15.01. (Sun) 21:30 Barcelona - Betis

Xavi Hernandez - Barcelona

PROBABLE LINEUPS

BARCELONA Valdes Alves, Pique, Puyol, AbidalXavi, Busquets, Iniesta Messi, Cesc, Alexis

REAL BETIS Casto Isidoro, Dorado, Mario, Nacho Juanma, Benat, Iriney, Montero Castro, Santa Cruz

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has a few absentees heading into the match against Real Betis. Seydou Keita has departed for African Cup of Nations duty with Mali and will miss the next few weeks.

Pedro could be out for up to 10 days after pulling a hamstring in the Copa del Rey against Osasuna in midweek, a match where Andreu Fontas sustained a serious knee injury and could miss the rest of the campaign.

David Villa and Ibrahim Afellay are long term injury concerns and will be out of action for the foreseeable future. However, Dani Alves and Andres Iniesta should be fit enough to return to action after their minor knocks were rested at Osasuna.

Real Betis will be without defender Antonio Amaya and midfielder Momo, who both miss out with injury. On a positive note for the Andalusians, Nelson and Alvaro Vadillo are making good progress in their return to action, and have begun training in the gym.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The last time Barcelona played Real Betis, Pepe Mel's side emerged with a surprise 3-1 victory over the Catalan side in the Copa del Rey, with Jorge Molina grabbing a brace to help his side to victory.

• Barcelona have not played Real Betis in the Spanish Primera Division since February 2009. The match ended 2-2.

• Lionel Messi has scored just two goals less than the entire Real Betis squad in La Liga this season, with 17 goals to 19.

• Betis are currently comfortably placed in 10th spot in La Liga, with 22 points taken from 17 games.

• The Verdiblancos' top goalscorer this season is striker Ruben Castro, who has notched five in 12 appearances.

• Betis have lost twice as many times as they have won on the road this season in the league. They have triumphed on three occasions but have been defeated six times away from Benito Villamarin.

Prediction

Betis won the last time the two sides met and although this victory turned out to be in vain it should still give them some confidence going into the match at Camp Nou. Pep Guardiola's men are hurting at the moment after the draw with Espanyol but a wounded Barcelona may prove to be very dangerous, and victory is essential to maintain Real Madrid's pace domestically.

Editor's Prediction

Barcelona 3-0 Betis

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15.01. (Sun) 21:00 Olympique Marseille - Lille Metropole

5

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE Mandanda Azpilicueta, N'Koulou, M'bia, Traore Amalfitano, Cheyrou, Lucho, Morel Valbuena Remy

LILLE LandreauBonnart, Chedjou, Basa, BeriaBalmont, Mavuba, Gueye Cole, Jelen, Hazard

Olympique de Marseille boss Didier Deschamps will be without as many as three key stars for the visit of the Ligue 1 champions on Sunday evening. Ghanaians Andre & Jordan Ayew both departed for the Africa Cup of Nations along with Senegal's Souleymane Diawara, leaving L'OM with a test of nerve ahead of key games in January.

Loic Remy, who has been linked with a move to Premier League side Tottenham this week, will again lead the line, alongside Mathieu Valbuena. Brandao, back at the club after a year-long spell in Brazil, will only make the bench.

Meanwhile, les Dogues are without Mathieu Debuchy following the defender's red card in the 2-1 defeat to Lyon in the Coupe de la Ligue in midweek. Mickael Landreau will also replace Vincent Enyaema in goal after the Nigerian failed to impress.

With Moussa Sow away in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon for the next few weeks or so, Ireneusz Jelen will continue his extended run in the first-team.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Olympique de Marseille have won four out of their last five Ligue 1 games, and are the form team in the division.

• Didier Deschamps' men have lost all but one of their games against the top five (won 3-0 v PSG in November).

• L'OM have only been defeated once at home this season in Ligue 1 (to Rennes) and only three times in two years.

• Marseille lost this fixture 2-1 last season with Eden Hazard (pictured right) scoring a long-range strike. They again were defeated in the reverse fixture 3-2 in August, despite Mathieu Valbuena's brace.

