Champions League Opta Facts - QF First Legs - 27th-28th March

APOEL v Real Madrid

APOEL are the first-ever Cypriot side to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho has lost just three of his last 33 matches as a coach in the Champions League, with all three defeats at the hands of Barcelona.
Real Madrid have suffered just one defeat in their last 21 matches in the Champions League (W15 D5).
Jose Mourinho's outfit have scored 24 goals in their eight games in the Champions League this season; an average of three a game.
Madrid have conceded only three goals in their last eight away games in the Champions League.
APOEL Nicosia have advanced to the quarter finals despite winning only three of their eight CL games this season.
The Cypriot side have netted just one goal in their last four games in the competition.
APOEL have made 125 fouls in the Champions League this season and have picked up 24 yellow cards; both more than any other side.
Iker Casillas has posted the best saves to shots percentage in the Champions League this season (91%).
Excluding qualifiers, only one of the 20 matches between Cypriot and Spanish sides in Europe have ended in favour of the team from Cyprus. A.Famagusta won 2-0 at home versus Athletic Bilbao back in September 1994 in a UEFA Cup match.

Marseille v Bayern Munich

Marseille have kept a clean sheet in nine of their last 14 Champions League matches (excl. quals).
The French side have won four and drawn one of their last five European matches against German opposition (excl. quals); including two wins over Borussia Dortmund this season in the CL.
Bayern won 7-0 against Basle in their last Champions League game; their biggest win in the competition (old & new format) since winning 9-0 against Omonia Nicosia in the 1973 European Cup.
The last time that Bayern faced French opposition in the Champions League was back in the 2009/10 semi-finals, when they defeated Lyon 4-0 on aggregate.
This is the furthest that Marseille have gone on the Champions League since winning the competition in 1992/93.
On the last two occasions that a German side have reached the Champions League quarter final stage (Bayern in 2009/10 and Schalke in 2010/11); they have progressed to the semis.
Four of the five goals that Marseille have scored in their last three Champions League games have arrived in the final five minutes of the game.
Bayern striker Mario Gomez has scored 18 goals in his last 13 Champions League appearances for Bayern (excl. quals); netting three hat-tricks (2 x 3 goals, 1 x 4 goals) in that period.
Only Lionel Messi (12) has scored more goals in the Champions League than Mario Gomez (10) this season.
Marseille have fired in the most crosses from open play in the Champions League this season (173).

Benfica v Chelsea

Since 2003/04, Chelsea have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League more times than any other side (Barcelona 6).
By winning 4-1 at home to Napoli in the second leg of their CL last 16 tie, Chelsea became only the third English club to lose a European Cup first leg tie by two or more goals & still progress (Man Utd 1957 & Leeds 1992).
The Blues have scored in nine successive European matches for the first time in their history (excl. qualifiers).
Chelsea have not won any of their last five Champions League away games, losing three and drawing two.
Benfica have failed to find the net in just one of their last 17 matches in European competition (excl. qualifiers).
No player has assisted more goals in the Champions League this season than Benfica's Nicolas Gaitán (5).
Benfica have lost just one of their last eight European home games (excl. quals) against English opposition.
Chelsea have faced Portuguese opposition only six times in the Champions League, all six of which have come against FC Porto. Their record in these games is W4, D1, L1 and they've scored in each match.
Didier Drogba has scored four goals Chelsea's last four Champions League matches.
No side has scored a higher proportion of their goals in the first half of Champions League games this season than Benfica (67%).

Milan v Barcelona

The last occasion that Barcelona lost a Champions League knockout tie came against Italian opposition. They lost 3-1 at the San Siro against Inter Milan in the 2009-10 semi final first leg, before winning 1-0 at home in the second leg.
Since losing that tie, Barcelona have scored 60 goals in 21 games in the Champions League and have lost just once (v Arsenal in Feb 2011).
AC Milan have won only four of their last 15 Champions League games.
Barcelona are unbeaten in their last five meetings with AC Milan, winning three and drawing two of these games.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has scored in five of his last six appearances in the Champions League, as well as providing three assists in this period.
Barcelona have taken more penalties than any other team in the Champions League this season (three).
There have been five penalties awarded in the eight AC Milan games in the Champions League this season (three conceded, two won).
Barcelona have averaged 74.3% possession in their games so far this season - the next best team have averaged 62.6%.
Lionel Messi has scored 30 goals in his last 25 appearances in the Champions League for Barcelona.
AC Milan have won possession with 85% of their tackles in the Champions League this season; a higher proportion than any other team.

