06-02-2011 13:15 Rangers - Celtic

Gers Trio Looking To Help

Rangers go into the third Old Firm game of the season, having brought in three new players during the January transfer window, with El Hadji Diouf, David Healy and Kyle Bartley making their way to Ibrox to sign for the Scottish champions.

Blues' assistant manager Ally McCoist spoke at the club's pre-match media conference about the trio’s arrival, saying: “I think its freshened it up a bit and we’ve been wanting to do that for a while and it certainly adds a bit of freshness, because they are keen and have seen about the place and they obviously want to take part in games, especially the Old Firm game.”

He was asked about the signing of the controversial Diouf, to which he responded: “He did well [against Hearts], he’s not had a lot of games recently and if the game against Hearts is anything to go by he’ll certainly win us a few free kicks in the Old Firm game and I hope that’ll be the case.”

Finally, he was asked about how the Old Firm cup tie will be looked upon by the rest of the teams in the competition, with the former Ibrox striker saying: “This cup tie, it’s not often that Rangers and Celtic draw each other at this early stage in the cup, so with Hearts out and with something to give with the Old Firm, I think that the other clubs will look upon this as an opportunity to perhaps get to a final or to have an extended run, but the pressure for us is still the same, especially against our rivals.”

Hoops' Hopes Are High

Celtic go into the Ibrox fixture with confidence after defeating their Glasgow neighbours at the same venue only one month ago, when a Georgios Samaras double claimed all three points for the Parkhead side.

The Hoops' gaffer Neil Lennon spoke at the club’s pre-match press conference about whether the cup tie is more important than the league fixture last month. Lennon said: “Not really, it’s an Old Firm game regardless of the competition we’re looking to win and we know that it’s very difficult to go there and win. Out of all of the fixtures in Scotland this is probably the most difficult one, to go to Ibrox in that atmosphere and against a good team.”

He was also asked about the possibility of a draw, which would not be favoured by Rangers, due to the Ibrox side having two outstanding fixtures on their Glasgow rivals. Lennon replied: “Yeah, I mean it’s not the ideal time to be playing an Old Firm game with all the games coming up, so we’re going to try and get a positive result, one way or another. And if it’s a draw, then it’s a draw and we’ll just have to deal with that.”

TEAM NEWS

Rangers

Rangers will enter the Old Firm derby without influential midfielder Lee McCulloch who was injured in the Ibrox side’s midweek victory over Hearts.
Winger Vladimir Weiss was also taken off during the game and remains doubtful for the Scottish Cup fifth round tie.

That could mean a return to the starting line-up for Scotland international Steven Naismith, who was rested by Walter Smith, looking forward to the crucial cup tie.

Also back in the Rangers team will be striker Nikica Jelavic who was also missing from the win over third-placed Hearts with a groin injury. The Rangers manager is also set to leave new signings David Healy, El Hadji Diouf and Kyle Bartley on the bench for the Glasgow derby,

Possible starting XI: McGregor; Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; Naismith, Davis, Ness, Edu, Lafferty; Jelavic

Celtic

Celtic manager Neil Lennon will be delighted to welcome back central defensive pair Thomas Rogne and Daniel Majstorovic who return from injury after having suffered from calf and hamstring problems, respectively.

The former Hoops skipper is also boosted by the return of both Ki Sung Yueng and Cha Du-Ri who are back in Glasgow after participating in the Asian Cup last month for their native South Korea.

Another pleasing sight for Lennon is the return to training of defender Glenn Loovens and Georgios Samaras, who was the hero for the league leaders in their last visit to the south side of Glasgow during the New Year derby.

Possible starting XI: Forster; Wilson, Majstorovic, Rogne, Izaguirre; Brown, Kayal, Ledley, Commons; Hooper, Stokes.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rangers

Maurice Edu - The American has found his form since coming back into the Rangers side after a lengthy injury and showed his importance when he scored in the Ibrox side’s victory over Motherwell last weekend, which saw the Scottish champions reach the final of the League Cup, were they will meet Celtic.

Celtic

Biram Kayal - The dynamic midfielder has been so good for Neil Lennon’s side that the Celtic gaffer has switched his captain to the right wing in order to accommodate the Israeli in the centre of the pitch for the Parkhead side. As a result he will be key to Celtic securing a path into the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup.

Prediction

Although Old Firm games are near enough impossible to predict, Celtic should definitely be considered as the favourites due to the players that have returned from injury, coupled with their good form that has seen them go undefeated since the middle of November.

Rangers 1-2 Celtic

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06-02-2011 21:00 Valencia - Hercules

Steady, If Unspectacular

Events have dictated that Valencia look very likely to earn a Champions League spot. Though Villarreal are still going strong, their other major rivals for a top four finish, Espanyol, have been forced to sell key members of their squad. With a four point advantage over the Barcelona-based club, los Che would expect to have enough in the tank to outlast them.

Unai Emery has his side going along quite nicely at the moment. Though they’ve relied heavily on late goals and have rarely looked completely convincing, the east coast club have lost only one of their last 11 Primera Division fixtures, and event that was against Real Madrid. Indeed, last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Racing de Santander prevented Valencia adding to a five-game winning streak.

The coach indicated that a draw was a just result, though he wasn’t totally happy with the performance of his side, complaining that possession was readily gifted away with too much frequency, while there wasn’t enough depth to their play.

