28.04. (Sat) 20:45 Olympique Lyonnais - Quevilly

Quevilly vs Rennes

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

LYON Lloris Reveillere, Lovren, Cris, Cissokho Gonalons Briand, Gourcuff, Kallstrom Lisandro, Gomis

US QUEVILLY Coulibaly Vardin, Vanoukia, Weis, Beaugrard Diarra, Jouan, Laup Cappelle, Valero, Colinet

Lyon boss Remi Garde has been dealt a blow ahead of Saturday's Coupe de France Final against giant-killers US Quevilly. Brazilian international Michel Bastos and compatriot Ederson have bene left out of the squad entirely due to back and thigh problems respectively.

John Mensah is a long-term absence with Kim Kallstrom expected to move into the void left by Bastos' absence in a 4-1-3-2 formation. Yoann Gourcuff, who made his return from injury in last weekend's come-from-behind 3-2 victory against FC Lorient, is also in line for a long-awaited starting berth, although faces stiff competition from Clement Grenier.

US Quevilly enter their first Coupe de France final since 1927 with a virtually injury-free squad. Goalkeeper Issa Coulibaly is again expected to replace Yassine El-Kharroubi, with a virtually unchanged XI from the side which sensationally dumped out Marseille and Rennes in the quarter and semi-finals.

Julien Valero and Pierrick Cappelle, who are Quevilly's top scorers in the competition, are expected to lead the attack ahead of Karim Herouart and Jean-Christophe Ayina who should make the bench.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Olympique Lyonnais have won the Coupe de France four times, the most recent victory coming in 2008.

• Remi Garde's men beat GFCO Ajaccio 4-0 in the semi-finals, having overcome two other amateur sides as well as Bordeaux and PSG.

• Les Gones lost their only other encounter against Quevilly in 1968, going down 1-0 to the Normandy club.

• Victory on Saturday evening would ensure Lyon's first trophy in almost four years.

• US Quevilly have only appeared in the showpiece final once before, back in 1927, losing 3-0 to Marseille in front of a crowd of 23,000.

• Nevertheless, Regis Brouard's side are no strangers to the competition, having lost in the semi-finals in 2010 to eventual winners PSG.

• Quevilly's annual budget is roughly 80 times smaller than that of Lyon's. 

• Quevilly's eight Coupe de France ties (they started four rounds before Lyon) have seen five go to extra-time, with two of those going all the way to penalties.

• The Normandy side can become the lowest-ranked side to win the trophy on Saturday. They are the third amateur side to reach the final, with second-divison sides Le Havre (1959) and Guignamp (2009) tasting victory.

Prediction

It would be amazing, one of the biggest upsets in European football history if unfancied Quevilly beat Lyon on Saturday evening, but sadly that dream is a little too far-fetched. Lyon are already wounded by losing at this stadium in the Coupe de la Ligue Final, and will want to banish those demons with an efficient performance. Big win for Remi Garde's men.

Editor's Prediction

Lyon 4-1 Quevilly Us

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28.04. (Sat) 18:30 Norwich City - Liverpool

Getty Images

PROBABLE LINEUPS

NORWICH CITY RuddyDrury, R Bennett, Ward, Martin Surman, Howson, Hoolahan, E Bennett Holt, Wilbraham

LIVERPOOL ReinaJohnson, Skrtel, Agger, Enrique Bellamy, Spearing, Gerrard, Downing Carroll, Suarez

Neither side competing on Saturday evening have too much to worry about in the injury department. Liverpool remain without Lucas (knee) who will not return until pre-season, while Charlie Adam (knee) will also miss the final stretch of the club’s 2011-12 campaign. Paul Lambert’s side have a few absent players: Marc Tierney (groin) misses the final three games having undergone surgery.
Former Red, Daniel Ayala (hamstring) has been out of action since February while another Anfield academy graduate Zak Whitbread may return to the team after recovering from a calf problem.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Liverpool have only won once in their last 11 league matches - a 3-2 triumph at Blackburn Rovers earlier in April.

• Norwich City have not had things their own way themselves lately either. The East Anglia club have only come away with three points twice in their last 10 games.

• Grant Holt (pictured right), has been a storming success this season, scoring 15 goals. The former Rochdale man has netted five in his last 10 outings.

• The Reds have scored seven goals less than their newly promoted counterparts in this Premier League campaign.

• However, the Reds' defence has been a plus point for Kenny Dalglish. The Merseyside team have conceded just 37 times in 34 matches heading into their tie with Norwich, who have conceded 60 in 35 clashes.

• The Carrow Road club will go level on points with Liverpool should they win on Saturday (albeit they will have played a game more).

• If Andy Carroll starts this weekend it will be the first time he has been in the starting line-up in four consecutive competitive matches this season.

