26.01. (Thu) 21:30 Levante - Valencia

PROBABLE LINEUPS

LEVANTE MunuaVenta, Ballesteros, Nano, Del Horno Torres, FarinosEl Zhar, Barkero, Juanfran Kone

VALENCIA Alves Bruno, Rami, Dealbert, Barragan Costa, Albelda Feghouli, Jonas, Alba Aduriz

The hosts look fairly healthy entering the match, though Valdo and Juanlu are still suffering from injuries and look unlikely to feature.

For the visitors, the list of injuries is rather long. Aside from Sergio Canales and Hedwiges Maduro both being out, which has been the case since October, Victor Ruiz, Jeremy Mathieu, Pablo Hernandez and Miguel may also miss the match with minor knocks. It was believed that Pablo Piatti would lose his fitness battle, but after practising on Tuesday, he looks set to go.

In addition, Unai Emery will likely rest a few players with the three-goal advantage, with Aritz Aduriz a good bet to start in attack, replacing Roberto Soldado, who will likely be on the bench and come on if the visitors find themselves down early.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Levante face a tough task if they hope to make it to the semi-finals of the cup. In the first leg, the side fell to Valencia 4-1, allowing three goals in the first half.

• The debate as to whether the club have ever won a Copa del Rey remains. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, which suspended the national competitions, clubs in the Republican area of Spain participated in the Copa de la España Libre, which included their opponents for Thursday, Espanyol and Girona. Levante won the cup, beating Valencia 1-0 in the final.  In 2007, the Congress of Deputies urged the Royal Spanish Football Federation to accept the result as a Copa del Rey victory since the famous cup did not take place, but the governing body of Spanish football determined that it was not valid, though many Levante supporters feel it is.

• Valencia look to have one foot in the semi-finals after goals from Soldado, Piatti, Tino Costa and Jonas earned the thumping result in the first leg.  

• The winner of the tie will face either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the next round.

• The visitors have won the Copa del Rey seven times, with the last time coming in 2008.

Prediction

All Valencia need to do is play quality defence to secure a spot in the next round. The pressure is on the hosts, who will attack, so the visitors should have enough chances going forward on the counterattack to safely advance to the last four.

Editor's Prediction

Levante 1-1 Valencia

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FA Cup Opta Facts - Round 4

Sunderland v Middlesbrough

Sunderland and Middlesbrough have been drawn together four times in the FA Cup. Sunderland have progressed twice, Middlesbrough once on the result and once because the Wearsiders were disqualified.
Middlesbrough have won none of the last four matches against Sunderland in all competitions (D2 L2), despite being ahead in three of the games.
The Black Cats haven't progressed beyond Round 4 since they made the 2004 FA Cup semi-finals.
Sunderland have won only five of their last 11 FA Cup games against sides from a lower division.
Boro have progressed to the next round on the last four occasions they have reached the fourth round.
Middlesbrough have won only two of their last 13 FA Cup games against Premier League opponents.

Hull City v Crawley Town

This will be the first-ever meeting between Hull City and Crawley.
Hull are playing in the fourth round for only second time since 1989.
The Tigers have won their last three matches in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Since 1997, Hull have lost only one of their 11 FA Cup matches against sides from a lower division (W7 D3).
Nick Barmby's side have scored at least twice in their last four FA Cup games at home.
Since the start of last season, Crawley have lost just one of their nine games in the FA Cup proper (0-1 at Old Trafford), winning seven.
Crawley have won four of their last five FA Cup away games.
Matt Tubbs is the second-top scorer in the FA Cup proper since the start of last season (seven goals).

West Bromwich Albion v Norwich City

The Baggies have progressed on three of the last four occasions that they have made it to the fourth round.
West Brom have scored 12 goals in their last four fourth round FA Cup matches (excluding replays).
Roy Hodgson's men have lost only one of their last 11 FA Cup games at home, though six have been draws.
The Canaries are in the fourth round for the first time since 2007, and only the second since 2003.
Norwich have not won a fourth round tie away from home since 1967 (2-1 at Old Trafford, D5 L6 since).
The last three meetings between West Brom and Norwich have ended in away wins, including both this season.
Just one of the last 11 games between the Baggies and the Canaries in all competitions has been won by more than a one-goal margin.