Some tough fixtures loom on the horizon for les Che. Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona are all due to face Valencia over the coming month, so they’ll be looking to Sunday night’s match as an opportunity to put some points on the board, and ideally some additional space between themselves and those teams who covet their position.

Bettered By Barca

Hercules failed to replicate their early season success over Barcelona when they met the champions at the Jose Rico Perez last weekend, but they did prove to be stubborn opponents once again for la Blaugrana. For more than 80 minutes the game remained competitive, but the dismissal of substitute Farinos allowed Pep Guardiola’s men to score twice in the last five minutes, earning a 3-0 win.

“The team played a good game in general,” coach Esteban Vigo reasoned after the match, content with the effort and application his side put in against a team he reckons to be the best on the planet.

In a tough league, points have to be taken against tough teams, and though Hercules have sporadically managed to do so, their record against the middle order is poor and leaves them only four points better off than those sides in the drop zone.

The Alicante club have struggled particularly away from home, earning only six points on their travels, which is one of the worst records in the league. Hercules’ record of one win in six is rather coloured by their poor travelling form, as they have played four of those games on the road, while one of their home fixtures was against Barca.

With some easier home matches forthcoming – Zaragoza, Getafe, Almeria and Osasuna – it may well be that this encounter is looked upon as something of a bonus, as points are not expected to be claimed.

TEAM NEWS

Valencia

Jonas Goncalves has joined up with the squad and could debut over the weekend. No new injury problems have been named by los Che, who will be without the suspended David Navarro and Ricardo Costa.

David Albelda, Vicente Rodriguez, Miguel Moya and Cesar Sanchez continue to battle problems, while Juan Mata has an ankle complaint.

Hercules

Javier Farina is suspended after his dismissal against Barcelona last weekend. There are a number of selection issues, with Abraham Paz, Noe Pamarot and Mohammed Sarr all somewhat doubtful. Abel Aguilar has been struggling with gastroenteritis.


Prediction

Valencia may not be playing with the greatest conviction at the moment, but they’re going along steadily and picking up wins with regularity. Away from home, it wouldn’t be inconceivable that Hercules could claim a point, or even three, but the challenge at the Mestalla is likely to be too much for the Alicante side.

Valencia 2-0 Hercules

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06-02-2011 21:00 Olympique Lyonnais - Girondins Bordeaux

Stopped In Their Tracks

Time is running out for Olympique Lyonnais to mount a serious challenge for the Ligue 1 crown. After defeat in Valenciennes last weekend, les Gones are now a distant seven points from leaders Lille, who are picking up their pace, if anything. Claude Puel continues to fight for the first silverware of his reign at the Stade Gerland, but defeat on Sunday could end any real hopes of the manager picking it up this season.

Lyon were disappointing at the Stade Nungesser last Saturday. Puel’s men made a bright enough start to the match, but Valenciennes rebuffed their approaches and ultimately pulled through thanks to a couple of goals soon after the restart. Though Michel Bastos reduced the arrears to 2-1, OL couldn’t beat in-form goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau a second time.

“This has stopped us in our tracks in the championship,” Puel explained, Ligue 1’s official website stated. “We were up against a very good Valenciennes side and we had trouble getting going, which allowed them to grow in confidence. My team reacted well to going 2-0 down. We started to play as a team. In the last 15 minutes we gave it absolutely everything and it could have worked. I think we deserved to equalise.”

A lacklustre start to the campaign has given the Rhone giants no room to manoeuvre, and though they looked back to their best in a 3-0 league success over Lorient in January, a Coupe de France loss to Nice, as well as last weekend’s reverse, shows that they still have much work to do.

The Best Is Yet To Come

Bordeaux have long since given up their hopes of picking up the Ligue 1 title. Jean Tigana has admitted that the challenge taking over at the Stade Chaban-Delmas is a greater one than he previously believes, though his side remain on the fringes of the European battle, stationed eighth in the standings, only four points behind Lyon.

Already the former Monaco and Besiktas boss has tendered his resignation twice, but on each occasion he was rebuffed by the Bordeaux board, clearly aware that they will struggle to attract another such name with such a pedigree to the ailing club.

Victory over Nice last weekend at home could act as a spur, though. Bordeaux were excellent against les Aiglons, finally looking a well balanced unit and winning through thanks to goals from Ludovic Sane and Anthony Modeste.

“That was the first time this season that we’ve played two equally good halves of football,” the coach said, according to the LFP’s official website. “We played with style and strong organisation tonight; there was a bit of everything. I’m very satisfied.

“I loved the way my side played collectively tonight, with movement and cover. We needed this reaction for the players to regain confidence. It was a good match but I know we can do even better.”

Suddenly there is an air of confidence around Bordeaux again, and having supplemented their attack with the signing of Brazilian international Andre on loan from Dynamo Kiev, there is even room for some tentative optimism on Sunday.


TEAM NEWS

Lyon

Dejan Lovren returns from a ban for OL, but by the same token Ederson remains absent. It’s expected to be March before the Brazilian returns to the first team picture.

Bordeaux

Only Carlos Henrique is ruled out for les Girondins, though it’s unlikely that Marc Planus will be involved in the first team panel as he continues his recovery from injury.

Prediction

Both of these sides have been erratic this season, so it’s a tough match to call. At home, Lyon have to be favourites, especially as they will be aware that a defeat could spell the end of their title hopes. Just as Bordeaux won 2-0 against OL earlier this season, les Gones will claim a similar scoreline on Sunday.

