24-01-2011 21:00 Athletic Bilbao - Hercules

Comfortable At La Catedral

Athletic Bilbao will aim to keep their aspirations of European football alive on Monday night, when they tackle a Hercules side who have done a solid job of fending off the threat of relegation in the first half of the campaign.

Unlike their guests, los Leones are ever presents in the Primera Division, and having already accrued 29 points, there is little prospect of the Basque giants having to fret over their perfect attendance record come May. Instead, the Bilbao club will be looking to spread their wings into continental competition once more.

Though Joaquin Caparros’ side have picked up nine wins this term, they have struggled to gain any kind of consistency about their results. Indeed, they stand on the cusp of going undefeated in three league matches for the first time this season. Wins at home have often been contrasted quickly by road losses, and this has prevented Athletic making any real progress.

With seven victories from their 10 matches at San Mames to date, Caparros will be confident of leading his side to another victory at La Catedral, where only Deportivo La Coruna have tasted success in La Liga since September.

Need Another Gear

Hercules’ return to Primera Division action in August began with a 1-0 defeat at home against Athletic Bilbao, though thankfully for the Alicante side, better has followed. Barcelona were beaten 2-0 at the Camp Nou just a couple of weeks later and Esteban Vigo’s side have barely looked back since.

Like los Leones, Hercules have failed to piece together any kind of coherent sequence of results. They’ve neither gone unbeaten for three matches not lost more than a couple in a row; commendable for a side fresh out of the Segunda, even one boasting talent such as David Trezeguet and Nelson Valdez.

Fallibilities have been persistently shown on the road, with that famous win against Barca a notable exception. Last weekend, for example, Sporting de Gijon proved too good for the southerners, recording a 2-0 success at El Molinon.

“We need another gear when we play away from home,” Vigo honestly admitted after the defeat – Hercules’ sixth in 10 road games, and their ninth without a win. “Things will change in the second half of the season.”

With uncertainty still surrounding the payment of the club’s players, all is not necessarily well off the field, but on the park Hercules continue to do a reasonable job.

TEAM NEWS

Athletic

Aitor Ocio is a new absentee for the Basque side. He has picked up a foot injury and can’t feature. Fernando Amorebieta, Iban Perez and Jon Aurtenetxe all miss out again.

On the other hand, Inigo Diaz de Cerio comes back into the squad after a loan spell with Cordoba.

Hercules

Abraham Paz and Tiago Gomez come into the team after recent problems. Olivier Thomert is the Alicante side’s major absentee.

Prediction

While the challenge of Hercules shouldn’t be completely dismissed, a home win is very much on the cards. Athletic are powerful beasts in front of their own fans, and los Herculanos have rarely shone on their travels.

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Hercules

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24-01-2011 21:00 Bolton Wanderers - Chelsea

Emotional Evening In Prospect At The Reebok

Owen Coyle has called on his side to put in a “big performance” on what will be an emotional Monday night at the Reebok as the club pay their respects to the late, great Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse before kick-off with floral tributes and a minute’s silence.

Certainly an improvement is needed as the Trotters have now gone four games without a win in the Premier League, although such has been their success this season they remain in an impressive seventh place in the table.

Wanderers also tend to find Chelsea a tough nut to crack, having failed to beat the Blues since 2003; even then it needed a last-gasp John Terry own goal to seal victory.

Shaking Off The Blues?

Chelsea, meanwhile, will hope they are headed for a brighter future after their recent dismal run came to an end with a much-needed victory against Blackburn Rovers last weekend.

However, the Blues haven’t won away since October and such has been their decline that striker Didier Drogba has admitted there is no point in discussing their title prospects until they manage two or three consecutive victories.

Carlo Ancelotti will surely be delighted, therefore, to be travelling to the Reebok as Chelsea have not lost to Bolton in their last 14 meetings, and indeed haven’t even conceded a goal against the Trotters in their last seven encounters.

TEAM NEWS

Bolton Wanderers

Owen Coyle may decide to hand defender David Wheater a debut after he joined the club from Middlesbrough. However, the Trotters are likely to be without Ivan Klasnic and Gretar Steinsson who are both injury doubts.

Definite absentees include Chung-Yong Lee, who is on Asian Cup duty, and injury victims Sean Davis, Joey O'Brien, Ricardo Gardner and Jlloyd Samuel.

Possible starting XI: Jaaskelainen; Robinson, Cahill, Wheater, Ricketts; Muamba, Taylor, Holden, Davies (M); Elmander; Davies (K).

Chelsea

The visitors have doubts over Frank Lampard, with Carlo Ancelotti admitting he has no idea if the midfielder will be fit for Monday.

There are also question marks over the fitness of John Terry after he picked up a rib injury in training, but the skipper has since insisted he will be available for slelection.

