14-11-2010 21:00 Valencia - Getafe

Expectant
 
Both Valencia and Getafe had to wait until Thursday to finally play their Copa del Rey last 32 second leg matches. Unai Emery’s side and the men of Michel both made progress in the knock-out competition, though it is los Che who can be happier with their performance and therefore more confident approaching Sunday’s clash between the two sides.

Emery was confident that a 3-0 first leg victory over Logrones would be sufficient to carry La Primera Division’s fifth placed side through to the next round and named a fresh-faced squad to meet the minnows at the Mestalla in the return fixture. The coach’s faith in youth was thoroughly vindicated as 18-year-old Isco grabbed a brace as the hosts won 4-1.

Results have not come so easily in La Liga of late. Indeed, los Che have lost three of their last four fixtures, going down 2-0 away against Sevilla last weekend to drop them well off the pace of the league leaders.

A top four finish remains the objective for the six-time Spanish champions, who continue to attempt to grapple with financial difficulties while at the same time competing hard for honours. The big names such as David Villa and David Silva may have left, but Emery still has at his command a great deal of talent.

The home crowd are aware of their squad’s potential but want it realised immediately, putting the coach under significant pressure as he attempts to get his squad to successfully battle on three fronts.

Stuttering

While Sunday’s hosts were making serene progress to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, recent specialists in the competition Getafe were made to work extremely hard for their place in the next round by Tercera Division outfit Portugalete, who recorded an impressive 1-1 draw in the first leg. Despite their lowly ranking, the Basque side earned a scoreless draw in Madrid, which was not enough to put them through, but it was enough to earn them huge plaudits.

Michel’s side treated that fixture with the sincerity it clearly deserved, and though they were victorious to an extent, such a result will only have served to damage their confidence prior to an encounter against dangerous opponents.

Last weekend el Geta produced a rousing second half performance against Barcelona as they ultimately went down 3-1 against the champions. The Madrid club will have lamented showing la Blaugrana so much respect in the first half of that encounter at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, as when they really went at Pep Guardiola’s side after the interval they had them rattled.

Chances were spurned in the second half of that encounter by a side lacking confidence going forward. Indeed, their only goal came from the penalty spot as Manu del Moral fired home after Gerard Pique had been sent-off following a handball in the box.

If Getafe can play with the gusto they managed in the second 45 last Sunday and combine it with some more confident finishing, they should not be dismissed.

TEAM NEWS

Valencia
 
Cesar Sanchez will be missing for around another 10 days due to a muscular complaint, so Moya will get his chance to start in goal. Alejandro Dominguez may be able to return after missing the midweek fixture.

Mehmet Topal is banned after being sent-off last weekend.

Getafe

There was real concern about the state of Javier Arizmendi following the midweek Copa match as he fell ill during the half-time interval, complaining of nausea and headaches. He was taken to hospital but discharged on Friday morning, seemingly fit. He will undergo a battery of tests to discover what was wrong with him.

Mario, Jaime Gavilan, Javi Casquero and Dani Parejo are all still out injured. Miguel Torres is close to returning and Mane featured briefly in midweek.

Derek Boateng’s dismissal against Barcelona has earned him a one-game ban.

Prediction

It’s imperative for Valencia that they get back on track quickly, and without any midweek commitments to worry about they should be able to earn three points against a side that’s not famed for their ability to travel.

Valencia 2-1 Getafe

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14-11-2010 20:45 Inter - Milan

Resurrecting Their Credentials

Italian and European champions Inter have struggled under coach Rafael Benitez this season. Reasons are aplenty but the crux is that the Nerazzurri are not as formidable as last term, either in Italy or in Europe.

Heading into the Derby della Madonnina on Sunday evening, the five-time running Italian champions find themselves fourth in Serie A with 20 points from 11 matches, three fewer than city-rivals Milan. Inter’s form too has been poor this month. After losing to Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at White Hart Lane in the Champions League, they were held to successive 1-1 draws by Brescia and Lecce in the league.

Inter’s defence has found it tough to cope at times, although having conceded just six times in the league they do have the best defensive record in the division. Up front modest form and injuries have impeded star striker Diego Milito from invoking his goalscoring prowess of last season, resulting in Inter netting just 13 times in 11 league fixtures, four less than ninth-placed Palermo. Inter’s home form has been stuttering as they have drawn three of their last five games in all competitions at San Siro.