O. Lyon 2-0 Bordeaux

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06-02-2011 20:45 Inter - Roma

Back On Song

After collapsing 3-1 at Udinese two weeks ago, doubts on Leonardo's Inter reared their ugly heads. With the team suffering from a plethora of injuries and looking vulnerable at the back, there were suggestions that the Nerazzurri's bubble had burst, that they could struggle to get back on track.

What has happened subsequently, though, is quite a different story as Inter have embarked on yet another winning streak. The Italian and European champions defeated Napoli on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, then rallied from 2-0 behind to edge past Palermo 3-2 last weekend and in midweek registered a 3-0 victory in Bari.

Back-to-back league wins mean that the Beneamata are now just seven points behind leaders Milan in Serie A with 41 points from 22 matches; that gap will be narrowed down to just four should they win their game in hand.

Currently placed in the top-four, Inter are indeed back in contention for the Scudetto and, having lost just once at home all season, will be confident of getting the better of Roma on Sunday evening.

Winning Is The Only Objective

Roma talisman Francesco Totti has the winning mentality and although the Italian veteran hasn't won much silverware with the Giallorossi in his career, he has often inspired his team to big-game wins. Sunday evening's encounter against Inter at San Siro is one of the big matches that Roma cannot afford to lose, and Totti knows that.

"The game against Inter is very important," Totti told the press. "We cannot underestimate the value of the game as we are nine points behind Milan and have a game in hand. If we want to remain within reach of Milan then we have to get a result. In any case, the league is still long and so there is time."

Roma head into the clash in fifth place in Serie A with 39 points from 22 matches; despite retaining a game in hand, the former Italian champions are nine points off the pace and a draw or a defeat on Sunday evening could potentially ruin their Scudetto hopes.

To increase the pressure, the Lupi's away form isn't very encouraging as they have won only three times on the road in the league - that's three games out of 11. Roma may have scored 11 goals in those matches, but they have been a mess defensively, having conceded a whooping 17 goals away from the Stadio Olimpico, a record they hold jointly with third-from-bottom Cesena.

TEAM NEWS

Inter

Stankovic, Cordoba, Mariga, Lucio, Castellazzi and Samuel are injured and are unavailable.

Roma

Pizarro, Brighi and Adriano are sidelined with injuries and will miss the trip to Milan. Mexes is suspended.

Prediction

Inter have a strong form at home while Roma are modest away. The Nerazzurri are on a three-match winning streak and against Roma on Sunday evening they should be able to eke out a narrow victory.

Inter Milan 2-0 Roma

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06-02-2011 7:30 Freiburg - Eintracht Frankfurt

Copa Finalists In Troubled Times

Real Madrid booked another date with Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final by winning through against Sevilla on Wednesday night, but though the knockout competition is clearly precious to Jose Mourinho, it’s the league that earns the greatest kudos.

Los Blancos have seen their title aspirations slip away with a couple of poor performances away from home since the turn of the year. A draw in Almeria hinted that all was not right in the Madrid camp, but this was made clear last weekend when they went down to stubborn Osasuna, who were value for their 1-0 success.

But Mourinho’s sides are nothing if not mentally resilient, bouncing back with a 2-0 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night at the Bernabeu, where they’ve done nothing but win since the Portuguese took over. Late goals from Mesut Oezil and Emmanuel Adebayor kept that record going in midweek.

Former president Ramon Calderon has increased the tension on a week of unease for the capital side by declaring the backroom troubles of the club as “a powderkeg that is ready to blow”, referring to Mourinho’s relationship with sporting director Jorge Valdano, which isn’t thought to be cordial.

Only victories on the field will prevent the media from leaping to discuss a ‘crisis’, and three points are certainly expected on Sunday.

No Fear

For a period over the bleakest moments of winter, it seemed that Athletic Bilbao could be sucked into the relegation battle. A run of four successive defeats promised nothing but woe for the San Sebastian club, but they’ve since roused themselves to earn two wins over the course of their last three matches.

A smashing 4-0 victory over Getafe got the ball rolling, and strong hints of a revival were also on show when the Basques went to Villarreal and snatched the lead before ultimately going down 2-1. This disappointment was placed behind them last weekend with a 2-0 home success over Almeria, which keeps the relegation zone a distant 10 points in the rear-view mirror.

Recent results have been reflected in a sense of confidence portrayed prior to this encounter by young French midfielder Antoine Griezmann, who feels there is no sense in la Real travelling to the Bernabeu with a sense of fear. “Madrid are not a big deal,” he dismissed. “We have played against them and are not anything special.”

Sociedad often aren’t anything special when playing away from home, though. From their 11 away trips to date, they’ve lost a staggering seven, picking up three victories along the way. Given these numbers, it’s tough to see the plucky northern side causing a weekend sensation, but then again, those accusations were levelled at Osasuna last weekend.

TEAM NEWS

Real Madrid

Pepe, Jerzy Dudek and Gonzalo Higuain all remain sidelined due to injury. Sergio Ramos won’t play this weekend due to a ban.

Real Sociedad

Joseba Llorente is out for the rest of the season with a serious back complaint. On the other hand, la Real will welcome back Mikel Gonzalez, who was suspended last weekend.