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27.-28.03.2012. PRVE UTAKMICE ČETVRTINE FINALA LIGE ŠAMPIONA

Ukoliko bi se pred prve utakmice četvrtine finala Lige šampiona tražili favoriti, taj epitet bi bolje pristajao gostujućim ekipama. Žreb je odlučio da Barselona, Čelsi, Real i Bajern revanš mečeve igraju kod kuće, pa se za blage autsajdere mogu proglasiti Milan, Apoel, Benfika i Marsej. Međutim, koliko je najjače evropsko takmičenje nepredvidivo, videlo se po „ranoj“ eliminaciji engleskih velikana, pre svega Mančester Junajteda i Sitija, zatim i Arsenala.

MILAN – BARSELONA
Od svih parova ove faze takmičenja, jedino su se Milan i Barselona do sada sastajali. Katalonski „čarobnjaci“ su imali nešto više uspeha, ali pitanje je da li bilo kakva tradicija uopšte treba da se „gleda“ kada je ovaj okršaj u pitanju. Milan je u osmini finala, predvođen sjajnim Zlatanom Ibrahimovićem, „preslišao“ (4:0) Arsenal na „San Siru“, ali je u revanšu spasavao „živu glavu“, jer su „tobdžije“ lako stigle do tri gola prednosti. Ipak, u finišu je presudilo iskustvo Milanovih fudbalera, koji u italijanskom prvenstvu čvrsto drže prvo mesto.

APOEL – REAL M.
Nazire li se kraj čudima APOEL-a? Kada je kuglica na žrebu „spojila“ Kiprane sa Real Madridom, nema čoveka koji nije pomislio da je došao kraj snovima našeg trenera Ivana Jovanovića i njegovih izabranika. Jer, Madriđani predvođeni Žozeom Murinjom su u Španiji ispred Barselone, igraju efikasno i gladni su trofeja. Čudo je na ovom okršaju gotovo nemoguće, ali videvši karakter fudbalera APOEL-a u dosadašnjim mečevima, sigurni smo da će „kraljevi“ morati dobro da se preznoje da bi ušli među četiri najbolja tima u Evropi.

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Championship Opta Facts - 27th March

Ipswich Town v Middlesbrough

Three of the last four meetings between the two sides have ended in draws.
At Portman Road, Boro are without a victory on their last six visits (in all competitions).
The Tractor Boys have bagged a league-high 18 headed goals this season.
'Boro have put through their own net four times this season, more own-goals than any other team in the Championship.
Ipswich have conceded exactly two goals in three of their last four league games.
Middlesbrough have failed to score a first-half goal in each of their last seven league games.

Leicester City v Nottingham Forest

The teams have already met on three occasions this season, with Leicester winning an FA Cup replay 4-0 at home after the drawing the original tie 0-0, and the teams drawing 2-2 in the league in Nottingham.
George Boateng has scored in two of those games, although one was an own-goal in the Foxes' 4-0 Cup win.
Forest have shipped a league-high 20 headed goals this season, which equates to 34% of their total goals against, also a league-high figure.
Leicester's last five games have produced a total of 22 goals, an average of 4.4 per game.
Garath McLeary has scored eight goals in his last 10 games for Forest.

Peterborough United v West Ham United

The teams have only met on three previous occasions, with the Hammers winning all three games, including a 1-0 home win earlier this season.
27% of the goals Peterborough have conceded this season have come from outside the box, a league-"high" proportion.
The Hammers are one of just four sides yet to put through their own net this season in the Championship.
A league-high 53% of the goals Peterborough have conceded this season have come in the first-half.
The Hammers are now unbeaten in 10 league games, the second longest current winless streak in the Championship (although seven of those, including each of the last five, have been draws).
Posh have kept just one clean sheet in their last 15 games.

Portsmouth v Hull City

The last six meetings between the two sides at Fratton Park all competitions have produced a total of 28 goals at a rate of 4.7 per game (the last two have ended 3-2 with one win each).
Hull have won their last two meetings with Pompey, having won none of the previous 10.
On home soil, Posh have picked up a league-high 16 points from losing positions this season.
Hull, on the other hand, have only picked up one point from losing positions away from home this season, a figure superior to only one other side.
The Solent side have failed to score in seven of their last nine league games.
Hull have kept nine clean sheets in their last 13 games, although they have conceded in each of their last two matches.

Crystal Palace v Doncaster Rovers

There have only been a total of two goals scored in the last three meetings between the two sides.
The Eagles have won just one of their last six clashes with Donny, netting a total of just two goals in the process (failing to score in four of those games).
A league-high 21% of Palace's goals this season (eight) have come in the opening 15 minutes of their games.
21 of the 63 goals Rovers have shipped this season have come courtesy of crosses into the box, a joint-league-"high" figure.
Doncaster have now lost three in a row, the longest current losing streak in the division.
Palace have suffered defeat in just one of their last 11 games, although that loss did come last time out - 3-2 away to Derby.