Nevertheless, Inter have proved themselves to be the champions of the Milan derby for a while now as they have won this fixture on the past three occasions. Benitez’s men will know that a victory will see them draw level on points with the Rossoneri. A defeat, however, will push the Biscione six points off the pace.

Red-Hot Rossoneri

Cynics may still hold reservations about Milan’s chances of winning the Scudetto this season but with the rest of the title challengers suffering from inconsistency, Massimiliano Allegri’s side are very much in with a chance to reclaim the championship they last won in 2004.

Heading into Sunday’s match, Milan know that they will go as many as six points ahead of arch-rivals Inter if they defeat them. At the moment the Diavoli are in pole position on 23 points, a point clear of second-placed Lazio. Midweek’s 3-1 defeat of Palermo was Milan’s sixth victory in seven league matches.

Milan have struggled at the back and have conceded 11 goals in as many games in the league. To put this into perspective, the former European champions have conceded more than Parma, who are level on points with third-from-bottom Bologna. However, the Milanese giants have been prolific up front - 20 goals in 11 league fixtures mean that they are the second highest scorers in the division after Juventus.

However, Allegri’s side will have to tighten up at the back and also rediscover their big-game mentality. Milan have to failed to win against any of the big sides they have played so far this season – they drew with Lazio in Rome, lost to Juventus at San Siro and also failed to conjure up a win in either game against Real Madrid in the Champions League. A derby’s a special occasion and club supremo Silvio Berlusconi will demand his team to exhibit a special performance.

TEAM NEWS

Inter

Sulley Muntari, MacDonald Mariga, Thiago Motta, David Suazo, Maicon and Walter Samuel are unavailable for the derby because of injuries. Benitez is likely to opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation that will see Goran Pandev, Wesley Sneijder and Samuel Eto’o as the three attack-minded midfielders with Diego Milito as the lone striker upfront.

Milan

Daniele Bonera, Alexandre Pato, Filippo Inzaghi and Massimo Oddo are out injured for the clash with Inter. Latest reports suggest that Ronaldinho could be dropped to the bench with Clarence Seedorf taking over the role of the trequartista and Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic playing up front.

Prediction

This is a derby, which means that form won’t count for much. Everything depends on which team performs on the day. Inter have injury concerns while Milan have struggled at the back.
One suspects that there could be goals at San Siro on Sunday evening and a single moment of magic will settle the affairs. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whom many regard as a big-game flop, could be the one to be the difference between the two sides.

Inter Milan 1-2 Milan

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14-11-2010 17:30 Bayern Munchen - Nurnberg

Return Of Ribery And Co Looking To Boost Bayern

After last weekend's disappointing 3-3 draw away at Moenchengladbach, Bayern are certainly in need of a pick me up and their supporters will be hoping the return of key players Franck Ribery and Mark van Bommel will provide just that.

Ribery has been out since injuring his knee against Hoffenheim in September and Bayern have struggled without their brilliant French winger. Both players are expected to start the game from the bench but their availability will be a welcome boost for everyone involved at the club. Bastian Schweinsteiger in particular is delighted with the return of Ribery and van Bommel.

"Naturally, you have to be patient after such a long break,” the influential midfielder told Bayern's official website. “Having them back with us is great for the team."

Bayern coach Louis van Gaal also welcomes back centre-half Breno for the game versus Nuernberg and for the first time this season is handed the dilemma of having to leave players out, such has been the injury crisis at the Bundesliga champions this season.

"I have 19 fit players, I'm forced to choose again," the FCB coach told the club's website. "It's been the first week this season in which I’ve had the whole team at training – and it’s already November."

Die Roten will be hoping to secure their third straight home win in the Bundesliga and know that doing so could result in the team jumping up the table into a European qualification position. Plus with the likes of Arjen Robben, Miroslav Klose, Holger Badstuber and Diego Contento to return by January, the second half of the season may prove to be successful after all.

Nuernberg Hoping To Enter Into A Winter Wonderland

Few would have predicted before the season that der Club would be higher in the table than Bayern in mid-November but their have been shocks and surprises galore so far in the Bundesliga campaign.

Dieter Hecking's men currently sit sixth in the table, a stark contrast to the relegation battle that met them last season. Last week's 3-1 victory over Koeln was the club's third in a row so it is fair to say confidence is higher than ever.

It's been 18 years since der Altmeister have beaten Bayern in Munich but players and fans alike believe that Sunday could be the day that the club put an end to that run.