Blackpool v Sheffield Wednesday

Wednesday are unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions against Blackpool.
The Owls have already knocked the Tangerines out of the carling Cup this season with a 4-2 win on penalties in August.
The Yorkshiremen have won three of their last four visits to Bloomfield Road.
The two sides have been drawn against each other twice; in 1947 when Wednesday progressed and in 1953 when Blackpool went through.
Blackpool haven't beaten a fellow league side in the FA Cup since December 2006.
Sheffield Wednesday have won seven of their last eight FA Cup ties.

Arsenal v Aston Villa

Arsenal and Aston Villa have been drawn together nine times in the FA Cup with the Gunners progressing six times and the Villans on three occasions.
Aston Villa have taken more league points off Arsenal than any other visiting team at the Emirates Stadium (W2 D2 L1).
The last cup tie where Arsenal faced a team managed by Alex McLeish was the Carling Cup Final of 2011, where Birmingham won 2-1.
Arsenal have won five and lost just one of the eight home FA Cup ties against Aston Villa.
Darren Bent has scored six goals in his last eight Premier League games against Arsenal.
Arsenal have only lost one of 33 FA cup matches at home under Arsene Wenger (excluding the void match with Sheffield United).
Villa haven't won an FA Cup tie away from home against a top flight side since 2000 (L4 D1).

Stevenage v Notts County

Stevenage are in the fourth round of the FA Cup for the third time, they have been eliminated here on both previous occasions.
All three of Stevenage's FA Cup games so far this season have been away from home, though they have won all three without conceding a goal.
The Magpies won their only previous meeting with Stevenage 2-0 at Broadhall Way earlier this season.
County are in the fourth round for the third season running: they drew their previous two against PL clubs, going on to win one and lose one replay.
Notts County are unbeaten in their last seven FA Cup fourth round matches (excluding replays), winning three and drawing four.
The Magpies have won five of their last seven games away from home in the FA Cup, only losing at Fulham and Manchester City.

Watford v Tottenham Hotspur

Watford and Spurs have met four times in the FA Cup and Tottenham have won all four games, scoring 17 goals in the process.
The last meeting between the sides came in the Carling Cup in December 2008 when Watford took the lead only to lose 1-2 at Vicarage Road.
There have been 41 goals scored in the last 10 FA Cup matches involving Watford.
Watford have won one and lost seven of the last eight FA Cup ties against top-flight opposition, two of the defeats coming after replays.
Tottenham have only lost one of the last 27 FA Cup ties where they have been drawn against lower league opponents (Leicester City in 2006). Six of those ties have been won after a replay.
Jermain Defoe has bagged eight goals in 10 FA Cup appearances in the last three seasons.

Liverpool v Manchester United

The last seven times Liverpool and Man Utd have played in the FA Cup, the winning side has won by a single-goal margin and on two of those occasions after a replay.
Manchester United have beaten Liverpool on eight of the last nine occasions the two sides have been drawn against each other, twice after replays and twice in Finals in that run.
Liverpool have won two and lost one of the four FA Cup matches played at home against Man Utd in the FA Cup.
Javier Hernandez has scored in both of his visits to Anfield.
Steven Gerrard has scored three goals and been sent off once in his last four matches against Manchester United.
There have been six red cards shown in the last nine meetings between Man Utd and Liverpool in all competitions and four in the last six encounters at Anfield.
United have only lost one of their last 16 FA Cup ties away from home and that was 0-1 v Liverpool at Anfield in 2006.