Prediction

Jose Mourinho’s men have been perfect this season at the Bernabeu in league play, and they have to remain that way over the weekend if they are to hope to challenge Barcelona come May. Basque opponents don’t lie down easily in the capital, and Real Sociedad will certainly put up a strong fight.

Editor's Prediction

Real Madrid 2-0 Real Sociedad

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06-02-2011 17:00 Chelsea - Liverpool

Chelsea’s New Number Nine

Chelsea welcome Liverpool on Sunday with all eyes very much focused on one man, Fernando Torres. The Spaniard’s move from Anfield to Stamford Bridge has prompted much discussion and even pictures of his old Liverpool shirt being burnt on Merseyside, yet a quirk of fate means he should make his first outing in a blue shirt against the men in red.

The good news for Torres is that this is a fixture the striker seems to thrive on. The Spaniard scored seven goals in eight games for Liverpool against Chelsea, including both strikes in the Reds’ 2-0 win at Anfield back in November.

The 26-year-old has vowed not to celebrate if he does find the net on Sunday, but having scored on his Anfield debut, few would bet against Torres being on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge.

Onwards And Upwards

The gloom surrounding Torres’ departure did not last long at Anfield, no doubt helped by the arrivals of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Suarez then introduced himself to his new fans with a goal in the midweek win over Stoke City to ensure the Kop have a new hero.

Whilst that will undoubtedly have given the Reds a welcome boost, so will their recent form which has seen them win three on the bounce, with three clean sheets to boot, and move up to seventh in the table.

However, their recent Premier League record at Stamford Bridge is poor. The Reds have failed to score on five of their last six visits and have managed just one win since 2004, when they needed Jose Bosingwa to put through his own net to secure victory.


TEAM NEWS


Chelsea

The £50 million man Fernando Torres is expected to make his debut against Liverpool and could be joined by another new boy, David Luiz, who is also available.

Alex, Yossi Benayoun and Yury Zhirkov remain on the injured list but other than that trio manager Carlo Ancelotti has a full squad to chose from and possibly a selection headache over how best to accommodate his new striker.

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


Liverpool

After scoring on his debut against Stoke City, Luis Suarez is expected to make his first start for the Reds. However, fellow new boy Andy Carroll is still some way off making his debut due to a thigh problem.

Christian Poulsen is a doubt with a back problem and a knee injury may prevent Joe Cole from facing his former employers.

Jamie Carragher returns to the squad after recovering from a dislocated shoulder, however Kenny Dalglish has refused to confirm whether he will go straight into the starting line-up.

Possible starting XI: Reina; Kelly, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson; Kuyt, Gerrard, Lucas, Maxi, Meireles; Suarez.

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06-02-2011 17:00 Sevilla - Malaga

Raising Their Level

Derby matches are always hard fought affairs, but the fixture between Sevilla and Malaga on Sunday afternoon promises to be doubly so due to the league positions of the clubs. While los Nervionenses are flirting with the European spots they hold so dear, their visitors are right at the foot of the standings and are in desperate need of points to avoid the drop.

If Sevilla had hoped of reaching the Europa League through the back door of the Copa del Rey, those aspirations were extinguished on Wednesday night, when a trip to the Bernabeu brought with it a 2-0 loss for the Rojiblancos. It was only in the final 10 minutes that the match really got away from the Andalucians, who look far more competitive now than they did during a lean spell in December.

Had it not been for Alvaro Negredo having a goal controversially dismissed against Madrid in midweek, coach Gregorio Manzano would be sitting presently with an even more confident side.

“The script could have been written differently,” he sighed. “We raised our level of play. The team did a great job pushing the opposition to their limits.”

One defeat in five Liga matches, three of which have been won, suggests that Sevilla’s difficult winter is now over. Manzano has too keep the momentum going, else the home crowd will be quick to turn, having spent much of last term discontent, despite eventually winning fourth spot.


Anxious Times

Rock bottom of the standings, Malaga’s Primera Division life is hanging by a thread. After sacking Jesualdo Ferreira and replacing him with Manuel Pellegrini in the autumn, the Andalucian club have since played all their transfer cards, and with a new look squad have yet to fair a great deal better.

Progress was made in bringing some recognised names to the club during the January transfer window, but this has not manifested itself in any success as yet. Indeed, centre-back Martin Demichelis played a significant role in the recent loss at Valencia, dismissed early on in a 4-3 defeat. But that match against los Che also showed the potential for good the new additions have, with Julio Baptista scoring a fine goal and leading the line impressively.

After a battling performance at the Mestalla, it was back to square one last weekend, when a crucial relegation battle against Zaragoza was lost at La Romareda.

“I am worried,” former Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini confessed to the press last weekend. “It’s incomprehensible that we’ve conceded 47 goals this season. It’s hard to aspire to win when you lose so many goals.”

Pellegrini’s attempts to tighten up the back line have so far come to naught, yet he must persist with his efforts, else the side who have kept only two clean sheets all season are almost certain to go down.

TEAM NEWS

Sevilla

Renato is a fresh concern due to an ankle complaint. There is hope that the Brazilian midfielder could yet feature.

Ivica Dragutinovic, Luca Cigarini and Tiberio Guarente will continue to miss out.

Malaga

Helder Rosario and Martin Demichelis will both return to the squad to face Sevilla. Ruben Martinez and Jesus Gamez are missing due to injury complaints.


Prediction

Expect Malaga to put up an improved performance in comparison to last weekend, though it’s questionable whether that will be enough to beat a Sevilla team who are slowly growing in confidence.