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26.03. (Mon) 21:00 Manchester United - Fulham

PROBABLE LINEUPS

MANCHESTER UNITED De Gea Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Young Welbeck, Rooney

FULHAM   SchwarzerKelly, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise Murphy, Diarra  Duff, Dempsey, DembelePogrebnyak

There are no fresh injury worries for Sir Alex Ferguson, so it should be a case of picking his strongest team available, but Paul Scholes could be due for a rest up against opponents they traditionally have a good record against at Old Trafford.

Fulham confirmed earlier in the week that the only unavailable players for the trip to Old Trafford would be Orlando Sa, Zdenek Grygera and Steve Sidwell. In recent weeks they have been playing a more attacking formation, with Dembele dropping deep and both Pavel Pogrebnyak and Andrew Johnson up front.

But up against the champions at Old Trafford, expect a more imposing central midfield of Danny Murphy and Mahamadou Diarra, with Dembele in an attacking role.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The last goal Fulham scored at Old Trafford came in 2006, an own goal scored by Rio Ferdinand.

• Manchester United have won nine penalties this season, the most in the Premier League.

• Wayne Rooney has scored 16 goals in his last 16 games for United in all competitions.

• Rooney also has five goals in his last four games against Fulham at Old Trafford.

• Martin Jol has never beaten Manchester United in the Premier League as a manager. After drawing his first two matches against them, he has lost the last seven.

• Pavel Pogrebnyak has scored five goals for Fulham from five shots on target.

• Only David Silva has more assists than Antonio Valencia this season, creating 12 goals to the United winger's 11.

• Both sides are in a select group of four teams to have scored more than five goals in a game this season - with United beating Arsenal 8-2 and Fulham beating QPR 6-0. The others to make up the group are Arsenal and Manchester City.

• Since United's 3-3 draw against Chelsea, they have won five straight league games. However, in that same period of time they have lost three games in the all competitions, including twice at home in the Europa League.

Prediction

Fulham haven't scored at Old Trafford in the past five seasons, and while they should break that duck, they have little hope of defeating the the champions at home as momentum builds towards another title for Sir Alex Ferguson's side after Manchester City's draw against Stoke.

Editor's Prediction

Man Utd. 3-1 Fulham

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25.03. (Sun) 20:45 Juventus - Inter

Getty Images

PROBABLE LINEUPS

JUVENTUS Buffon Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini, De Ceglie Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio Pepe, Matri, Vucinic

INTER Cesar Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Nagatomo Zanetti, Poli, Stankovic, Obi Milito, Forlan

Coming off two extremely positive results, a 5-0 victory over Fiorentina and an extra-time 2-2 draw with AC Milan that sent them through to the final of the Coppa Italia, Juventus coach Conte will be hoping to make it a treble of successes by heaping more misery on struggling Derby d'Italia rivals Inter.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will be back between the posts after sitting out the Coppa Italia midweek clash while in defence, Martin Caceres will step in at right-back for the suspended Stephan Lichtsteiner. Despite the fact that centre-back Andrea Barzagli has recovered from a calf injury, the former Palermo man is likely to start on the bench.

Italy international Andrea Pirlo will take on his former side and the in-form Mirko Vucinic will play wide on the left with Simone Pepe on the opposite flank in support of top-scorer Alessandro Matri, who last found the back of the net in the 1-1 draw on with AC Milan on February 25.

Meanwhile, a result against Inter's bitter rivals and his ex-employers may boost the morale of boss Claudio Ranieri and the Nerazzurri camp, but the former Chelsea trainer is likely to be without star midfielder Wesley Sneijder due to a groin problem, while Argentine Ricky Alvarez remains sidelined as well.

Youngster Andrea Poli, who has impressed in recent outings, looks likely to pip Esteban Cambiasso to a spot in the centre of the pitch alongside veteran Dejan Stankovic. Midfielder Fredy Guarin is set for his first call-up to the match squad since his winter move on loan from Porto and may feature as a substitute.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Juventus have not lost to Inter in their past three competitive matches, last suffering a 2-0 defeat in April 2010.

• The hosts remain the lone unbeaten team in Serie A and have only conceded nine goals at home this season.

• Juventus had drawn four Serie A matches in a row before defeating Fiorentina 5-0 last weekend.

• Inter have not won in Turin against the Old Lady since January 2008, beating them 3-2 in the Coppa Italia with two goals from Mario Balotelli.

• Milito has not scored against the Bianconeri in a competitive fixture since joining Inter in 2009.

• Ranieri coached Juventus for nearly two years from June 2007 to May 2009, before he was sacked.

Prediction

Although form often does not dictate what happens in heated rivalries like these, logic suggests second-placed Juventus will go in as clear favourites over seventh-placed Inter. Juve have just come out of a scoring slump with seven goals in their past two games, but Inter continue to be plagued by inconsistency during a very disappointing season. Three points for the hosts seems to be on the cards, even if the Nerazzurri will give it everything they have to try and salvage their campaign around with a positive result against their rivals.

Editor's Prediction

Juventus 2-1 Inter

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