Derby County v Stoke City

Derby and Stoke have met three times in the FA Cup with the Rams winning two and the Potters once, but they haven't met in the competition since 1938.
Stoke have won their last three FA Cup matches away from home.
Derby have been eliminated the last five times that they have drawn top flight opponents in the FA Cup
The last time the two sides met was in the 2008-09 Carling Cup when Derby 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium courtesy of a last-minute penalty.
The Rams are without a win in 13 FA Cup meetings with sides from a higher division (D3 L10): their last win was against Sheffield United in 1986.
Stoke have lost only one of their last 15 FA cup games against sides from a lower division.

Everton v Fulham

Everton have won the last 18 straight home league games against Fulham, but in four FA Cup matches at home they have drawn twice and lost twice to the Cottagers.
Fulham have drawn the Toffees four times in the FA Cup and knocked them out on each occasion, three times after a replay.
Everton have been knocked out of the FA Cup at Goodison Park in four of the last five seasons; in the other campaign, they were beaten finalists.
The Whites have won just one of 14 FA Cup matches away from home against top flight opponents when they themselves have been in the highest tier of English football.
Everton are without a win in their last five FA Cup games against fellow Premier League sides (D3 L2).
Fulham have progressed on the last 10 occasions that they have played in the fourth round.

Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United

Newcastle have won none of their last eight FA Cup matches away from home.
Brighton are unbeaten in their last four meetings with the Magpies (W2 D2), though haven't faced them since March 1992.
The Seagulls have won their last two FA Cup meetings with Newcastle United.
Brighton have lost their last six meetings with top-flight opponents in the FA Cup.
The south coast side have lost only one of their last 11 FA Cup games at home (W6 D4).
Newcastle have not made it past the fourth round since the 2005/06 season.

Millwall v Southampton

Southampton are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Millwall (W5 D4).
The Saints have progressed on all five occasions that they have been drawn with Millwall in the FA Cup, four times in a replay.
In the Lions' last 14 FA Cup games, they have either scored three or more times and won (six times) or failed to win (eight times).
Millwall are unbeaten in their last 11 FA Cup games at home to other sides from the same division (W7 D4).
Southampton have won their last three FA Cup matches on the road.
The Saints have progressed on the last 13 occasions that they have met a non-top flight side in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

QPR v Chelsea

Chelsea have only lost four of their last 35 FA Cup matches away from home.
The Blues have lost just two of the last 28 FA Cup matches and one of those was on a penalty shoot out.
QPR's win in a replay against MK Dons was their first win in 17 FA Cup games, the joint-longest run without a win by a league side in the competition (with Leeds United 1952-62).
The Hoops are in the fourth round for the first time since 2001, when they lost 0-6 at home to Arsenal.
QPR have lost 11 of their last 12 FA Cup meetings with top-flight sides, only beating West Ham in January 1995.
The last three meetings between QPR and Chelsea have ended 1-0 to the side playing at home.
None of the last nine meetings between the Hoops and the Pensioners has been won by more than a one-goal margin (two QPR wins, two draws, five Chelsea wins).

Bolton Wanderers v Swansea City

A win earlier this season in the league ended Swansea's run of nine games without a win against the Trotters (D4 L5).
Bolton are unbeaten in eight meetings at home to the Swans since 1980.
Bolton have lost only one of their last four FA Cup meetings with Premier League sides: the semi-final vs Stoke last season.
Owen Coyle's side have conceded just one goal in their last six FA Cup games at home combined.
Swansea have been eliminated at the fourth round stage on seven of the 11 occasions that they have made it this far.
The Swans have scored in their last eight FA Cup games on the road.

Sheffield United v Birmingham City

Ched Evans is the top scorer in the FA Cup proper this season (five goals).
United have won three of their last four at home to Birmingham.
Birmingham have eliminated the Blades on all three occasions that they have met in the FA Cup.
United have scored exactly three goals in all three FA Cup games so far this season.
The Blades have progressed on five of the last six occasions that they have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup.
City have won four of their last five FA Cup matches on the road.