"We've got the wind in our sails at the moment, we can win in Munich," Nuernberg midfielder Jens Hegeler told the media.

Someone who will be looking forward to the game more than most is Mehmet Ekici, Nuernberg's excellent young winger who is on-loan from Bayern for the season. The 20-year-old seemed full of confidence when talking about the game.

"We are the Club and we'll be doing everything we can to get the win," Ekici told the Bundesliga's official website.

What is for sure is that Nuernberg's superb form and Bayern's inconsistency makes for one of the most intriguing Bavarian derbies in recent years, and one that the away side has a realistic chance of causing an upset.

A win for Nuernberg could see them potentially move upto a Champions League qualification spot. A defeat could see a host of clubs leapfrog them in the table including rivals Bayern. The stakes are certainly high which will hopefully make for an exciting encounter.


TEAM NEWS

Bayern Munich
 
The Bundesliga champions are expected to name the same starting line-up that drew 3-3 at Moenchengladbach last weekend. The club welcome back Mark van Bommel, Franck Ribery and Breno who are likely to start the game from the bench. The German giants are still without several key players including Arjen Robben who resumed light training this week yet is unlikely to be fully-fit for another six weeks. Other injuries include Mirolslav Klose (hamstring), Holger Badstuber, Diego Contento (both groin) and Ivica Olic who has been ruled out for upto six months with a serious knee injury.

Possible Starting XI: Butt -  Lahm, van Buyten, Demichelis, Pranjic - Tymoshchuk, Ottl - Altintop, Schweingsteiger, Kroos - Gomez
 
Nuernberg
 
The away side are also likley to name an unchanged team from the one who beat Koeln 3-1 last week. Mehmet Ekici, the winger on-loan from Bayern has been suffering from a cold but is expected to recover in time for the crunch tie with his parent club. The only real injury concern for Dieter Hecking's men is long term absentee Albert Bunjaku (knee) who will be out for another four months.

Possible Starting XI: Schaefer - Judt, Nilsson, Wolf, Pinola - Hegeler, Simons - Ekici, Gundogan, Frantz - Schieber

Prediction

Bayern Munich  2-1 Nürnberg   

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14-11-2010 15:00 Everton - Arsenal

Memories Of A Massacre

Arsenal steamrolled past Everton in this fixture last season, running riot with a mammoth 6-1 victory on opening day. That was the start of what proved to be a disappointing period before the Toffees slowly caught up through the second-half of last term to navigate their way to a modest eighth-placed finish.

But such a shock is unlikely this time out, as Moyes’ men are currently on an undefeated run that has lasted seven games. To add more weight to their form, the Merseysiders have conceded just 11 goals so far this season, with only Chelsea (five) and Manchester United (10) having let in fewer.

But what has been worrying the gaffer all along is the lack of goals, as his strikers have had some trouble finding the back of the net. And with a clash against the Gunners looming large on the horizon, he has called on his charges to take the game to their opponents.

"We are creating opportunities without making them into chances.

"We had opportunities against Bolton but never made the goalkeeper make any saves.

"We had opportunities to make him make saves but didn't hit the target, didn't shoot or didn't cross at the right time. A little bit of decision-making is part of it."

He added: "I don't think Arsenal will be coming to Goodison trying to stifle Everton.

"I think they will come and do what we would do, they will play their game.

"But when you play Arsenal or any other team near the top you have to play well to get a result."

Tricky Trip To Goodison

The situation that presents itself to the Gunners is very different from the one that saw them put some serious daylight between themselves and these opponents last season.

The visitors only recently returned to winning ways, as two goals from Chamakh during midweek were enough to secure three points against Wolverhampton Wanderers. And the scoreline was arguably an untrue reflection of the game, as Mick McCarthy’s charges put in a resolute performance on the day. But a win is a win and the three points are all that really matter, as the Toffees await the Londoners' arrival on Merseyside.

Recent history favours the travellers, as they remain undefeated in their last six games against Everton. And Goodison Park has also proven to be good hunting ground for the Gunners, as they have scored 11 goals in their last three visits to the Blues’ backyard.

But having just endured a bit of a rough patch in the form of two losses before the hard fought victory over Wolves, Wenger’s men will need to put in a strong performance to restore lost confidence.

This will be particularly important, with a north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur coming right up after this encounter. And with table-toppers Chelsea five points away, anything less than three points could cause some damage to the club’s hopes of winning the Premier League.