• Lille were knocked out of the Coupe de la Ligue on Wednesday, losing 2-1 to Lyon.

• Rudi Garcia's men are the only side unbeaten away from home this season.

• Should Lille win this match, it will be the first time they have beaten OM three times in a row in their history.

Prediction

An exciting match is in store at the Stade Velodrome, and one that is very difficult to call. Given L'OM's impressive home run, and their need to continue playing catch-up in the league, Didier Deschamps' men might just have the edge in this one. Lille's attacking trio will be unrelenting, but the hosts' solid defensive foundations should see them through.

Editor's Prediction

Marseille 1-0 Lille

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15.01. (Sun) 20:45 Milan - Inter

Xinhua

PROBABLE LINEUPS

AC MILAN Abbiati Abate, Nesta, Thiago Silva, Zambrotta Seedorf, Van Bommel, Nocerino BoatengIbrahimovic, Robinho

INTER Julio Cesar Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Nagatomo Zanetti, T. Motta, Cambiasso, AlvarezPazzini, Milito

AC Milan will welcome Alessandro Nesta back to partner Thiago Silva in the centre of defence after the veteran recently recovered from a hip problem and was on the bench for the 2-0 win over Atalanta last week.

Right-back Ignazio Abate and midfielder Clarence Seedorf should also return to the starting XI after both missed the clash in Bergamo due to injury. Gennaro Gattuso, having been diagnosed with ocular myasthenia, and Alberto Aquilani, who is out for a month with an ankle problem, will definitely miss the match.

After his failed move to Paris Saint-Germain and recent poor form, Alexandre Pato may be dropped to a substitute role as Robinho partners Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front.

Meanwhile, despite the return of some star players, Inter boss Claudio Ranieri is likely to stick with the same XI that defeated Parma 5-0.

Striker Diego Forlan has recovered from the ankle knock that saw him miss that convincing win and playmaker Wesley Sneijder is available again after missing the last two months with a muscular injury, but both World Cup 2010 heroes will seemingly have to settle for a place on the bench and will not be risked from the start as Giampaolo Pazzini and Diego Milito continue together in attack with the creative duties falling on summer signing Ricardo Alvarez.

Brazilian defender Maicon is expected to play despite suffering an adductor muscle strain during last weekend's victory at San Siro.

DID YOU KNOW?

• AC Milan have been more successful since the first city derby in the early part of the previous century, leading the all-time record over 276 meetings (W109 D72 L95).

• The champions have the most potent attack in Serie A, having scored 37 times in 17 matches, nine more than second-best goalscorers Juventus.
• Ibrahimovic is the joint-top scorer in Serie A alongside Udinese's Antonio Di Natale and Atalanta's German Denis with 12 goals; conversely, his team-mate Pato only has one goal in nine appearances this season.
• Allegri's side have won the last three derbies in official competitions: The two Serie A encounters from last season (1-0 and 3-0) as well as the Supercoppa Italiana (2-1) this past August.

• Inter have won five Serie A matches in a row going into Sunday's clash and seven of their last eight league encounters.
• Throughout that run of eight games, Inter have conceded only three times but during the same period Milan have let in just two goals despite picking up one less point.

• Milito has found the net five times against the Rossoneri since signing for the Nerazzurri, scoring against them during pre-season matches in 2009 and 2011, as well as the two Serie A derbies during Inter's treble winning campaign of 2009-10.

Prediction

There has not been a draw in this fixture since 2004 and with plenty on the line for both sides it is unlikely anyone will settle for a stalemate. Form typically goes out the window in a derby, but expect a hard-fought battle and close match until the final whistle. Anything can happen, but Milan may well show that Inter still have some minor issues to iron out.

Editor's Prediction

Milan 2-1 Inter

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15.01. (Sun) 17:00 Swansea - Arsenal

PROBABLE LINEUPS

SWANSEA CITY Vorm Caulker, Williams, Taylor, Rangel Dyer, Allen, Orlandi, Routledge Graham, Sinclair

ARSENAL Szczesny Djourou, Koscielny, Squillaci, Miquel Arteta, Ramsey, Song Walcott, Van Persie, Henry

Brendan Rodgers will be happy that he has an almost full squad to choose from. Michel Vorm, Joe Allen, Steven Caulker and Scott Sinclair will all probably be back after being rested against Barnsley in the FA Cup, while Gylfi Sigurdsson could get a full debut.