Leicester City v Swindon Town

Jermaine Beckford has bagged 12 goals in 13 FA Cup games in the last four seasons, more than any other player in this period.
Swindon and Crawley are the only two sides from outside the top three tiers to reach the fourth round this season.
Just two of the last 20 sides from outside the top three tiers to reach the fourth round have made it to the fifth (Crawley in 10/11 and Notts County in 09/10).
Swindon have won only one of their last seven meetings with Leicester: the 1992/93 second division play-off final.
Swindon won their first match at Leicester in 1970, but have won none of the eight since.
The Foxes have only once been eliminated from the FA Cup by a side from outside the top three tiers, against Harlow Town in 1980.
All three of Swindon's FA Cup games so far have been against sides from a higher division (three wins).

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26.01. (Thu) 20:45 Milan - Lazio

Getty Images

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

AC MILAN Amelia Bonera, Mexes, Nesta, AntoniniMerkel, Ambrosini, Nocerino El Shaarawy Inzaghi, Robinho

LAZIO Bizzarri Zauri, Dias, Biava, Radu Gonzalez, Ledesma, Lulic HernanesKlose, Rocchi

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri will be without the services of midfielders Alberto Aquilani, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Gennaro Gattuso, who are both injured. Pippo Inzaghi, who has only made four appearances this season for the Rossoneri, will likely get the nod up front alongside Robinho, with Alexandre Pato ruled out for upto four weeks with a muscle strain .
Lazio boss Edy Reja will have to make do without veteran workhorse Cristian Brocchi and striker Libor Kozak. Lorik Cana is out for six weeks with a back injury while Stefano Mauri is still nursing a troublesome thigh problem.

DID YOU KNOW?

• AC Milan's last win over Lazio in the Coppa Italia came back in 2001-02 when Carlo Ancelotti was coach.

• The Rossoneri relied on an extra-time winner from Alexandre Pato to advance past Novara in the last round of the cup, winning the encounter 2-1.

• Allegri's men have scored the most goals in Serie A this season (40).

• Lazio have beaten Milan in four out of their last five Coppa Italia encounters.
  

• The Biancocelesti held Milan to a 2-2 draw in the opening game of the season at San Siro.

• The capital city outfit have picked up just one win in their last five Serie A matches (W1 D2 L2).

Prediction

Lazio have an excellent track record against Milan in this competition and should just do enough to secure a place in the last-four at the expense of Massimiliano Allegri’s men

Editor's Prediction

Milan 1-2 Lazio

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27.- 29. 01.2012. Husnija Fazlić, skaut Verdera iz Bremena, prognozira nemački šampionat

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Bundesliga Opta Facts - 27-29 January

Hannover 96 - 1. FC Nürnberg

Hannover have won the last two BL duels with Nürnberg, but have never beaten FCN three times in a row in the German top flight.
None of the 31 BL matches between Hannover and Nürnberg have ended in a stalemate.
The Reds have been awarded a penalty in each of their last three league games against Nürnberg, converting all three of them.
Hannover are currently enduring their longest winless run under Mirko Slomka. The Reds are without a win in eight league games (six draws, two defeats).
The Reds‘ stalemate at Hoffenheim last weekend was the fifth draw for them on the bounce - a new club record.
Hannover (four wins and five draws) and Gladbach (seven wins, three draws) are the only two sides in the league still to lose a home game this season.
Nürnberg's last ten league goals have been scored by ten different players. 12 different FCN players have already gotten their name on the score-sheet this season - only reigning champions Dortmund have had more different goal-scorers this term (13).
None of Nürnberg's last eight games have ended in a draw - only Bayern have gone longer without sharing the points (ten games).
The Reds have only netted four goals in their last six BL matches, failing to score more than once in any of those games.
Nürnberg's winter signing Hanno Balitsch plied his trade with Hannover between 2005 and 2010 making 150 BL appearances for the Reds (12 goals). FCN goal-keeper Raphael Schäfer played under current 96 manager Mirko Slomka for Hannover's U19 youth team.