Chelsea are also without Alex, Yossi Benayoun and Yury Zhirkov, but otherwise have no new injury problems.

Possible starting XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Lampard, Ramires; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

Prediction

Two sides short on form go head-to-head at the Reebok both in need of victory to regain lost momentum.

While the Blues will hope to build on victory against Blackburn Rovers, Bolton will want to avenge last weekend’s defeat to Stoke and on an emotionally-charged night for the club may find the inspiration needed to end a poor recent record against Chelsea.

Bolton 0-0 Chelsea

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23-01-2011 20:45 Milan - Cesena

Recovering Momentum

No one can doubt Milan's ability and propensity to entertain and thrill this campaign. The Rossoneri have been sensational at times with star striker and mercurial creative mind Zlatan Ibrahimovic weaving his sorcery from time to time, but since the beginning of the new year they appear to be struggling to get the points.

The hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cagliari was followed by a brilliant yet eventually disappointing 4-4 draw with Udinese, and last weekend things went worse as Milan failed to get anything more than a 1-1 draw in Lecce against a side set to suffer relegation at the end of the season.

Now four points clear at the top of the table in Serie A with 41 points from 20 matches, Milan need to start picking up wins. Massimiliano Allegri's side comfortably went through to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia on Thursday night as they destroyed Bari 3-0 at San Siro and will hope for a similar result against a similarly struggling side.

Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice, Does It?

Cesena were a revelation at the start of the 2010-11 campaign as they went on to reach the pole position in Serie A, albeit for short period of time. En route to that orgasmic moment was the 2-0 humiliation of Italian giants and former European champions Milan in what remains one of the most shocking results of the Serie A season.

Four months fast forward, and the Seahorses will hope for lightning to strike twice. The Rossoneri are not exactly in the best of form result-wise at the moment and this could be the time that Cesena resurrect their campaign by achieving a great result.

It's easier said than done, though, as Massimo Ficcadenti's side have an appalling record on the road, having won once and lost six times in nine away league encounters. With 19 points from 20 matches, Cesena are level on points with third-from-bottom Lecce - time as well as games is running out.

TEAM NEWS

Milan

Boateng, Zambrotta, Inzaghi, Amelia and Pirlo are out injured for the Rossoneri, who are expected to leave Cassano and Pato on the bench and start with Ibrahimovic and Robinho as the two forwards in a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Cesena

Lauro and Nagatomo are out injured for the Seahorses while Giaccherini is suspended. Malonga and Jimenez will be the two attacking midfielders deployed behind striker Bogdani in a 4-3-2-1 system.

Prediction

A win for Milan appears to be the most likely outcome but given that the Rossoneri haven't always looked formidable in the league this month, the Seahorses could make it tough for them if they get an early goal.

Milan 3-0 Cesena

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23-01-2011 21:00 Villarreal - Real Sociedad

Out Of The Copa But Still Strong In La Liga

Villarreal were fighting on three fronts prior to Tuesday night’s elimination from the Copa del Rey by Sevilla. Coach Juan Carlos Garrido will feel that his side have been knocked out of the least important of their trio of objectives and will be happy to start focussing on the Primera Division encounter against Real Sociedad.

At El Madrigal this season, Villarreal have been irreproachable. Only Valencia have managed to avoid defeat at the venue, and even los Che only managed to earn a point. Off the back of this excellent record, the Yellow Submarine have installed themselves as La Liga’s third force, marginally ahead of their near neighbours.

Even with a depleted squad, Garrido managed to lead his side to a 4-2 success against Osasuna last weekend, though a weakened team crumbled 3-0 against los Nervionenses in midweek. Having fallen behind early in a match they realistically needed to win, Villarreal were sunk early in the second period, when their hosts scored twice from corner kicks.

After Tuesday’s game, Garrido was quick to congratulate Sevilla, though he also stressed that he felt the final result was a harsh reflection of his side’s performance. Having rotated his squad for the clash, it was made clear that the Copa was not his priority, so expect to see yellow-clad players frothing at the mouth eager to get their teeth back into the league campaign come the weekend.

Bad Streak Bust

Last weekend’s 4-0 success over Getafe was a cathartic result for Real Sociedad, whose poor run of form had threatened to undermine much of the good work they did earlier this season. Four successive losses over the Christmas period were certainly awkward for la Real, but a fantastic evening in the Spanish capital has helped to re-energise the squad, keeping them nine points clear of the red zone.

“We got more than we deserved,” coach Martin Lasarte admitted after the game, clearly aware that Mikel Aranburu’s unlikely late brace gave the full-time result a rather flattering complexion from the point of view of the Basques. “We've always talked about the goal, which is to ascend. There is room to grow. The result was a very good one with which to go into the second round of games, and we will try to stay in peace.”