Sevilla 3-1Malaga

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06-02-2011 15:30 Hamburger SV - St. Pauli 1910

On The Comeback Trail

This season has been marked by the continual absence of key figures at Hamburg, who at one point had the equivalent of an entire starting eleven out through injury. And when the light appeared at the end of the tunnel, Armin Veh was deprived of a defensive stalwart in Joris Mathijsen. However, the Dutchman is set to make a return and his significance for the team's fortunes was not lost on his coach:

"We are convinced that Joris Mathijsen is fit and that he will be able to help us. He is an important player for us," Veh told the pre-match press conference.

Mathijsen's timing is spot on for not only does it come ahead of a crucial derby game for both sides but the former AZ and Willem II defender will be pressed into action as a replacement for Gojko Kacar. The Serbia international was red carded in last week's tame surrender at the hands of Nuernberg. HSV captain Heiko Westermann may have won the most duels this season but he will be a lot more assured now that the first-choice central-defensive axis has been restored.

The first derby of the season promised much beforehand but failed to live up to the hype and sense of occasion. St Pauli looked to be heading for a famous win until Mladen Petric denied them in the closing stages. Petric, despite all his talent and pedigree, has been unable to win a regular spot in the team but he will start up front tomorrow.

"Whoever is not up for this game is in the wrong job. It is one of the most beautiful games. A derby - and that at home in front of your own fans - if you don't show any heart there then you have none."

"In any case, Mladen Petric will start. It was a mistake that I waited so long to bring him on in the reverse fixture," Veh admitted candidly.


Fifteenth Place Is Ours!

Before last week's relegation six-pointer between St Pauli and FC Koeln at the Millerntor, Pauli were looking to move up to fifteenth place and away from the relegation spots. Never a club for subtlety, the front page of the match programme showed St Pauli shoving Koeln aside, accompanied by the caption: "Fifteenth Place Is Ours!".

Of course, it's easier to look back fondly on such things as der Kiezclub gave perhaps their best performance of the season and brushed die Geissboecke aside in a superb 3-0 victory. The home side were hungrier and more dynamic, with Charles Takyi proving too much for the visiting defence to handle. Coach Holger Stanislawski is looking for his side to continue where they left off.

"I think that we will see a completely different game from both teams. Both teams will be going all out for the win and the three points," Stanislawski remarked in a good natured pre-game press conference.

Stanislawski has a number of injury worries, especially in defence and while Gerald Asamoah has been a excellent stand-in for Marius Ebbers, the potential absence of Bastian Oczipka is a worry. The 41-year old has already prepared for the worst-case scenario should the situation deteriorate further:

"We have a few ailing and injured players at the moment and it currently looks as if Oczipka is a doubt. However, on Sunday we will line-up with eleven players at the kick off. Truller (assistant coach Andre Trulsen), KaPe (goalkeeping coach Klaus-Peter Nemet) and I will be on the bench in the case of an emergency."


TEAM NEWS

Hamburg

Armin Veh is without the suspended Gojko Kacar, who was red carded for a professional foul last week in Nuernberg. Dennis Diekmeier and Romeo Castelen are also unavailable for selection. Heung-Min Son will probably not be employed as he recovers from the Asia Cup but Marcell Jansen could play down the left wing. Guy Demel has recovered from his ankle problem and he is joined in the defence by Joris Mathijsen, who is making his comeback.


Probable Starting XI: Rost - Demel, Westermann, Mathijsen, Aogo - Ben-Hatira, Jarolim, Ze Roberto, Elia - Petric, van Nistelrooy

St Pauli

Holger Stanislawski is without a number of players, most notably striker Marius Ebbers, still out with an abdominal strain. Ebbers is joined on the sidelines by defensive quartet Fabio Morena, Jan-Philipp Kalla, Florian Lechner and Carsten Rothenbach. Florian Bruns is a doubt as is Bastian Oczipka with former Fulham full-back Moritz Volz on standby for the impressive young left-back on loan from Leverkusen.


Probable Starting XI: Kessler - Thorandt, Zambrano, Gunesch, Oczipka (Volz) - Boll, Lehmann - Kruse, Takyi, Bartels - Asamoah

Prediction

As both coaches have said in the build-up, this should be a more open game than the first derby earlier in the season. St Pauli are on a high and will give it a go in attack. Hamburg have underperformed after the winter break and not been consistent but in front of 55,000 and with Mladen Petric back in the team, with something to prove, they should nick the three points.

Hamburg 2-1 FC St. Pauli

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06-02-2011 15:00 Parma - Fiorentina

Still Trapped In The Dungeon

Parma's start to the new year flared up some hope of a turnaround in 2011 but since that 4-1 hammering of Juventus in Turin the Gialloblu have slumped back into desperation. Just one victory in their last six competitive matches have dragged them towards the bottom-three and have also seen them get knocked out of the Coppa Italia.

In midweek Parma lost the relegation six-pointer against Lecce 1-0 at home. It followed a 3-1 defeat to Genoa away and the results mean that heading into Week 24 Pasquale Marino's side find themselves just four points above the dropzone with 25 points from 23 matches.

Parma will now aim to bounce back from that loss at the Ennio Tardini and will aspire for maximum points against one of the worst away sides in the league. The Ducali have lost thrice at home in the league all season and will hope to record a win this weekend.