SV Werder Bremen - Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Bremen have lost two and won none of their last seven BL games against Bayer, but managed to beat Leverkusen in the 2009 German Cup final (1-0).
Werder's last win over Bayer in the league came in May 2008 when they beat Leverkusen 1-0 on the road. Bremen's last home win over Bayer dates back to December 2007 (5-2).
Bayer have netted at least once in each of their last 21 league games away at Bremen. The last time Werder kept a clean sheet at home against Bayer was back in November 1989 (0-0).
Thomas Schaaf's men have won eight of their last nine BL games at Weserstadion (one defeat) including the last three in a row.
Bayer are undefeated in their last five league games away from home (two wins, three draws), keeping three clean sheets in the process.
Werder have recouped more points from losing positions than any other team in the league (16), while only Bayern (none) have dropped fewer points from winning positions than the Green-Whites (two).
Leverkusen striker Eren Derdiyok has netted a goal in three of Bayer's last four BL games against Werder with all these three matches ending in a 2-2 score-line.
Thomas Schaaf has won four of the five BL encounters with his counterpart Robin Dutt. Dutt also suffered his heaviest defeat as a BL manager against Schaaf (0-6).
Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro and Bayer midfielder Michael Ballack were teammates at FC Bayern between 2002 and 2006 where they won three BL titles and one German Cup together. They were reunited when they both plied their trade with Chelsea in 2007.
Peruvian forward Claudio Pizarro has been directly involved in 17 of Werder's last 21 league goals (11 goals, six assists).

Hertha BSC - Hamburger SV

Hamburg have won two and lost none of the last four BL games against Hertha.
In this season's first meeting between the two sides that ended in a 2-2 draw, Hertha were denied by the woodwork three times.
The Berlin-based side suffered their heaviest defeat in the Bundesliga against Hamburg when they received a 6-0 drubbing from the hands of the Redshorts in April 1980.
Hertha have only won one of their last 24 top-flight home games (nine draws, 13 defeats).
Only once in the last 19 seasons have Hamburg had fewer points after 18 games than they have this campaign (19) - in 2006/07 they had only registered 14 points after the same number of games, but managed to finish that season in seventh place.
Following Lucien Favre, Friedhelm Funkel and Markus Babbel, Michael Skibbe has become the fourth successive Hertha manager to lose his first BL game in charge of the Old Lady.
HSV top-scorers Paolo Guerrero (five goals) and Mladen Petric (four goals) have yet to find the back of the net away from Imtech Arena this season.
Only Juan Arango (Gladbach, seven) has provided more assists this term than Raffael (Hertha, six) and Gökhan Töre (Hamburg, six). Both Raffael (suspended) and Töre (injured) will not be available for the game, though.
Both Jaroslav Drobny (2007-2010) and Gojko Kacar (2008-2010) were in the Hertha side that suffered relegation in 2010 and joined Hamburg following the Berlin-based side's drop to Bundesliga 2.
Two former HSV players are currently wearing the Hertha shirt. Änis Ben-Hatira and Hamburg-born Tunay Torun both joined the Old Lady this summer.

FC Augsburg 1. FC Kaiserslautern

The last two competitive matches between the two sides saw Augsburg open the scoring, but both ended in a 1-1 score-line.
None of the nine matches between Augsburg and Lautern in all competitions have seen the visiting side prevail (five wins for the respective home team, four draws).
Each of the Red Devils' last four league games has seen them share the spoils. They have never registered five draws on the trot in the Bundesliga.
Augsburg have so far only registered two home wins in the Bundesliga. These two wins have come in their last two games at SGL Arena, however (2-0 against Wolves and 1-0 against Gladbach).
This game will see the side with the fewest goals scored (Kaiserslautern, 13) take on the team with second-fewest goals netted this term (Augsburg, 15).
FCA have only won one of their so far nine games against the teams from the current bottom half of the table (four draws, four defeats).
Augsburg and Lautern are the only two sides in the league to have chalked up fewer than four wins this term (three each).
Augsburg are bottom of the league for the fifth time this season, but have enjoyed two of their three wins this season when they started the match-day in 18th place.
The Red Devils have conceded exactly one goal in each of their last eight league games on the road - a first for any team in BL history.
FCA manager Jos Luhukay has never lost a competitive match against his counterpart Marco Kurz (one win, four draws).