• With the Canaries and Swansea City seemingly safe for another year in the top flight, but QPR battling the drop, it could be the fourth successive year that just one promoted side has gone back down to the Championship at the first attempt.

Prediction
Editor's Prediction

Norwich City 1-1 Liverpool   

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28.-30. 04.2012. Derbi Mančesterskih velikana, Sitija i Junajteda, odlučiće prvaka u Engleskoj

Englezi će šampiona da dobiju u - ponedeljak. Stadion „Itihad” biće poprište velikog derbija mančesterskih velikana, Sitija i Junajteda, koji će u direktnom okršaju da odluče o novom prvaku Premijer lige, jer je teško verovati da će u preostala dva kola jedan od velikana dozvoliti sebi luksuz da ispusti prednost stečenu u derbiju.
Gostujući Junajted u meč sezone ulazi sa tri boda prednosti, ali i slabijom gol-razlikom, što znači da izabranicima Aleksa Fergusona odgovara svaki rezultat osim poraza.
- Ovo mi je najvažniji derbi u karijeri - nije se libio da kaže Ferguson, iza kojeg je nebrojeno trofeja, važnih i odlučujućih mečeva.
Lukavi i uvek nepredvidivi Ferguson sigurno sprema neko iznenađenje i za ovu utakmicu. Hoće li ulogu „džokera” poveriti Gigsu, Parku ili raspoloženom Naniju, videćemo kada ekipe budu istrčale pred krcate tribine luksuznog stadiona.


KO S KIM DO KRAJA

Njukasl - MANČESTER S.
MANČESTER S. - KPR

MANČESTER J. - Svonsi
Sanderlend - MANČESTER J.

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28.04. (Sat) 15:30 Bayern Munchen - Stuttgart

Getty Images

PROBABLE LINEUP

BAYERN MUNICH Neuer Rafinha, Boateng, Tymoshchuk, Contento Kroos, Pranjic  Robben, Muller, Usami Olic

STUTTGART Ulreich Sakai, Niedermeier, Maza, Molinaro Kvist, Gentner Harnik, Hajnal, Schieber Ibisevic

With a second place finish in the bag, two cup finals to come, and having exerted themselves for 120 minutes in midweek against Real Madrid, Bayern are expected to rest a host of players for the visit of Stuttgart.

Rafinha, Diego Contento, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, Takashi Usami, Danijel Pranjic and Ivica Olic can all expect to get a rare start, while Thomas Muller should return to the starting line-up, having spent the majority of the Bernabeu clash on the bench.

Injuries to Breno and Daniel Van Buyten means the defensive duo is unavailable for Saturday's clash, but the Belgian is on his way to full fitness, and could be fit in time for the DFB Pokal showpiece and the Champions League final.

Stuttgart, meanwhile, are set to name their strongest possible line-up as they look to secure a rare victory over their fierce rivals, and strengthen their grip on fifth place.

However, Bruno Labbadia will be forced into one change from the team that drew 1-1 with Koln last week. Serdar Tasci has suffered a medial ligament tear, and will miss the rest of the season.

Maza replaced him during the clash at RheinEnergieStadion, and is set to fill in at the heart of the defence once more. Elsewhere, Johan Audel and Khalid Boulahrouz remain sidelined.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Bayern Munich have already beaten Stuttgart twice this season, winning 2-1 at the Mercedes Benz Arena in the Bundesliga, and in the DFB Pokal by 2-0 at the same venue.

• Additionally, Jupp Heynckes' men have won their last five matches against Stuttgart in all competitions.

• Mario Gomez has failed to score in his last three games, equalling his longest barren run this season.

• Stuttgart approach this game in remarkable form - the visitors are unbeaten in their last 10 games.

• Bruno Labbadia's side have scored 16 goals in the last five games of that run.

• The Swabians have won just once at the Allianz Arena since the start of the millennium - a 2-1 victory two seasons ago.

Prediction

Bayern Munich's interest in their remaining Bundesliga games will have vanished by now, with a second place finish assured and finals in the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League to come. Stuttgart meanwhile, have been on fantastic form, and having lost twice to the Bavarians, will be anxious to get one over on their local rivals. Accordingly, I'd expect the visitors' greater desire to get them a narrow victory at the Allianz Arena.

Editor's Prediction

Bayern 1-2 VfB Stuttgart

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28.04. (Sat) 15:30 Kaiserslautern - Borussia D.

Bongarts

PROBABLE LINEUP

KAISERSLAUTERN Sippel Dick, Abel, Rodnei, Bugera Borysiuk Fortounis, Tiffert, De Wit, Sahan Wooten

BORUSSIA DORTMUND Weidenfeller Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer Gundogan, Kehl Gotze, Kagawa, Perisic Lewandowski

Kaiserslautern coach Krassimir Balakov will have to do without the services of a few key players ahead of the clash with the reigning Bundesliga champions. Defender Jan Simunek is recovering from an injury and will be joined on the sidelines by attacker Dorge Kouemaha.

