Champions League Opta Facts - Semi-finals First Legs - 26th to 27th April

FC Schalke 04 - Manchester United

Schalke 04 and Manchester United will clash for the first time ever in a competitive match.
United have conceded just three goals in the competition this season, less than every other team except Real Madrid, who have conceded also conceded three.
The Red Devils are yet to concede a single goal away from home in the Champions League this season.
Schalke are unbeaten in nine Champions League games (seven wins, two draws).
Manchester have lost just one of their last 22 away games in the Champions League (14 wins, seven draws).
Schalke have won all five home games in this season's Champions League.
United are unbeaten in 11 Champions League games (eight wins, three draws), but their last defeat came on German soil, when they went down 2-1 at Bayern Munich just over a year ago.
Raul is currently the Champions League's all-time top-scorer with 71 goals, he is also the only Schalke outfield player to have feature in all 10 of their CL games this season.
United have netted only 12 goals in 10 Champions League games this season, the worst goalscoring record amongst the four semi-finalists.
Ryan Giggs has assisted each of United's last four goals in this competition.
Only Manchester United and Real Madrid are still unbeaten this season in the Champions League.

Real Madrid - FC Barcelona

These teams have met in the Champions League just once before. In the 2001/02 semi-final Real won the first leg 2-0 at the Camp Nou and reached the final after a 1-1 draw at home.
Real have won their five Champions League home games this season and haven't conceded a single goal in any of them.
Real Madrid are the only side to have opened the scoring in each of their 10 Champions League games this season.
Barca have lost just one of their last 11 Champions League games (eight wins, two draws).
Since 2009, Barcelona have won only three of their 14 away games the Champions League.
The Catalans have won two of their last three away games in the Champions League (one defeat).
Real are unbeaten in eleven Champions League matches (eight wins, three draws).
Five players have been sent off in the last five meetings between these two sides in all competitions (four for Real and one for Barca).
Real are one of only two sides still unbeaten this season in the Champions League (the other is Manchester United).
The merengues and the blaugrana share the best attacking record of the competition this season, each scoring 24 goals.
Seven of the eight players who have completed the most passes in the Champions League this season play for Barcelona, the only exception is Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso (third) who has completed 656.
Mesut Özil has delivered the most assists in the Champions League this season (seven).

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Premier League Opta Stats - 26th to 27th April

Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolves are unbeaten in their last four away trips to play Stoke, with the last three meetings all ending as draws.
Stoke have lost just one of their last seven meetings with Wolverhampton Wanderers in all competitions.
Seven of the last 10 goals that Stoke have netted against Wolves in all competitions have been scored after half-time.
The Potters have won just one of their last eight Premier League games.
However, Stoke have won 14 of a possible 18 points in their last six Premier League games at home.
Wolves have won just two of their 19 away games in the Premier League since the beginning of April 2010.
Mick McCarthy's side have mustered a total of only three goals in their last five away games in the league.
Kenwyne Jones' goal at Aston Villa last weekend was the 18th that Stoke have scored following a long throw in the Premier League since returning to the top-flight.
Stoke City have attempted 497 long throws in the Premier League this season; 245 more than any other side.
Wolves have attempted a league-high 777 crosses (excl corners) in the top-flight this term.

Fulham v Bolton Wanderers

Fulham have failed to score in their last three meetings with Bolton in all competitions.
The last three Premier League meetings between Bolton and Fulham have ended as draws.
Bolton have scored exactly one goal in seven of their nine Premier League away games against Fulham and none in the others.
Ivan Klasnic has scored in his last two visits to Craven Cottage.
Fulham have won 16 of a possible 18 points from their last six matches at home in the Premier League.
Just one of Bolton's last 11 Premier League matches have ended in a draw.
Bolton Wanderers have collected just one point from their last nine away matches in the Premier League.
In these last nine Premier League away games, Bolton have netted just four times.
Daniel Sturridge has scored seven goals in nine Premier League appearances for Owen Coyle's side.
Fulham have conceded only one penalty in the Premier League this season; fewer than any other side

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26.04. (Tue) 20:45 Schalke 04 - Manchester Utd.

DID YOU KNOW?

* Schalke have won three and lost four of their nine run-ins with English opposition. Their home record in these fixtures is W3 D1 L1.