Borussia Dortmund - 1899 Hoffenheim

Borussia have only enjoyed one win in their seven BL games against Hoffenheim (three draws, three defeats).
Last season Hoffenheim were the only side in the league that remained unbeaten against champions Dortmund (1-1 A, 1-0 H).
All of Dortmund's three BL home games against Hoffenheim have seen the two sides share the points. Borussia's only home win over 1899 came in February 2008 in the German Cup (3-1) when Hoffenheim still played in Bundesliga 2.
Jürgen Klopp's men are unbeaten in 12 league games (nine wins, three draws) - currently the longest run of its kind in the German top flight.
Dortmund have won 18 and lost only one of their last 24 BL games at Signal Iduna Park.
Only Bayern (44) and Schalke (41) have netted more goals this term than Dortmund (40), while only Gladbach (12) have conceded fewer goals than BVB (13). Borussia have scored at least once in each of their last 14 BL games - currently the longest run of its kind in the Bundesliga.
Hoffenheim have gone three games without defeat for the first time under manager Holger Stanislawski (one win , two draws) and have kept two clean sheets in their last three league games.
Robert Lewandowski has netted a brace in each of his last two BL appearances. Together with Bayern's Mario Gomez the Polish striker (14 goals, six assists) leads the league in terms of scorer points.
Shinji Kagawa has the best points per game average of all players who have made at least 34 appearances (34 games equal one BL season) in the Bundesliga. The Japanese Midfielder has won an average of 2.27 points per game with Dortmund in the German top flight.
Vedad Ibisevic has netted more goals against Dortmund than against any other BL team (five in five appearances). Additionally, the Bosnian striker has netted five of his club's last seven league goals.

FC Bayern München - VfL Wolfsburg

The Wolves' last win over Bayern came in April 2009 when they inflicted a 5-1 drubbing on the record champions. Since that emphatic win Wolfsburg have lost four and won none of their five BL duels with FCB.
The Wolves were unlucky to lose this season's first meeting with Bayern in August when they had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside shortly before the break and then went on to concede the only goal of the match deep into injury-time.
Wolfsburg have only taken one out of the possible 42 points from their so far 14 BL outings at Bayern.
Munich only won 34.3% of their duels in their 3-1 defeat to Gladbach last weekend - their worst duel success rate in a BL match since the beginning of detailed data collection in 2006/07.
Wolfsburg have lost seven and won none of their last eight BL games on the road.
VfL manager Felix Magath has equalled a BL record by fielding his 35th different player of the season last weekend. Bayern have only used 20 different players this term - a joint league-low.
38% (five out of 13) of the goals Bayern have conceded this term have come from outside the box - the highest proportion in the top flight.
Five of the Wolves eight winter signings featured in their 1-0 win over Köln last weekend. New left-back Ricardo Rodriguez even registered the most touches of all VfL players in that game (84).
Wolfsburg's last two goals in their 1-0 wins over Stuttgart and Köln were both scored by Sebastian Polter. The young striker came on as a sub in both matches and netted the decisive goal in the 74th and 78th minute respectively.
Current Wolves manager Felix Magath was in charge of Bayern between 2004 and January 2007, winning two BL titles and two German Cups with the record champions. Magath has still got the best points per game average of any Bayern manager in BL history (2.14).

