13-03-2011 21:00 Sevilla - Barcelona

DID YOU KNOW?

* Sevilla are unbeaten in their last four home games, grabbing three wins and a draw.

* The last four games in which Sevilla have been unable to score have all ended 0-0.

* Alvaro Negredo has hit the frame of the goal more times than any other player this season, rattling the woodwork five times.

* Sevilla are the only side to concede four David Villa goals in a single league game. That was in 2004, when the Asturian forward was playing with Zaragoza.

* Barcelona have not suffered defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in four years.

* The Blaugrana are also undefeated in their last seven league games against Sevilla.

* In those last seven meetings, Sevilla have only scored one goal in the first half.

* Barcelona have scored in every one of the last 15 league games against Sevilla.

* In the first 15 minutes of the second half, Barcelona have scored the most this season with 14 goals in that period, whilst Sevilla have conceded the most with 10.

LAST MEETING

October 30th, 2010: Barcelona 5-0 Sevilla

Braces from both David Villa and Lionel Messi were bolstered by a Dani Alves goal, to hand Barcelona a dominant win.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Sevilla: Varas; Navarro, Fazio, Caceres, Dabo; Perotti, Rakitic, Medel, Navas; Kanoute, Negredo

Barcelona: Valdes; Maxwell, Abidal, Pique, Alves; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Villa, Messi, Pedro

Prediction

Barcelona are flying high, and you can expect them to continue that form in this game. Sevilla will not make it easy for them, but their inconsistency this season points too a heavy defeat.

Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona

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13-03-2011 20:45 Parma - Napoli

DID YOU KNOW?

* Parma are currently placed 15th in Serie A with 29 points from 28 matches, just a point above the relegation zone.

* The Ducali have not won in their last seven encounters and have drawn their last three.

* Pasquale Marino’s side have conceded 10 goals from outside the penalty area, the highest number in the league.

* The Crociati have won seven of their 11 Serie A matches against Napoli at the Tardini.

* Parma lost the reverse fixture 2-0 in Naples, with striker Edinson Cavani scoring both the goals

* Napoli are third in the league standings at the moment with 53 points from 28 matches, eight points behind leaders Milan.

* Cavani is the league's second highest scorer, having netted 20 times so far this campaign.

* The Partenopei have not scored in their last two matches. If they fail to find the target against Parma, then it will be the first time since March 2009 that Napoli would have failed to do so in three fixtures.

* Walter Mazzarri’s side have lost five of their last eight away matches but have won the other three.

* The Azzurri have scored 16 goals in the last 15 minutes of their games.

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Napoli 2-0 Parma

Edinson Cavani was the star of the show last time the two sides confronted each other. The Uruguay international striker broke the deadlock after just 19 minutes and ensured the points for the former Italian champions four minutes from full time.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Parma: Mirante; Zaccardo, Paci, Lucarelli; Valiani, Morrone, Dzemaili, Modesto; Candreva; Crespo, Bojinov

Napoli: De Sanctis; Santacroce, Cannavaro, Ruiz; Zuniga, Pazienza, Yebda, Vitale; Hamsik; Lavezzi, Cavani

Prediction

Napoli appear to have taken a downward spiral in recent days and will be desperate for a win to revive their Scudetto challenge. Parma are struggling for survival and Walter Mazzarri's visiting team should eventually garner the points.

Parma 1-2 Napoli

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13-03-2011 17:45 Manchester City - Reading

DID YOU KNOW?

* Manchester City's £27 million January signing Edin Dzeko has scored in both his FA Cup appearances but has yet to find the back of the net in seven Premier League appearances.

* City have not lifted a major piece of silverware since they beat Newcastle United 2-1 in the 1976 League Cup final.

* City have needed a replay in two of their three FA Cup ties this season.

* Carlos Tevez has scored five goals in his last seven F.A. Cup appearances.

* Of the games following each of their 10 Europa League fixtures this season, City have won six, lost three and drawn one.

* Reading hot-shot Shane Long was on the score sheet the last time the sides met when he netted the opener in the 2-0 Premier League victory on March 8 2008.

* Reading have won three of the last four meetings against City.

* City have needed a replay to beat Reading on the two occasions they've been drawn in the FA Cup.

* Shane Long has scored four goals in his last four FA Cup appearances.

* City and Reading have played each other 22 times in all competitions, with City winning 10, Reading seven and five games being drawn.


LAST MEETING

March 8, 2008: Reading 2-0 Manchester City
Goals from Shane Long and Dave Kitson temporarily lifted the Royals out of the Premier League relegation zone in a campaign in which they were ultimately destined for the drop.


PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Manchester City: Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta; Barry, de Jong; Silva, Yaya Toure, Tevez; Dzeko.

Reading: McCarthy; Khizanishvili, Gunnarsson, Ingimarsson, Harte; Karacan, Legiertwood, Howard; Hunt, Long, Robson-Kanu.

Prediction

Mancini's injury-ravaged squad has failed to impress in recent weeks. The scrappy nature of the win against Wigan Athletic is likely to be replicated against Brian McDermott's men.

Man City 2-1 Reading

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

DID YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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


LAST MEETING

October 31, 2010: Malaga 1-2 Real Sociedad

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

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

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

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

Prediction

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

Real Sociedad 1-2 Malaga

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

DID YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

LAST MEETING

October 31, 2010: Racing Santander 4-1 Osasuna

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


PROBABLE LINE-UPS

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

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

Prediction

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

Osasuna 2-2 Racing

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13-03-2011 15:00 Roma - Lazio

DID YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


LAST MEETING

January 19, 2011: Roma 2-1 Lazio

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

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

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

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

Prediction

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

Roma 2-1 Lazio

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13-03-2011 15:00 Lecce - Bologna

DID YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

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

LAST MEETING

November 6, 2010: Bologna 2-0 Lecce

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

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

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

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

Prediction

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

Lecce 1-2 Bologna

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13-03-2011 15:00 Genoa - Palermo

DID YOU KNOW?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Palermo 1-0 Genoa

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

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

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

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

Prediction

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

Genoa 2-1 Palermo

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13-03-2011 15:00 Chievo Verona - Fiorentina

DID YOU KNOW?

* Chievo have failed to earn a win in their last five matches.

* The Flying Donkeys have scored only three goals in their last five home games.

* Sergio Pellissier leads Chievo in scoring with nine goals.

* Fiorentina are unbeaten in their last three fixtures.

* The Viola have four draws in their last six road games.

* Fiorentina leads the head-to-head series in Serie A against Chievo with nine wins to three.

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Fiorentina 1-0 Chievo

Alessio Cerci powered the Viola past the Flying Donkeys with a goal in the 80th minute in what was a hard-fought affair at the Artemio Franchi.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Chievo: Sorrentino; Sardo, Mandelli, Andreolli, Mantovani; Guana, Rigoni, Constant; Bogliacino; Pellissier, Thereau

Fiorentina: Boruc; Comotto, Gamberini, Natali, Pasqual; Behrami, Montolivo, Vargas; Santana; Gilardino, Mutu

Prediction

Neither team is in optimum form right now and a score draw seems to be the likely outcome.

Chievo 1-1 Fiorentina

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13-03-2011 15:00 Catania - Sampdoria

DID YOU KNOW?

* Catania have only two wins from their last ten games.

* The Elefanti have given up eight goals in the last five games.

* Catania have beaten Sampdoria only once in their last six Serie A encounters.

* Sampdoria have now gone four games without a win, drawing one and losing three.

* The Blucerchiati are without a goal in their last six matches away from home.

* Samp have failed to score in eight of their last ten games.

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Sampdoria 0-0 Catania

Chances were at a premium as both sides played out a scoreless draw at the Luigi Ferraris.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Catania: Andujar; Alvarez, Silvestre, Spolli, Marchese; Schelotto, Carboni, Lodi; Ricchuiti; Bergessio, Maxi Lopez

Sampdoria: Curci; Zauri, Volta, Lucchini, Ziegler; Mannini, Poli, Dessena; Guberti; Maccarone, Macheda

Prediction

Sampdoria are struggling at the moment and will find it tough to beat Catania in front of a hostile crowd. The home side does just enough to pick up the points.

Catania 1-0 Sampdoria

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13-03-2011 15:00 Cagliari - Udinese

DID YOU KNOW?

* Cagliari have won six of their past eight games in Sardinia.

* Davide Biondini and Lorenzo Ariaudo will miss the match due to suspension.

* The Isolani played out their first draw in 18 games under Roberto Donadoni.

* Udinese have kept a clean sheet in their last five matches.

* Antonio Di Natale leads Serie A in scoring with 22 goals.

* The Zebrette are riding an eleven-game unbeaten streak.

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Udinese 1-1 Cagliari

The visitors jumped ahead 12 minutes into the match thanks to a goal from Daniele Conti before Antonio Floro Flores netted the equaliser just before the half-time break.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Cagliari: Agazzi; Perico, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Nainggolan, Conti, Lazzari; Cossu; Acquafresca, Ragatzu

Udinese: Handanovic; Benatia, Zapata, Domizzi; Cuadrado, Pinzi, Inler, Asamoah, Armero; Di Natale, Sanchez

Prediction

Cagliari are a tough nut to crack on the island but Udinese have been sensational down the stretch and will squeak out a slim victory.