Mario Gotze is expected to finally make his return from injury for BVB after being out of action since January 2012. He will replace Jakub Blaszczykowski in the starting XI as the Polish attacker has picked up an infection and will miss Saturday's game.

The last absentee for Borussia Dortmund is Julian Koch, who is unlikely to feature for Jurgen Klopp's men in the current campaign.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Borussia Dortmund have defeated Kaiserslautern just once in the 19 games between the two clubs at the Fritz Walter Stadion.

• Jurgen Klopp's men successfully defended their Bundesliga crown last week after a 2-0 win over Monchengladbach at the Signal Iduna Park.

• Dortmund can equal the league record for most away points in a season (37) with a victory on Saturday.

• Kaiserslautern have been relegated to the second tier of German football, the third time in their history they have been demoted from the Bundesliga.

• The Red Devils recorded their first league victory since late October 2011 last Saturday when they beat Hertha Berlin 2-1. It also ended a run of six straight league defeats.

• Despite Kaiserslautern's good home record against Dortmund, they have won just twice in their own backyard this season in the Bundesliga, against Mainz and Freiburg.

Prediction

Despite having little to play for expect Dortmund to bag the three points on Saturday. Kaiserslautern will put up a fierce fight, but Jurgen Klopp's men have the quality to claim victory even if they are not giving their all.

Editor's Prediction

Kaiserslautern 0-2 Dortmund

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28.04. (Sat) 15:30 Schalke 04 - Hertha

PROBABLE LINEUP

SCHALKE   Unnerstall Uchida, Howedes, Matip, Fuchs Jones, Holtby Farfan, Raul, Draxler Huntelaar

HERTHA BERLIN Kraft Lell, Hubnik, Janker, Bastians Perdedaj, Ottl Ebert, Raffael, Ramos Lasogga

The hosts will be without first-team regular Kyriakos Papadopoulos as they look to record their first win in four matches, as the centre-half is ruled out with a hamstring problem.

Joining the Greek on the sidelines will be fellow defender Christoph Metzelder, who has an issue with his foot, while Timo Hildebrand and Ralf Fahrmann still remain long-term absentees. Additionally, Hans Sarpei will not be fit for the clash.

For the visitors, Levan Kobiashvili and Peter Niemeyer miss out through suspension, while Sebastian Neumann is short on match fitness and will also be absent. Furthermore, Marco Djuricin, Andre Mijatovic, Maik Franz, and Fabian Lustenberger are unavailable through injury.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Klass-Jan Huntelaar is still the joint-top scorer for the Bundesliga with 25 so far this term, on par with Bayern Munich's Mario Gomez.

• Schalke's Raul also features in the top 10 at number eight, with 14 for the season so far.

• Pierre-Michel Lasogga is the visitors' top scorer, although the 20-year-old only weighs in at joint-21st with eight goals.

• On stats alone, Schalke hardman Jermaine Jones is currently the most undisciplined player in the German top flight at the moment with an incredible 13 yellow cards.

• Interestingly, Hertha's Raffael will be the player on the pitch with the greatest amount of Bundesliga assists between the two teams with nine, one more than Schalke's Jefferson Farfan.

Prediction

Schalke badly need a win to tighten their grip on third place, and, before their 1-0 loss to champions Borussia Dortmund, they hadn't lost at home in 10 matches in the Bundesliga. The hosts should pick up the win here, although they have been leaking goals in their last few matches, so a clean sheet may not be on the cards.

Editor's Prediction

Schalke 3-1 Hertha BSC

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28.04.2012. Ranko Popović, trener Tokija, analizira šampionat Japana

TOKIO - ŠIMICU - Prethodne nedelje smo imali četvoricu igrača na pripremama reprezentacije Japana, pa nismo bili kompletni na treninzima.
NAGOJA - URAVA - Piksijeva ekipa je u prošlom kolu nesrećno primila gol u 94. minutu i ostala bez celog plena. Obe ekipe su u vrhu, ali smatram da je Nagoja najbolja ekipa u Japanu i da je bliža trijumfu.
KAŠIVA - TOSU - Kašiva plaća ceh igranja u azijskoj Ligi šampiona. Nije još ušla u formu, ali verujem da će da krene sa pobedama. Tosu je čvrsta, disciplinovana ekipa, koja je dosad primila najmanje golova u ligi, samo tri.
KAVASAKI - HIROŠIMA - Domaćin je dobio novog trenera, a posle nekoliko poraza, u prošlom kolu je konačno slavio. Tradicija je na strani Kavasakija.

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