1. FC Köln - FC Schalke 04

Köln have lost five of the last six BL meetings with Schalke but won the corresponding fixture at RheinEnergieStadion last season (2-1).
S04 have taken more points from the last nine games than any other team in the league (22) - one point more than Köln have won all season.
Goals all but guaranteed: Schalke's BL games have seen more goals than the matches of any other team this term (64), while Köln are a close second in that category (63).
This match will see the two sides with the best chance conversion rates in the league take each other on. Köln have found the back of the net with 22.9% of their unblocked attempts this term, while Schalke have scored with 20.9% of their shots.
Schalke and Köln have each netted a league-high eight goals following counter-attacks.
S04 have already registered 10 headed goals this term - a divisional high. Köln have only scored with one header this season - a joint league-low.
Schalke will miss their best duellist in Benedikt Höwedes (59.3% duel success) due to a cheekbone fracture.
Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has scored 11 goals in his last 11 BL appearances.
Only Mario Gomez (Bayern, 16 goals) has netted more goals this term than Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke 15 goals) and Lukas Podolski (Köln, 14 goals).
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt made 130 BL appearances (13 goals) for Köln between 1990 and 1995.

FSV Mainz 05 - SC Freiburg

Freiburg have only taken one point from their three BL away games at Mainz, scoring only one goal in the process.
SCF have never managed to score more than one goal in a top-flight match against Mainz.
Mainz have gone five games without a win (three draws, two defeats) and have lost the last two games on the bounce (1-0 at Gladbach and 3-2 at Leverkusen).
Freiburg have only won one of their last nine BL games on the road (two draws, six defeats).
Freiburg haven't enjoyed two consecutive wins in the Bundesliga since December 2010.
Mainz have already netted four own goals this campaign and are now only one own goal away from equalling the BL record for the most own goals in a single season.
SCF have conceded an average of three goals per game in their last nine BL away matches (27).
The game between Mainz and Freiburg could see two brothers take each other on. Marco Caliguri plies his trade with Mainz while his brother Daniel Caliguri is under contract at Mainz.
Matthias Ginter scored on his BL debut against Augsburg last week and, at the age of 18 years and two days, became the youngest SCF player to score in the Bundesliga.
SCF goal-keeper Oliver Baumann is set to make his 50th BL appearance. The young shot-stopper currently has the worst saves-to-shots ratio of all first-choice goal-keepers in the Bundesliga (58.9%).

VfB Stuttgart - Borussia Mönchengladbach

Stuttgart have won seven and lost none of their last 11 BL outings against Gladbach. Their last defeat against the Foals came over seven years ago when they lost 2-0 at Borussia Park.
Last season Gladbach suffered their worst ever away defeat in the Bundesliga when Stuttgart inflicted a 7-0 drubbing on the Foals.
VfB have lost the last three league games on the trot and have only taken one point from the last five games - fewer than any other team in the top flight.
The Swabians have currently gone longer without a clean sheet than any other team in the league (nine games).
The Foals have won six and lost only one of their last eight BL games. Only Schalke have taken as many points from the last eight games as Gladbach (19 each).
Borussia have conceded the fewest goals so far this term (12). Only seven teams in the last 48 BL seasons have managed to concede fewer goals after 18 games.
The Foals have already accrued as many points this term as they managed in the whole of last season (36).
Gladbach defender Martin Stranzl joined Stuttgart from 1860 Munich in 2004 and made 44 BL appearances for the Swabians before he signed for Spartak Moscow in 2006.
Juan Arango has been involved in more goal attempts this season than any other player in the league (50 shots, 50 chances created). His teammate Marco Reus is a close second in that category (99).
Additionally Arango has assisted more goals than any other player in the Bundesliga this term (seven).