* This tie marks Schalke's first ever trip to the Champions League semi-finals.

* During his tenure at Real Madrid, Raul scored four goals in three Champions League games against United.

* Manchester United have lost their last four knock-out ties against German opposition.

* The Red Devils are competing in their 12th semi-final in Europe's elite club competition.

* During his six-year spell at Bayer Leverkusen, Dimitar Berbatov managed six goals in 11 Bundesliga appearances against Schalke.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Schalke (4-4-2) Neuer; Uchida, Howedes, Metzelder, Escudero; Farfan, Papadopoulos, Jurado, Baumjohann; Raul, Edu.

Ralf Rangnick has made four changes to his line-up in each of the last five games, and the tactician is known for tailoring his plans based on opposition. He has tended to use a 4-4-2 set-up, but may resort to 4-2-3-1, replacing striker Edu with holding midfielder Joel Matip.

There are question marks over the fitness of midfielder Peer Kluge, who returned to training last week but did not play over the weekend, as well centre-back Benedikt Howedes. Definite absentees from the Schalke squad are Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Mario Gavranovic, Christian Pander, Christoph Moritz, and Tim Hoogland.

Manchester United (4-4-2) Van der Sar; Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Giggs, Carrick, Park; Hernandez, Rooney.

Like his Schalke counterpart, Sir Alex Ferguson is a fan of rotation and making tactical modifications to his line-up. In all likelihood, however, he will use the same line-up that faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals.

Dimitar Berbatov is doubtful with a groin strain, but Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney are expected to lead the attacking line whether or not the Bulgarian is fit to play. Midfielder Darren Fletcher is also a doubt, having missed a month of action with a stomach virus. Definitely ruled out of contention to play is Owen Hargreaves.

Prediction

The Veltins Arena is an intimidating atmosphere, and certainly United will find it no cake-walk. They have only scored 12 goals in the Champions League, but Ferguson's men know how to get the job done and will likely get an away goal. Schalke will have a more difficult time scoring than they did against Inter's leaky defence, but they enter the match with both the confidence and competence to earn a draw.

Schalke 04 1-1 Man Utd.

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26.04. (Tue) 20:45 Stoke City - Wolverhampton Wanderers

DID YOU KNOW?

* Wolves are Stoke's nearest rivals in the top flight, with the two clubs separated by just 30 miles.

* Wolves captain Karl Henry (pictured right) came through Stoke's academy and made more than 100 appearances for the Potters before signing for Mick McCarthy's side in 2006.

* The hosts' top scorer this season in all competitions is Jonathan Walters, who has netted 11 times, though the Irishman has only five league goals. Kenwyne Jones has the club's most goals in the league with seven.

* Potters winger Matthew Etherington has more assists (eight) in the Premier League than Ryan Giggs (seven).

* Despite both teams' reputations as tough tacklers, the two Midlands sides sit in the middle of the Premier League's disciplinary table. Wolves are eighth with Stoke 12th. Arsenal are bottom of the table having picked up 62 yellow cards and six reds.

* McCarthy's side have the worst away record in the top flight, having registered just two wins in 16 games, but Stoke are only marginally better, with just 11 points picked up on the road.

* The hosts have the worst half-time record in the league. They have gone into the break holding a lead on only four occasions this season.

* Wolves have not beaten Stoke at the Britannia Stadium since September 2005, when the visitors came away with a 3-1 Championship win.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Stoke City: Begovic; Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson; Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Jones, Walters.

John Carew, who was unable to play against Aston Villa at the weekend because he was ineligible, will likely return to the squad.

Wolves: Hennessey; Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Ward; Jarvis, Milijas, Henry, O'Hara, Guedioura; Fletcher.

Mick McCarthy will be without lead striker Kevin Doyle, who is likely to miss the rest of the season after picking up an injury while on international duty last month.

Prediction

The two games between the clubs this season have seen each take a win, but Wolves have for too long lacked the quality that saw them win on the opening day of the season against the Potters at Molineux.

The Potteries side have stepped up a gear from their mid-season slump, and while they are not mathematically safe, they are playing with the confidence of a side that expects to win every game, and a first trip back to the Britannia Stadium since their Wembley exploits will have the home fans rocking and Mick McCarthy heading back to the Black Country in a bad mood.

Stoke 2-1 Wolves

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