Not only will an array of goals please the coach, but the fact his side managed to keep a clean sheet will have been equally satisfying. At times this term Real Sociedad have leaked goals at an alarming rate, so shutting the opposition out for the first time in five games must be deemed satisfying.

Though the San Sebastian club lose a lot of games – more than two of the sides in the bottom three – the fact they tend to win the others means that they are unlikely to be sucked into great danger. On the other hand, an ability to grind out a draw would be a useful attribute travelling to somewhere like El Madrigal, where the hosts are so dominant.


TEAM NEWS


Villarreal

Juan Carlos faces another month on the sidelines after picking up a problem in a Copa del Rey tie against Sevilla a fortnight ago. Marcos Senna and Nilmar continue to rehabilitate from surgery, while Carlos Marchena is nearly ready to return. Santi Cazorla should be fit after missing the last two matches.


Real Sociedad

Zurutuza is banned, and Mikel Gonzalez and Carlos Martinez are both doubtful. Carlos Martin could be back in the squad but is unlikely to play, while Vadim Demidov still waits for his debut. Diego Ifran has made an improvement but isn’t thought likely to feature either.

Prediction

Villarreal will prove that crashing out of the Copa del Rey was a mere blip. The Yellow Submarine will field all of their top players at the weekend and will continue to feel very much at home at El Madrigal by picking up three points against a Real Sociedad team who rarely travel well.

Villarreal 3-1 Real Sociedad

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23-01-2011 19:00 Real - Mallorca

More Derby Success

Mallorca were the first Primera Division opponents faced by Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, and they were also to prove the first opponents to frustrate the Castilian side, earning a scoreless draw back in August. A repeat of that result would be hugely damaging for los Blancos, who are aiming to get back to winning ways in the Primera Division after last weekend’s surprising slip against Almeria.

There were no problems for los Blancos in their midweek Copa del Rey quarter-final encounter against city-rivals Atletico Madrid. Leading 3-1 from the first leg, there was never any danger of a slip in the Vicente Calderon after Cristiano Ronaldo shot the title challengers ahead midway through the first half for what proved the only goal of a sometimes tetchy affair.

“The team played a good game. We did what we had to do to reach the next round and we earned a good result.” Mourinho affirmed after the match before discussing a change in his side’s tactical make-up.

“We reached the next round without exerting ourselves too much. I wanted to play differently tonight because we won the first leg 3-1. I knew we would go through if we kept a clean sheet. Two leg knockout stages are different to league games.”

There has been speculation that the Portuguese coach could take his leave from the Bernabeu sooner rather than later, though ‘Mou’ has already quashed rumours that he could depart before the end of the season. On the field, his side are discovering that even the slightest slip will be punished by Barcelona, so once again winning is imperative this weekend.

Paid The Penalty Last Week

In a season that was meant to be a real slog for Mallorca, the Balearic club are passing the exam impressively. With half of the campaign already played, els Barralets lie in the top half of the standings and are 11 points clear of the relegation zone, earning praise from celebrity shareholder Rafael Nadal in the process.

Of course, not everything’s gone smoothly for the Iberostar Estadi club. Last weekend they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 away to Atletico Madrid, and on their return to the capital less than a week later coach Michael Laudrup will be hoping for a more successful performance from his players.

The Islanders certainly had their chances against Atleti last weekend, but the best of those was squandered by Pierre Webo, who accepted responsibility for the defeat. “The key play was the penalty miss,” he lamented, considering his moment of infamy to the Diario de Mallorca. “If we score, I think that we could have won the game. I had no luck and the goalkeeper has done well.

“Mallorca had played a pretty nice game and didn’t deserve this beating. We had chances, and Atletico Madrid have received too much of a reward for their performance.”

Already this season Mallorca have proven to be stubborn opponents for Spain’s best. After holding los Blancos 0-0 on the opening day of the campaign they went to Camp Nou and came away with a 1-1 draw against Barcelona. Laudrup’s side will be no pushovers.

TEAM NEWS


Real Madrid

Pepe, Jerzy Dudek and Gonzalo Higuain will continue to miss out but no new problems have been reported in los Blancos' ranks.

Mallorca

Michael Laudrup’s squad is depleted by suspensions to Jonathan De Guzman and Pau Cendros.

Injury problems in the Islanders’ team are not rife, but in-form striker Victor Casadesus sits out. Jose Luis Marti is their other absentee. Ratinho, Sergio Tejera and Gonzalo Castro will be checked before the game.

Prediction

This is a dangerous fixture for los Blancos. Though they have been dominant at the Bernabeu this season, Mallorca have often managed to raise their games for the really big challenges. It could turn out to be a grind, but Jose Mourinho’s men will pick up the three points.

Real Madrid 2-0 Mallorca

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