It is likely Rodgers will opt for the pace of Wayne Routledge, Nathan Dyer and Sinclair to take advantage of the makeshift Arsenal defence.

Also eligible to face the Gunners are two youngsters whose transfers recently received international clearance - former France youth international captain Darnel Situ, a defender, who joined from Lens and has been training with the Swans since August; and Rory Donnelly, a Northern Ireland Under-21 international striker who has arrived from Cliftonville. One or both could possibly make the bench.

For Arsenal, Thierry Henry is likely to come in for Gervinho, who is on international duty, as is Marouane Chamakh. Arsene Wenger continues to be without a host of defenders, including Thomas Vermaelen, Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson and Andre Santos, who are all injured. Another defender, Per Mertesacker, was suffering from sickness along with Tomas Rosicky, and both are doubts to face Swansea. Jack Wilshere remains sidelined.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Thierry Henry (pictured right) has scored against each of the last 34 teams which he has faced in the Premier League.

• Arsenal have won their last three league games against Swansea by a one goal margin the first two coming in the 1982-83 season.

• Andrey Arshavin’s freak winner against Swansea earlier in the season is the Russian’s only goal in the Premier League this season in 16 appearances.

• Michel Vorm has the most clean sheets in the Premier League this season with nine, only Manchester United have more clean sheets but are shared between David De Gea and Anders Lindegaard.

• Even though Swansea have an impressive clean sheet record they are also the side who have failed to score in a game the most times, being shut out nine times.

• Swansea have only failed to win twice in the seven games in which they have taken the lead, drawing one and losing the other.

• Swansea have the joint worst away form in the league, only taking six points on the road, but have lost only once at home - to Manchester United - so will happy to welcome Arsenal to the Liberty Stadium.

Prediction

I feel a tight game is on the cards as Swansea were only seen off by a single goal at the Emirates earlier in the season, and have proved a stubborn side when playing at the Liberty Stadium. With the Attacking power Arsenal possess coupled with their makeshift defence I think a score draw is likely in this encounter.

Editor's Prediction

Swansea City 2-2 Arsenal

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15.01. (Sun) 15:00 Juventus - Cagliari

PROBABLE LINEUPS

JUVENTUS Buffon Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, De Ceglie Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio Pepe, Matri, Vucinic

CAGLIARI Agazzi Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini Dessena, Ekdal, Nainggolan Cossu Larrivey, Ibarbo

Antonio Conte is expected to make just two changes from the side that struggled to a 1-0 victory over Lecce last week as Fabio Quagliarella and Giorgio Chiellini are set to be replaced by Alessandro Matri and Paolo De Ceglie.
Quagliarella picked up a facial injury during the win at the Via del Mare and will come as unwelcome news to the forward, who failed to take advantage of a rare opportunity to lead the line for the Bianconeri. Meanwhile, Chiellini's yellow card means he is suspended for the encounter.
For the visitors Cagliari, an unchanged line-up is in the offing from the resounding 3-0 win against Genoa last weekend. However, Rui Sampaio, Gabriele Perico, Nene and Sebastian Eriksson remain on the sidelines.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Juventus have won their last three meetings with Cagliari in Serie A.

• Also, the Old Lady have lost just two of their last 14 games against the Sardinians.

• Striker Alessandro Matri has scored six goals over the last five meetings between these two teams.

• Juve are the only side from Europe's top five leagues to still be unbeaten at this stage of the season.

• Their victory over Genoa last Sunday ended a three-match winless streak.

• The Sardinians have won just one of their last five games away from home.

Prediction

Juventus remain unbeaten so far this season and in order to maintain pressure on Milan and the other sides around them, a fixture such as this will be one they will be expecting to win.