Cagliari 1-2 Udinese

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13-03-2011 15:00 Stoke City - West Ham United

DID YOU KNOW?

* With Matthew Etherington leaving the treatment room behind, Stoke may be hopeful of a change in fortunes. Since the winger joined the club, they have won 35 per cent of games with him in the team and just 18% without him.

* Premier League goalscoring may not be their forte, but Jonathan Walters has scored three goals in his last three FA Cup outings, while John Carew has netted eight in his last nine.

* Fortress Britannia may play a role in the game. Stoke are unbeaten there in 2011.

* Stoke have never won the FA Cup. They’ve never made it to the final either. However, if they overcome West Ham, they will be in their fourth semi-final and first since 1972.

* The game will be the first time both clubs have met Premier League opposition in this season’s FA Cup.

* Although West Ham have edged it between the two teams this season, it has been pretty even overall recently, with two wins for each and two draws in the last six encounters.

* Averaging only 37% of their shots on target in the Premier League before Demba Ba joined the Upton Park payroll, the Hammers are now testing the keeper with 49% of their efforts on goal.

* And goals are firmly on the menu for the east London side. Twenty in their last seven games means that West Ham are six goals ahead of their closest goalscoring rivals – Manchester City

* Thomas Hitzlsperger’s return to fitness is also having a marked improvement on the team. The side’s average ball possession has upped from 44 to 52%, while pass completion in the opposition half has increased from 66 to 73%.

* West Ham’s defence is weakest in the last 15 minutes of each half, conceding 11 from 31-45 mins and 12 from 76-90 mins this season.

LAST MEETING

March 5, 2011: West Ham 3-0 Stoke

An Asmir Begovic blunder afforded Demba Ba a rather fortuitous opener, but the hosts were a class above Stoke as Manuel Da Costa and Thomas Hiztlsperger strikes assured a stroll in the park for the Hammers last weekend.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Stoke City: Sorensen; Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Higginbotham; Etherington, Delap, Whitehead, Faye; Walters, Carew.

West Ham Utd: Green; Tomkins, Upson, da Costa, Bridge; Noble, Parker, Hitzlsperger; Keane, Cole, Ba.

Prediction

There will be a time when the wheels will come off the West Ham resurgence, but I do not think it will be against Stoke. Going forward, they look absolutely rampant and with Robbie Keane ready to be introduced into the fray, the Hammers can only benefit from such healthy competition. Stoke have never fared well in the FA Cup and given Avram Grant’s penchant for ending a season at Wembley, I can see West Ham making it to the semis.

Stoke 1-2 West Ham

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13-02-2011 12:30 Milan - Bari

DID YOU KNOW?

* Milan are the current leaders in Serie A with 61 points from 28 matches, five more than second-placed Inter at the start of Week 29.

* The Rossoneri are unbeaten in their last 10 league encounters against Bari and have emerged victorious in five of the last six.

* Massimiliano Allegri’s side are the only team not to have conceded a goal in the opening 15 minutes of Serie A games so far this campaign.

* The Diavoli have the best defensive record in the Italian top flight, having shipped just 20 goals in 28 matches.

* In midweek Milan were knocked out of the Champions League last 16 stage for the third time in a row.

* Bari are at the bottom of the table in Serie A with just 16 points from 28 matches, 12 points from safety.

* The Galletti have lost 39 times to Milan in Serie A, more than any other team.

* Bortolo Mutti’s team have lost all of their last five away matches in the league this season.

* At this stage last season the Biancorossi had mustered 38 points.

* Bari have conceded 134 goals in total to Milan in Serie A.

LAST MEETING

January 20, 2011: Milan 3-0 Bari

Milan recorded a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Bari in the Round of 16 of Coppa Italia. Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring as early as the 19th minute and on the stroke of half-time Alexander Merkel doubled the advantage. Then 20 minutes into the second half Robinho wrapped up the win.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Milan: Abbiati; Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Antonini; Gattuso, Van Bommel, Merkel; Robinho; Pato, Ibrahimovic

Bari: Gillet; A. Masiello, Glik, Belmonte, Rossi; Donati, Codrea, Almiron; Huseklepp, Ghezzal; Okaka

Prediction

An easy victory for Milan should be the eventual outcome.

AC Milan 3-0 Bari

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