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26.01. (Thu) 20:00 Ivory Coast - Burkina Faso

PROBABLE LINEUPS

COTE D'IVOIRE Barry Lolo, K Toure, Bamba, Tiene Gosso, Y Toure, Tiote Kalou, Drogba, Gervinho

BURKINA FASO   Diakite Tall, Koulibaly, B Kone D Kone, Koffi, Rouamba, Kabore, A Traore Pitroipa, Dagano

It was a cagey game played under uncertain circumstances the last time these two teams met in Cabinda, Angola at the 2010 tournament. Cote D’Ivoire captain Didier Drogba had famously exclaimed that the Burkina Faso team packed 10 men at the back as their opening group game ended goalless.
This time around, the Elephants have already tasted victory in their first match against Sudan with the Chelsea forward getting the lone goal with a header. The Stallions, on the other hand, lost their opening encounter 2-1 to Angola due in a big part to poor defending.
Paulo Duarte’s men know that another loss in this game will see his team exit the tournament, another first round implosion that will hardly do their country’s image any good after “school boy errors” in their opening game, according to the trainer.
To remain in the competition, the Stallions will need to tighten their defence against the marauding Ivorian attack that consists of highly rated Drogba and Chelsea team-mate Salomon Kalou as well as Arsenal’s Gervinho. The Burkinabe have their work cut out for them having already lost midfielder Abdou Razak Traore due to passport problems.
Though the Elephants might have played below par in their opening game against Sudan, they will surely look to get better as the competition progresses and Francois Zahoui’s men will present a tough challenge for their west African neighbours.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Ever since their fourth place finish at the 1998 Afcon which they hosted, Burkina Faso have not made it past the first round in four appearances.

• As Africa’s best team at the moment (18th overall), Cote d’Ivoire rank 48 places above their opponents, who are number 66 on the Fifa rankings.

• Burkina Faso midfielders Djakaridja Kone and Abdou Razak Traore were both born in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital.

• There will be three players from English side Chelsea when the teams line up on Wednesday. The better known Drogba and Kalou as well as young Burkinabe midfielder Bertrand Traore, who at 16, is the youngest outfield player in the competition.

• Didier Drogba’s goal against Sudan was his 52nd international strike and he will have the opportunity of increasing his haul in this game.

Prediction

The Elephants are expected to continue in their stride and nick this tight encounter against their neighbours.

Editor's Prediction

Cote d'Ivoire 2-0 Burkina Faso

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26.01. (Thu) 17:00 Sudan - Angola

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

ANGOLA Carlos Zuela, Dany, Mingo Bile, Andre Macanga Dédé, Gilberto, Miguel Quiame, Mateus Djalma, Manucho

SUDAN   Mohjob Khaliefa, Al Basha, Massawi, Mosab Badreldien, Hamed, Kamal, Yousif    Mudather, Agab

Angola began their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a hard fought 2-1 victory over west Africans Burkina Faso thanks to goals from Mateus and Manucho, so they will be feeling confident that those three points have put them in a comfortable position in Group B.
The Palancas Negras want to make up for their painful quarter-final finish at the 2010 edition, which they hosted. Lito Vidigal wants his stars to go beyond their best quarter-final finishes in the 2008 and 2010 editions. Angola have...
The Sudanese come into this game with a 1-0 loss against Cote d'Ivoire under their belt, but the east Africans can take solace from the fact that they played a solid and determined defensive game against the tournament favourites, and may have been unlucky not to come away from the match with more than a narrow loss.
Unlike the other teams at this tournament, Sudan are the only ones drawing players exclusively from their domestic league as they look to replicate the form that saw their team progress to the semi-finals of the 2011 Africa Championship of Nations (Chan), which they hosted last January.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Sudan have won the Afcon title once before, in 1970.

• Sudan have not progressed past the first round in three attempts since their 1970 victory.

• The Falcons of Jediane are the only team at the 2012 Afcon representing east Africa.

• Sudan have never qualified for a World Cup.

• Angola hosted the previous Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2010, with Egypt taking their third title in a row in the final match.

• Angola reached the 2012 finals by winning their qualification pool on the final day of matches.

• The their nickname, the Palancas Negras, means Black Antelopes.

• Angola qualified for the 2006 World Cup that was held in Germany, but the team did not progress past the group stages.

Prediction

The Palancas Negras are on a high after their win against Burkina Faso, and they will be aiming to secure qualification in this match.

Editor's Prediction

Sudan 1-2 Angola

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