13-03-2011 17:00 Real Sociedad - Malaga

DID YOU KNOW?

* Malaga have failed to overcome Real Sociedad in their last nine away matches.

* Malaga, bottom of the table, have scored at least six more goals than the eight teams directly above them in La Liga.

* If La Liga was decided on away-form only, they would currently be ninth in the table instead of rock-bottom.

* Real Sociedad haven’t been beaten in their last four league games at home.

* Sociedad have lost just one of their last nine matches at home to the Malaga in La Liga.


LAST MEETING

October 31, 2010: Malaga 1-2 Real Sociedad

The lethal combination of Antoine Griezmann and Llorente was enough to see off Malaga the last time these two teams met. Malaga put in another poor performance at home to a rival team with Juanmi managing to get on the score sheet late on. However, it was too little too late yet again for the Andalusian side.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Real Sociedad: Bravo; Estrada, Demidov, Ansotegi, Gonzalez; Rivas, Illarramendi, Prieto, Zurutuza, Griezmann; Agirretxe

Malaga: Caballerom; Gamez, Demichelis, Weligton , Eliseu; Apono, Recio, Owusu-Abeyie, Maresca, Fernandez; Rondon 

Prediction

Manuel Pellegrini  is an excellent coach in my opinion, and I fancy El Ingeniero to lead Malaga to a priceless away win this weekend against the odds with Real Sociedad unbeaten at home in their last four league games.  

Real Sociedad 1-2 Malaga

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13-03-2011 17:00 Osasuna - Racing Santander

DID YOU KNOW?

* Osasuna have failed to beat Racing Santander in their previous eleven league attempts.

* Los Rojillos have amassed three wins and three draws from their last six league matches in Pamplona.

* Racing Santander have taken all three points on their last four league visits to the Reyno de Navarra.

* Racing have failed to score more than a solitary goal in a single away match in La Liga this season.

* However, the Racinguistas have now gone three straight league games without defeat away from home.

LAST MEETING

October 31, 2010: Racing Santander 4-1 Osasuna

Racing Santander easily despatched of their Pamplona counterparts the last time these two sides met. Markus Rosenberg helped himself to a brace either side of Kennedy’s opener, and Torrejon’s 85th minute strike. A converted penalty from Javad Nekounam shortly before the hour mark was all Osasuna had to show from the game.


PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Osasuna: Ricardo, Damia, Flano, Lolo, Calleja, Punal, Nekounam, Cejudo, Masoud, Camunas, Lekic

Racing Santander: Tono, Pinillos, Osman, Torrejon, Christian, Lacen, Colsa, Kennedy, Munitis, dos Santos, Rosenberg

Prediction

Osasuna scraped a much-needed victory against lowly Malaga last weekend and will be looking to pile more misery on Racing after their 3-1 defeat at home to Los Blancos. I anticipate a lot of goals in this one with both teams seemingly susceptible to defensive frailties.

Osasuna 2-2 Racing

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13-03-2011 15:00 Roma - Lazio

DID YOU KNOW?

* Roma occupy the final Europa League slot as they are placed sixth in the Serie A standings with 46 points from 28 matches. Five points divide them from the fourth spot.

* The Giallorossi have won the last four Derby della Capitale, including a Coppa Italia triumph over their neighbours this year.

* Since Vincenzo Montella replaced Claudio Ranieri as coach, Roma have collected seven points from three league matches. The 36-year-old also holds the record of being the only player to score four goals in a single derby – that came in a 5-1 win for Roma in March 2002.

* The Lupi are the only team in Serie A not to have scored from outside the penalty box and have been awarded more penalties than any other side in the league (seven).

* Roma forward Marco Borriello has struck the woodwork six times in 2010-11 – the highest tally in the league.

* Heading into Week 29 Lazio find themselves fourth in Serie A with 51 points from 28 matches. Last season at this stage they had just 26.

* Out of 133 Rome derbies in Serie A, the Biancocelesti have won 33 compared to Roma’s 46.

* Edy Reja’s side have won three of their last four league matches and have conceded just once during this period.

* The Aquile would be ranked sixth in the league standings based on away form.

* Lazio have conceded 16 goals fewer than Roma in Serie A but have scored eight fewer than their arch-rivals.