Relief In Florence

Fiorentina's 1-0 win against Genoa in Florence in midweek has given them some breathing space as the gap between themselves and the relegation zone is now seven points. With 28 points from 22 matches, the Viola are now in the top half of the table, and Sinisa Mihajlovic appears to have turned around their season at least.

However, the Gigliati cannot enjoy themselves too much as their abject away form in the league means that they could be dragged back into the relegation mix should they lose this weekend. Fiorentina are one of only two sides in the entire top flight this season who have yet to win on the road in Serie A.

Yet the Viola should get inspired by their result against Parma in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. At the time Fiorentina emerged victorious by a two-goal margin and will hope to repeat that feat this time too.

TEAM NEWS

Parma

Pisano, Calvo and Marques are injured for Parma while Candreva is suspended.

Fiorentina

Vargas, Kroldrup, Jovetic and Frey are injured for the Viola.

Prediction

Fiorentina are terrible away from home and this will allow Parma to garner a point at least in this encounter.

Parma 1-1 Fiorentina

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06-02-2011 15:00 Napoli - Cesena

Getting Back On Track

Tuesday's goalless draw between Milan and Lazio at San Siro opened the widow of opportunity to Napoli to close the gap on the leaders and reaffirm their title credentials. However, on Wednesday evening Walter Mazzarri's side slumped to what many would term a surprise 2-0 defeat to Chievo in Verona.

That result means that the former Italian champions remain in second place in Serie A but they are now five points off the pace with Inter and Lazio just a couple of points behind them. It was Napoli's first league defeat since their 3-1 loss to Inter at San Siro at the start of January and the Partenopei will be keen to bounce back with a comprehensive victory over lowly Cesena on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier in the season in the reverse fixture Napoli had destroyed the Seahorses 4-1 away from home and will head into this weekend's encounter at the Stadio San Paolo confident of yet another win.

However, in the wake of the defeat in Verona in midweek Mazzarri has asked his team to learn their lessons and admitted, "Defeats happen, but what's important is to draw lessons from your losses. Maybe I should have made more changes to the starting line-up, because midweek matches break up the normal training regime."

Watching The Rainbow

It had poured on Cesena in January as they had to contend themselves with tough fixtures against Roma, Inter and Milan - three of the Scudetto challengers. Unsurprisingly, the Seahorses lost all the three matches in succession and sank deeper and deeper into the relegation pit.

However, now that it has stopped raining the rainbow has appeared in the sky and life is assuming some colour once again for Cesena. Massimo Ficcadenti's side ended January with a 1-1 away draw with Lecce and were involved in yet another draw in midweek, this time with Catania at home. The two points gained mean that the Seahorses now have 21 points from 23 matches and are third from bottom, two points from safety.

Cesena's away form, though, is terrible as they have won just once on the road all season and have scored just eight goals in those 11 matches, conceding 17 in the process. A victory in Naples on Sunday isn't very likely but with Napoli having suffered a setback in midweek, they will aspire for something.

TEAM NEWS

Napoli

Grava and Vitale are out injured for the Azzurri while Pazienza is suspended. Lavezzi is back from injury and will start alongside Hamsik as the two creative minds behind Cavani in the 3-4-2-1 formation.

Cesena

There were no major injury or suspension worries for Cesena, who will line up in a 4-3-2-1 system.

Prediction

Napoli slumped to a defeat in Verona in midweek but will be more than a match against relegation-candidates Cesena. A comfortable win for the Azzurri is in the offing.

Napoli 2-0 Cesena

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06-02-2011 15:00 Lecce - Palermo

Hope Springs Eternal

Lecce remain one of the main contenders for a bottom-three place in Serie A at the end of the 2010-11 campaign but unlike some of their rivals for survival, they are giving it a fight. In midweek the Giallorossi crafted a morale-boosting 1-0 win against Parma on the road to sow the seeds of dreams.

The victory extended Lecce's unbeaten run to five league games and helped them carry on the momentum they had built since January. Having bagged nine points out of a possible 15 in those matches, Lecce have placed themselves 16th in the table, three points above the relegation zone on 24.

Luigi De Canio's side have an encouraging form at home too, having lost just three of the 11 league fixtures played at the Stadio Via del Mare.

Aiming For The Top-Four

Last weekend Palermo were cruelly exposed as they lost 3-2 to Italian and European champions Inter in agonising fashion. 2-0 up at one stage, the Rosanero conceded thrice in the second-half to barter a win for a defeat.

However, Delio Rossi's side recovered in style in midweek as they once again got the better of Juventus, this time defeating them 2-1 at the Renzo Barbera. In the reverse fixture earlier in the season the Aquile had hammered the Bianconeri 3-1 in Turin, and Wednesday evening's win saw them retain their place in the top six in the table.

With 37 points from 23 matches, Palermo are just four points off the fourth spot but need to maintain some consistency to launch a serious challenge for a Champions League place. On the road they have won just thrice and have conceded 19 goals.

TEAM NEWS

Lecce

Giuliatto, Ofere and Di Michele are out injured for the hosts.

Palermo

Pinilla, Goian and Balzaretti are injured and will miss the trip to Lecce.

Prediction

A win for Palermo seems the most likely outcome. The Rosanero are far superior to Lecce, who despite having home advantage would struggle to cope with the Sicilian visitors' firepower in attack.