TEAM NEWS

Everton

Victor Anichebe (knee), Leon Osman (ankle) and Ross Barkley (broken leg) are all out with their respective injuries, and will play no part in this encounter.

David Moyes will also be without Marouane Fellaini, who will start his three-match suspension following the red card he receved in the last game against Bolton Wanderers. John Heitinga has recovered from a knee injury that kept him out of the 1-1 draw with the Trotters, and he would be expected to play in place of the banned Belgian.

Jermaine Beckford put in a noteworthy performance during midweek, but the gaffer believes that he still needs more time to adapt to life in the top-flight. And with Louis Saha having played 80 minutes of the game against Owen Coyle’s charges, Yakubu is likely to be played as the lone man up front.

Possible starting XI: Howard; Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines; Coleman, Arteta, Heitinga, Pienaar; Cahill; Yakubu.

Arsenal

Kieran Gibbs has shaken off a knee problem to return to the squad, but has played only 19 minutes for the first-team since September. So manager Arsene Wenger is unlikely to hand the youngster a start.

Manuel Almunia (elbow) remains sidelined, but recent performances from Lukasz Fabianski have been positive and haven’t given the gaffer any significant cause for concern.

Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) also remains injured, as does Abou Diaby (ankle).

Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky were used in the midweek trip to play Wolverhampton Wanderers, so the manager could bring in Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri for this fixture.

Nicklas Bendtner may have been in line for a start at Goodison Park, but Marouane Chamakh’s brace against Mick McCarthy’s men in midweek means that the Morocco international is likely to make the line-up.

Possible starting line-up: Fabianski; Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy; Song, Wilshere; Walcott, Fabregas, Nasri; Chamakh.

Prediction

Everton have done well to recover from an early slump while Arsenal are still finding their footing after dropping two consecutive games. And despite recent history favouring the visitors, an entertaining draw could be on the cards.

Everton 2-2 Arsenal

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14-11-2010 12:30 Lazio - Napoli

Has The Bubble Burst?

Lazio suffered a crushing 2-0 defeat to Roma in the Rome derby last weekend in what was the Aquile’s first major test in Serie A this season. The defeat clipped their wings, which were burned on Wednesday evening when they went down 1-0 to relegation-contenders Cesena on the road.

Back-to-back defeats in the league have dragged Lazio from pole position to second spot in the standings, a point behind leaders Milan. Most observers didn’t give Edy Reja’s side much of a chance to win the Scudetto this season anyway, and two losses in as many matches have raised questions with suggestions that their bubble has finally burst reaching the surface.

Nevertheless, Reja is one of the most intelligent tacticians in Italy and he will attempt to sort out his team ahead of the clash with Napoli on Sunday. Playmaker Hernanes, who was rested for the match against Cesena, is back in the squad and Reja will hope that the Brazilian can inspire the team.

It’s The Lavezzi Show

Napoli are steadily climbing up the ladder in Serie A and are currently third in the table with 21 points from 11 matches, a point ahead of Italian and European champions Inter and just two behind leaders Milan.

Napoli have won their last three matches in a row in the league and, encouragingly, have not conceded any goal. In midweek it was star striker Ezequiel Lavezzi once again who inspired the Partenopei to victory as he scored an injury time winner against Cagliari in Sardinia. It was the Argentine’s third goal in four matches in all competitions.

Even more encouraging for Napoli is the fact that they have not lost even once away from Naples in the league this term, having won four of their six away matches. Having conceded just four times and scored ten on the road, Walter Mazzarri’s side will be relishing the chance to take advantage of a demoralised Lazio team in Rome.



TEAM NEWS
   
Lazio 

Meghni and Quadri are out injured for the Aquile, who will have Hernanes back for this match. The Brazilian playmaker will be one of three attack-minded midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation that will have Floccari as the lone striker upfront.

Napoli

Lucarelli, Aronica, Dossena and Campagnaro are out injured for the Azzurri while Gargano is suspended. Mazzarri is likely to opt for a 3-4-2-1 formation that will have Lavezzi as the lone marksman with Hamsik and Cavani playing just behind him.

Prediction

This promises to be a very competitive match and an entertaining one too. After two defeats in a row, Lazio will be cautious and could play defensively, which may just be enough for them to get a draw against Napoli.

Lazio 1-1 Napoli

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