LAST MEETING

January 19, 2011: Roma 2-1 Lazio

Roma progressed to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals by defeating Lazio in the Round of 16 at the Stadio Olimpico. Marco Borriello broke the deadlock in the Rome derby just eight minutes into the second half but four minutes later Hernanes scored from the spot to equalise for the Aquile. However, Fabio Simplicio found the target for Roma on 77 minutes to win the match for the Lupi.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Roma: Doni; N. Burdisso, Mexes, Juan, Riise; Pizarro, De Rossi; Taddei, Perrotta, Vucinic; Totti

Lazio: Muslera, Lichtsteiner, Stendardo, Biava, Radu; Ledesma, Matuzalem; Sculli, Hernanes, Zarate; Floccari

Prediction

This is an extremely difficult game to call and form will not count. Both teams are desperate for European qualification and both will go all out for a win. Roma, though, do have a better team on paper and with Lazio's inconsistency this year the Lupi could just about nick it especially as they will be buoyant to bounce back from midweek's Champions League thrashing by Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.

Roma 2-1 Lazio

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13-03-2011 15:00 Lecce - Bologna

DID YOU KNOW?

* Lecce only have three wins in their last ten games.

* The Gialloblu have nine goals in their last five matches but only have one win during that span.

* Lecce have not defeated Bologna in their last eight attempts.

* Bologna only have three wins in their last ten matches away from home.

* Marco Di Vaio leads the team in scoring with 17 goals.

* The Rossoblu have picked up seven points in their last four games.

LAST MEETING

November 6, 2010: Bologna 2-0 Lecce

Bologna left it late to put away a pesky Lecce side as they netted two goals in the final five minutes to earn the win. Marco Di Vaio gave the home side the lead in the 84th minute before Henry Gimenez put the match to bed moments later.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Lecce: Rosati; Tomovic, Gustavo, Fabiano, Brivio; Giacomazzi, Vives, Olivera; Munari, Mesbah; Corvia

Bologna: Viviano; Casarini, Portanova, Britos, Rubin; Perez, Della Rocca, Mutarelli, Ramirez, Meggiorini; Di Vaio

Prediction

Marco Di Vaio leads the charge as the Rossoblu pick up three points on Sunday afternoon.

Lecce 1-2 Bologna

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13-03-2011 15:00 Genoa - Palermo

DID YOU KNOW?

* Genoa are currently in 12th place after mustering 35 points. They are seven points above the relegation zone and 11 off a Europa League slot.

* The Grifoni have not lost to Palermo in the Italian top flight at home, having garnered six wins and seven draws.

* Davide Ballardini’s side have picked up seven points from their last three home matches.

* The Rossoblu would be placed 17th in the league table on home form.

* Genoa will have the services of striker Antonio Floro Flores after his intial two-game suspension was reduced to one.

* Heading into Week 29 Palermo find themselves in eighth spot in the Serie A standings with 40 points, six fewer than Roma in sixth.

* The Rosanero have lost four of their last five matches on the road but have won the other one.

* Serse Cosmi tasted defeat in his first game in charge of the Sicilian outfit as they went down 2-0 to Lazio last weekend. It was their fourth defeat in a row in the league, a losing streak that has seen them concede 14 goals.

* The Aquile have conceded more away goals in the league than Bari and Brescia. The latter pair are in the bottom three.

* Only four out of 44 goals Palermo have been scored following dead ball situations.

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Palermo 1-0 Genoa

Palermo registered a much-needed victory at home, thanks to a goal from Mauricio Pinilla on 42 minutes. The Sicilians dominated the match and could have inflicted a heavier defeat on Genoa had they not squandered their chances. The match also saw Rosanero striker Fabrizio Miccoli make his first appearance of the season.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Genoa: Eduardo; Mesto, Kaladze, Dainelli, Criscito; Rafinha, Veloso, Kucka, Rossi; Palacio, Floro Flores

Palermo: Sirigu; Munoz, Bovo, Migliaccio; Cassani, Bacinovic, Nocerino, Balzaretti; Pastore; Hernandez, Miccoli

Prediction

Palermo are in crisis and Genoa will hope to take advantage of that. The Grifoni themselves aren't in the best of forms but playing at home they will be confident of at least a point.

Genoa 2-1 Palermo

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