Editor's Prediction

Juventus 2-0 Cagliari

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15.01. (Sun) 12:30 Lazio - Atalanta

Getty Images

PROBABLE LINEUPS

LAZIO Marchetti Scaloni, Stankevicius, Biava, Radu  Gonzalez, Ledesma, Lulic Hernanes Cisse, Klose

ATALANTA Consigli Masiello, Lucchini, Manfredini, Peluso Schelotto, Cigarini, Carmona, Padoin Moralez Denis

The hosts will face the Atalanta without the services of Lorik Cana, with the club confirming the former Marseille midfeilder faces two months on the sidelines with a back injury. The Biancazzurri will also be without Stefano Mauri and Libor Kozak, with the pair both ruled out with thigh problems.

However, Federico Marchetti is in line to make his long awaited comeback, with the Italy international expected to replace the suspended Albano Bizzarri in the Lazio goal. Hernanes will also return to the starting line-up, after the Brazil international grabbed an injury-time winner in the midweek Coppa Italia clash with Verona.

The Nerazzurri will travel to the capital without Matteo Brighi, with the former Roma midfielder failing to recover from a muscle tear. Daniele Capelli will also miss out for the visitors, with the defender ruled out until April, after tearing cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Lazio have lost three of their last four games against Atalanta.

• The hosts have failed to win any of their last three league outings.

• Both Lazio and Atalanta have lost three league games this season.

• The Nerazzurri have drew more matches than any other side in Serie A this term.

• The visitors have won only one of their last seven league fixtures.

• However, they have only lost two of their away games this season.

Prediction

With the hosts in desperate need of a victory after last week's humiliating defeat to Siena, and with the Biancazzurri having home advantage on Sunday, a Lazio victory seems a likely outcome, but the majority of victory should be a narrow one.

Editor's Prediction

Lazio 2-1 Atalanta

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15.01. (Sun) 12:00 Atletico Madrid - Villarreal

Thibault Courtois - Atletico Madrid

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ATLETICO MADRID Courtois Juanfran, Godin, Miranda, Filipe Diego, Tiago, Gabi, TuranAdrian, Falcao

VILLARREAL D Lopez A Lopez, Zapata, Musacchio, Oriol Senna, SorianoCani, Valero, Perez Nilmar

Adrian and Arda Turan are set to return to the Atletico Madrid line-up after the duo were surprisingly left out for the goalless draw at Malaga.

Reports from Spain suggest Simeone will go for a more offensive 4-4-2 formation for the visit of the Yellow Submarine, with Adrian partnering Radamel Falcao in attack.

Brazilian defender Miranda looks certain to partner Diego Godin in the heart of the Atletico defence, as Alvaro Dominguez and Luis Perea are ruled out through suspension. Juanfran is expected to be given the nod at right-back, while Portuguese defender Silvio has recovered from a knee injury and could be named on the bench.

Villarreal coach Jose Molina is likely to have central defenders Carlos Marchena and Mateo Musacchio available for selection, with the duo reported to be close to regaining full fitness following knee injuries.

Bruno Soriano has been cleared to play after his fifth yellow card of the season - received in last Sunday's 2-2 draw with Valencia - was rescinded on appeal by the Spanish competition committee. Javier Camunas and Marco Ruben will miss out with injury and suspension respectively.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Atletico Madrid have won just one of their last six matches in all competitions.

• But Atletico have the edge in recent head-to-head meetings with Villarreal, having won seven of the past 10 encounters between the sides.

• The south Madrid club have failed to score in eight of their 17 league fixtures so far this season.

• Atletico are yet to win away from home in the league in 2011-12.

• Villarreal are on a nine-game winless streak in all competitions.

• Marco Ruben (pictured) is the Yellow Submarine's leading scorer this season with five goals.

• Villarreal coach Jose Molina and his Atletico counterpart Diego Simeone played together in Atletico's 1995-96 double-winning team.

Prediction

With both teams under new leadership and in desperate need of a positive result, the game promises to be an intriguing affair. But home advantage gives Atletico the edge here, and they should have enough to win this to put the Simeone era in full swing.

Editor's Prediction

Atl. Madrid 2-1 Villarreal

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