Lecce 0-2 Palermo

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06-02-2011 15:00 Lazio - Chievo Verona

Back On Course

Lazio's 2010-11 campaign threatened to go off track in January as they struggled for points, for wins and for goals. Prior to last weekend's encounter with Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico, the former Italian champions had won just one in four league encounters in the new year and had also been knocked out of the Coppa Italia by eternal rivals Roma.

However, things have taken a turn for the better since last weekend when they defeated Fiorentina 2-0 in Rome. That was followed by an encouraging goalless draw with league leaders Milan at San Siro on Tuesday evening and kept Lazio in the race for the Scudetto with 41 points from 23 matches, seven points off the pace.

Coach Edy Reja, though, has forever insisted that they are not fighting for the title but for a spot in the top-six to qualify for Europe next season. In this respect the Biancocelesti are well on course to fulfilling their objective. However, they will need to defeat Chievo in Rome this weekend given Inter's return to winning ways and Palermo's chase for the Europa League.

Flying Donkeys Flying Again

Until last weekend Chievo's form could have been described as wretched. Winless in the league since November, the Flying Donkeys were heading for a crash and plummeting into the relegation quagmire.

However, the situation has now taken a launch towards the sky as back-to-back victories in Serie A have increased the gap between them and the dropzone to a robust nine points. Midweek's massively significant and morale-enhancing 2-0 triumph over Scudetto-challengers Napoli in Verona followed a 3-0 demolition of Brescia last weekend, propelling Stefano Pioli's side to 10th in the table on 30 points from 23 games.

Chievo are unbeaten in their last five league encounters and have collected four points from their last two matches on the road. In the reverse fixture in September, Chievo lost 1-0 to Lazio at home and will be aiming for a revenge in Rome on Sunday afternoon.

TEAM NEWS

Lazio

Del Nero, Meghni, Garrido, Rocchi, Diakite and Floccari are injured and will miss the visit of Chievo.

Chievo

Luciano, Marcolini and Andreolli are injured and will not travel to Rome.

Prediction

Chievo are on a high after getting the better of Napoli in midweek and will travel to Rome basking in hope and expectation. However, Lazio have proved themselves to be strong at home and should eventually collect the points.

Lazio 2-1 Chievo

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06-02-2011 15:00 Genoa - Milan

Haunting Relegation Worries

Some would suggest that Genoa have a squad that is too good to go down, and indeed with the kind of teams that are below them in the table relegation isn't really much of a fear. But a wretched run of form has unearth worries that continued to haunt the Grifoni in midweek.

Last weekend Davide Ballardini's side defeated Parma 3-1 in what was their first win in the year and first victory in seven competitive fixtures. However, in midweek Genoa slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Fiorentina, which has dragged them to just six points above the relegation zone with 27 points from 22 matches.

Genoa's record at the Luigi Ferraris this campaign is hardly inspiring either as they have won just four of the 11 league encounters in front of their own supporters, although their last home game did end in triumph for them.

In this reverse fixture in Serie A earlier in September, the Rossoblu went down 1-0 to Milan at San Siro and they will be looking to avenge that loss on Sunday.

Looking Over Their Shoulders

The goalless draw with Lazio at San Siro on Tuesday evening wasn't really a disappointing result for Milan given that the Aquile do possess a good and competitive side and are fighting for a place in the top-four. Indeed, with second-place Napoli losing to Chievo in Verona on Wednesday, Juventus collapsing once again and Roma failing to win, the Rossoneri must have heaved a sigh of relief.

However, Inter's 3-0 victory over Bari on Thursday evening made Week 23 a foul one for Massimiliano Allegri's side, who remain in pole position with 48 points from 23 matches and are five points clear of Napoli. The gap between them and eternal rivals Inter is now seven points; and Inter have a game in hand.

Which means that on Sunday in Genoa the Diavolo will be seeking nothing but a victory. Milan have a formidable record on the road as they have won seven out of 11 league fixtures away from home. Having registered victories in four of their last five away competitive fixtures, they will be confident of garnering maximum points at the Marassi.

TEAM NEWS

Genoa

Antonelli and Boselli are injured for the Grifoni.

Milan

Boateng, Zambrotta, Inzaghi, Amelia, Nesta, Gattuso, Seedorf, Strasser, Ambrosini, Abate and Legrottaglie are injured for the Rossoneri and are unavailable for the trip to Genoa.

Prediction

Genoa will make it tough for Milan at home and could well spring a surprise. However, the Rossoneri have looked confident and assured even on the road and they should eventually carve out a victory against the Grifoni.

Genoa 0-2 Milan

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06-02-2011 15:00 Brescia - Bari

Fighting Against The Drop

Brescia are currently second from bottom in Serie A, having garnered just 19 points from 23 matches. One of the top contenders for a place in the bottom-three, the Rondinelle look doomed for the drop.

In midweek Brescia held Roma to a 1-1 draw in Rome and that should inspire them for a positive result against Bari at home this weekend. Last weekend, though, they had gone down 3-0 to Chievo at the Mario Rigamonti.

Brescia are in a wretched run of form too as they have won just one of their last seven Serie A fixtures. Even at home Giuseppe Iachini's side have lost more matches than they have won and have conceded a staggering 31 goals in the league so far this season.

Rooted To The Bottom

Bari are set for relegation from Serie A at the end of the season and with every passing round of matches the eventuality is drawing closer. The Galletti are currently stationed at the foot of the table with just 14 points from 23 matches and have lost their last six competitive fixtures.

