected to replace Charles Kabore in midfield, with Souleymane Diawara and Jeremy Morel in line for a first-team return after being rested.
Marseille have lost four straight Ligue 1 games since victory over Inter, and are seeking to qualify for the last eight for the first time since winning the inaugural Champions League in 1993.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Inter, winners in 2010, have qualified for the last 16 for the eighth season running. They are also seeking to make the quarter finals for the third straight campaign.
  • The Nerazzuri have won five of their last 11 games at home against Ligue 1 opposition, most recently a 2-1 victory over Lille in the group stage.
  • The aforementioned victory over the French champions is Inter's only home win in the Champions League this season, with Trabzonspor and CSKA Moscow beating the Italians at San Siro.
  • Inter have won 15 out of 28 Champions League ties which they have lost the first leg away from home, including five of the last six.
  • Olympique de Marseille are bidding to reach the last eight for the first time since they won the competition in 1993.
  • The last time the two sides met before this season, L'OM went on to beat Inter 1-0, having secured victory by the same scoreline at home in the 2003-04 UEFA Cup quarter-final.
  • Didier Deschamps (pictured right) did not experience defeat away to Inter as a player.
  • Marseille's record away in Italy reads W1 D4 L2, the most recent a 1-1 draw against AC Milan in the 2009-10 Champions League group stage.
Prediction
Difficult match to predict, in all honesty. Inter have seemingly turned a corner, whilst Marseille's alarming drop in form since the first leg makes for an intriguing match on Tuesday evening. L'OM showed maturity and composure in the first leg, and whilst Inter are favourites to progress, the visitors still have the luxury of a slender advantage.
No doubt the Nerazzuri will be gunning for a place in the last eight, though with OM a different outfit in Europe, it would be very difficult. A narrow win for the hosts, with the game likely to go the distance in my opinion.
Editor's Prediction
Inter 1-0 Marseille

Champions League Opta Facts - 13-14 March


Internazionale - Marseille
Marseille have beaten Inter by the same scoreline of 1-0 in each of their three meetings (the previous two games in the 2003/04 UEFA Cup quarter-final).
Marseille are the only team with a 100% record against Inter Milan in European competition (excluding qualifiers).
Marseille have never scored more than once in their 15 encounters against Italian opposition in Europe (excluding Intertoto Cup).
Inter have failed to win their last three Champions League games (one draw, two defeats).
The Nerazzurri have won just one of their last five Champions League home games, losing four times.
Marseille are the only team to have won a Champions League game this season after going two goals behind (following their crucial 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund).
Inter have won four and lost seven of their last 12 Champions League matches.
Marseille have kept nine clean sheets in their last 13 Champions League games.
Four out of OM's last five Champions League goals have come from dead-ball situations.
Marseille have won four of their last six Champions League games on the road (one draw, one defeat).
Inter's last four Champions League goals have been scored by four different Argentine players (Samuel, Milito, Álvarez and Cambiasso).
Andre Ayew has scored 50% of Marseille's Champions League goals this season (four out of eight).
Marseille have recorded the worst shooting accuracy amongst teams who have qualified for the Last 16, hitting the target with just 37% of their attempts.

Bayern Munich - Basel
Bayern had won the first four meetings between these two sides before Basel won the 1st leg by 1-0.
Basel are unbeaten in four Champions League games (one draw followed by three consecutive wins), thus setting a new club record.
Bayern have won ten of their last 11 Champions League home matches.
In the 1st leg Basel kept a clean sheet for the 1st time in this Champions League season, they had been the only team to reach the Last 16 without a clean sheet.
Bayern have never lost both legs of a knockout round in the European Cup/Champions League.
Basel are the first Swiss side to reach the knock out stage in the Champions League era.
Bayern's Franck Ribery and Basel's Xherdan Shaqiri have been fouled more often than any other players in this season's Champions League (23 times each).
Nine of Bayern's 11 goals have been netted in the first half, the highest proportion in the Champions League this season (82%).
The 1st leg win was Basel's first win against German opposition in Europe (two draws, four defeats).
Basel have lost just one of their last eight matches in Europe, winning each of the last three.
Alexander Frei has netted eight goals in just 12 Champions League appearances (excluding qualifiers).
Mario Gomez has scored 14 goals in his last 12 Champions League appearances (excluding qualifiers).

Real Madrid - CSKA Moscow
Real Madrid have qualified to the Champions League knockout stage for the 15th consecutive season, currently the longest run.
The Russian side have never lost a European match against Spanish opposition, winning three and drawing three.
This is only CSKA's second appearance in the Last 16 of the Champions League. In 2009/10 they eliminated a Spanish side - FC Sevilla - winning the 2nd leg 2-1 on the road after a 1-1 home draw.
After an away draw in the 1st leg of a knockout round, Real have progressed in 11 out of 12 cases in the history of the European Cup. In 1991 though, Spartak Moscow eliminated Madrid with a 3-1 away win at the Bernabeu following a goalless draw in Russia.
Real Madrid have lost just one of their last 20 Champions League games, but the draw in the 1st leg was the 1st game they failed to win this season - after 18 points and a +17 goal difference in the group stage, the best Champions League group stage performance in history.
All three goals Madrid have conceded in Champions League this season have come in the last 10 minutes of play.
Real haven't conceded a first-half goal in their last 21 Champions League games.
CSKA are unbeaten in Champions League away games this season (one win, two draws), but they failed to keep a clean sheet in 11 of their last 12 Champions League away fixtures.
Real have won eight of their last nine Champions League home games.
Madrid have kept five clean sheets in their seven Champions League matches this season (more than any other side).
Real Madrid have kept 13 clean sheets in 19 Champions League games under Jose Mourinho.
Jose Mourinho has lost just three of his last 32 matches as a coach in the Champions League, with all three defeats at the hands of Barcelona.
50% of CSKA Moscow's Champions League goals this season have been scored by Seydou Doumbia (five out of 10).

Chelsea - Napoli
The Blues have won just three of their seven Champions League matches this season despite having taken the lead in all seven games.
Chelsea have won all three home games though, scoring 10 goals without reply.
However, the Londoners have failed to score in each of their last three Champions League home games in the knockout stages.
For the 1st time since 1966 (four straight wins in the Fairs Cup) have Napoli won three consecutive games in European competition.
Both sides have scored in each of their seven Champions League games this season.
Napoli have the best conversion rate in this season's Champions League, scoring with 22% of their shots.
Six of the seven goals Napoli have shipped this term in the Champions League have been conceded in the first half.
The Blues have drawn Italian opposition in two of the last three seasons at this stage, beating Juventus in 2008/09 and losing to Inter in 2009/10.
Didier Drogba has scored four goals in his last four Champions League appearances, but failed to score in the 1st leg.
Edinson Cavani (five goals, two assists) had a hand in seven of Napoli's 13 Champions League goals this season, including all three goals in the 1st leg.