Bari went down 3-0 to Italian and European champions Inter in midweek and prior to that they had fallen down 2-1 in Cagliari. Giampiero Ventura's side have failed to pick up any point from their last five league encounters and given their terrible away form that run could be extended to six matches.

In the reverse fixture in September Bari defeated Brescia 2-1 at home and will hope to draw some inspiration from that encounter.

TEAM NEWS

Brescia

Dallamano and Cordova are injured.

Bari

Salvatore Masiello, Belmonte and Barreto are unavailable for the trip to Brescia as they are suffering from injuries.

Prediction

Bari are very much unlikely to win and this means that Brescia will either win or draw. Given that they are at home, Brescia could just about eke out a narrow win.

Brescia 2-1 Bari

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06-02-2011 14:30 West Ham United - Birmingham City

Hammers Keep Impressive Record Going

Following their fine 3-1 win over Blackpool on Wednesday, West Ham kept up their impressive record against teams in the lower half of the table and will be hoping for another positive display against Birmingham City.

The Hammers have only lost one game in 13 against sides around them this season and will know that a win on Sunday can lift them out of the relegation zone.

Furthermore, Grant will be buoyed by the fact that the East London club have only lost once in nine home encounters against The Blues - a 2-1 defeat in October 2002; but the Hammers are yet to manage back-to-back wins in the league this campaign.

Blues Sliding Down

Alex McLeish’s side also find themselves locked in a battle at the foot of the table to avoid relegation after only picking up a single victory in their last nine league matches and failing to keep a clean sheet.

However, a hard fought 2-2 draw with Manchester City will have boosted Blues' confidence as they travel to London to face the Hammers, in what is a crucial game for both sides.

Birmingham though will find the going tough at Upton Park, having picked up the fewest wins in the league this season along with Wigan Athletic (four) and having only beaten the Hammers once in eight league meetings – a 1-0 victory at St Andrew's in December 2009.

TEAM NEWS

West Ham United

Manager Avram Grant is likely to keep faith with the same side that beat Blackpool in midweek so Robbie Keane is expected to make his home debut for the Hammers.

There could also be a home debut for midfielder Gary O’Neil but there are doubts over Welsh defender Daniel Gabbidon, who picked up a knock at Bloomfield Road, and Manuel Da Costa, who is still suffering from an ankle injury.

The Hammers though continue to be without Jack Collinson, Peter Kurucz (both knee), Kieron Dyer and Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh), as well as Junior Stanislas who has a hernia.

Possible starting XI: Green; Jacobsen, Tomkins, Reid, Bridge; Parker, Noble, O'Neil; Piquionne, Keane, Obinna

Birmingham City

On-loan Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins could go straight into boss Alex McLeish’s squad if his visa comes through in time for the trip to Upton Park.

However, following their draw with Manchester City, the Blues have concerns over the fitness of striker Cameron Jerome, midfielder Barry Ferguson and defender Roger Johnson, so new signing Curtis Davies could deputise in defence.

Scott Dann (hamstring), James McFadden (knee) and Enric Valles (foot) are still on the treatment table at St Andrew's.

Possible starting XI: Foster; Carr, Jiranek, Johnson, Ridgewell; Bentley, Gardner, Bowyer, Ferguson; Zigic, Jerome 

Prediction

This game is sure to be a tight affair with both teams fighting for survival at the bottom of the table. However, with their recent good form in all competitions and their quality up-front with the addition of Robbie Keane, I see the Hammers just pipping Birmingham City to the three points and lifting themselves further towards safety.

West Ham 1-0 Birmingham

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06-02-2011 12:30 Bologna - Catania

Looking Towards The Sun

Bologna commenced the 2010-11 campaign as one of the potential relegation candidates and as the season has progressed they have not disappointed in that aspect. However, the Felsinei have improved and have begun to pull themselves out of the vicinity of the bottom-three.

Heading into Week 24 Bologna find themselves in 14th place with 26 points from 22 matches, a considerable five points above the relegation zone. The Rossoblu have had a decent run of results so far in the new year as they have got the better of Bari and Lazio and have also drawn with Fiorentina and Udinese.

Last weekend Alberto Malesani's side destroyed Lazio 3-1 at home and held high-flying Udinese to a 1-1 draw in Udine in midweek. Bologna will be hopeful of picking up maximum points against Catania as they have lost just once at home in the league all season and the Sicilians are terrible on the road.

Struggling Against The Drop

Heading into Week 24 Catania find themselves just a place and two points above the relegation zone. With 23 points from as many games, the Sicilians are seriously threatened with relegation and need to gather as many points as they can between now and the end of the season to survive another season of top flight football.

In midweek Catania were involved in a relegation six-pointer against Cesena away from home and picked up a point. Prior to that the Etnei lost 2-0 to Milan at home. As a matter of fact Diego Simeone's side have not won a single match in any competition since December 19.

To add to their woe, Catania are also one of only two sides in the Italian first division not to have won on the road all season, having picked up just four points out of a possible 33 away from home, conceding 19 goals in the process.

TEAM NEWS

Bologna

Ramirez is injured for the hosts.

Catania

Biagianti, Izco, Capuano, Carboni and Potenza are out injured for the Sicilians.

Prediction

Catania are poor travelers and Bologna have looked formidable at home. A win for the hosts looks the most likely outcome.

Bologna 2-0 Catania

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