Friday, September 30, 2011

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01.10. (Sat) 15:30 1899 Hoffenheim - Bayern Munchen

Jerome Boateng, FC Bayern Munich
Getty Images


PROBABLE LINEUPS


HOFFENHEIM

Starke
Beck, Vorsah, Compper, Braafheid
Rudy, Kaiser
Obasi, Firmino, Babel
Sigurdsson
BAYERN MUNICH

Neuer
Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm
Luiz Gustavo, Schweinsteiger
Robben, Muller, Ribery
Gomez
Holger Stanislawski will have to do without the services of defenders Matthias Jaissleand Manuel Gulde, midfielders Sejad Salihovic, Fabian Johnson and Boris Vukcevic as well as striker Vedad Ibisevic. Youngster Dominik Kaiser is set to deputise for the Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder, while Gylfi Sigurdsson is expected to spearhead the attack.

Partners in crime Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are set to finally reunite right from the start, meaning Toni Kroos is likely to settle for a place on the bench. Following his impressive performance agains Manchetser City, Jerome Boateng is set to retain his place in the team, meaning Daniel van Buyten would make way for the returning Holger Badstuber.

Defender Breno and striker Ivica Olic have been ruled out of the match as they are still recuperating from injuries.
DID YOU KNOW?

  • Hoffenheim have never won against Bayern Munich, drawing twice and losing four times.
  • In the last home game against the Bavarians, Vedad Ibisevic scored the fastest goal in the Sinsheim outfit's history in the Bundesliga. It took the Bosnia-Herzegovina striker just 36 seconds to pierce Bayern Munich's defence, but his team could not hold on to the lead, and eventually lost 2-1.
  • Hoffenheim's Edson Braafheid joined from the Bavarians in last season's winter break together with David Alaba, while Luiz Gustavo went the other way. Since then the Austria international returned to Bayern and is set for a reunion with his former club.
  • Bayern Munich have twice won against Hoffenheim thanks to an injury-time strike.
  • The Bavarians have conceded only one goal in their opening seven games in the Bundesliga, a record bested only by Stuttgart in season 2003-2004.
  • Jupp Heynckes is yet to win as Bayern Munich coach against Hoffenheim. In his second spell as coach of the club, he managed a 2-2 draw against the Sinsheim outfit, with the Bavarians twice coming from behind through Franck Ribery and Luca Toni after goals from Demba Ba and Carlos Eduardo.
Prediction
Holger Stanislawski's men could have hardly chosen a worse time to look for their first ever win against the Bavarians as Bayern Munich are in blistering form currently. Coming on the back of 2-0 win over Manchester City, while Hoffenheim had a reversed result against Koln last week, it is hard to overlook FC Hollywood as favourites for Satruday's clash.
Editor's Prediction
Hoffenheim 0-2 Bayern Munich

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01.10. (Sat) 13:45 Everton - Liverpool

The friendly derby: Everton's new big-money signing Marouane Fellaini and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during the Reds' 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

EVERTON

Howard
Hibbert, Distin, Jagielka, Baines
Coleman, Neville, Fellaini, Rodwell, Drenthe
Saha

LIVERPOOL

Reina
Kelly, Skrtel, Carragher, Enrique
Henderson, Adam, Lucas, Downing
Suarez, Carroll

Everton find themselves without lynchpin Tim Cahill after he picked up an injury against Manchester City, but David Moyes is unlikely to defer from his usual method of flooding the midfield, potentially handing attack-minded Royston Drenthe his first start at Goodison Park. For the visitors, captain Steven Gerrard is unlikely to start in the derby, but may still make an impact as sub, while young Martin Kelly should again deputise for Glen Johnson, who is out with a rib injury. Andy Carroll started against Wolves last week and could again be in line to partner Luis Suarez, although Dirk Kuyt does have a formidable scoring record in the derby.
DID YOU KNOW?

  • There have been 10 red cards in the last 13 Premier League Merseyside derbies.
  • Kenny Dalglish has won 54 per cent of the Merseyside derbies he as overseen as Liverpool manager, winning 12 of 22 meetings, drawing seven and losing just three times.
  • Tim Cahill, Dirk Kuyt and Dalglish have exactly the same goal tally in games between Liverpool and Everton, with five each.
  • Everton have not won both Merseyside derbies in one season since 1984/85, whereas Liverpool have managed it six times since then, most recently in 2009/10.
  • Liverpool have only managed to keep one clean sheet so far this season, and that was against Arsenal.
  • No Everton player has scored more than one goal this season as of yet, with six players scoring in the Premier League.
  • Everton have only won one home game so far this season and Liverpool have the same amount of away wins to their name.
Prediction
Editor's Prediction 

Everton 1-2 Liverpool 

Serie A Round 6 - Preview


Saturday OCTOBER 1KOSunday OCTOBER 2KO
Roma - Atalanta1800Novara - Catania1230
Inter - Napoli2045Udinese - Bologna1500


Parma - Genoa1500

Palermo - Siena1500


Lecce - Cagliari1500


Fiorentina - Lazio1500


Cesena - Chievo1500
all times in CET
Juventus - AC Milan2045

RomavsAtalanta

PROBABLE LINE-UPS


Lobont
Casetti, Burdisso, Heinze, Jose Angel
Pizarro, De Rossi, Pjanic
Osvaldo, Totti, Bojan






Consigli
Masiello, Capelli, Manfredini, Bellini
Schelotto, Cigarini, Brighi, Padoin
Moralez
Denis
TEAM NEWS
  • Erik Lamela, Leandro Greco and Fernando Gago are all out, while Simone Perrotta will require a late fitness test.
  • Roma earned their first win of the season last weekend, beating Parma 1-0.
  • You would have to go back to February for Roma's last away win with a clean sheet... against Bologna.
  • Carlos Carmona, Adriano Ferreira Pinto, Stefano Lucchini and Leonardo Pettinari are unavailable, but Federico Peluso returns to the fold.
  • Atalanta made it three wins on the bounce after a 2-1 victory over Novara last week.
  • If it wasn't for their six-point deduction, the Bergamo club would be two points clear at the top of the Serie A table.

IntervsNapoli

                                                                                                              
Claudio Ranieri has the chance to make it three successive wins as Inter coach, when his side face Napoli on Saturday at San Siro. Both clubs did Italy proud midweek, after impressive victories over CSKA Moscow and Villarreal in the Champions League respectively, and it has all the makings of a mouth-watering encounter in Milan.

A full preview of this fixture can be found here.

NovaravsCatania

PROBABLE LINE-UPS



Ujkani
Dellafiore, Ludi, Paci, Gemiti
Marianini, Porcari, Rigoni
Pinardi
Meggiorini, Morimoto
 



Andujar
Marchese, Bellusci, Spolli, Capuano
Almiron, Lodi, Delvecchio
Gomez, Maxi Lopez, Catellani
TEAM NEWS
  • Andrea Lisuzzo and Andrea Mazzarani are confirmed absentees, but Achille Coser will have a late fitness test.
  • The new boys couldn't replicate their stunning victory at Inter a fortnight ago, after being defeated 2-1 by Atalanta.
  • Novara have failed to keep a clean sheet this season.
  • Pablo Alvarez, Nicola Legrottaglie and Cristian Llama are on the sidelines, but Marco Biagianti and Alessandro Potenza are touch-and-go.
  • Catania currently languish in 14th place after a 1-1 draw with Juventus last Sunday.
  • The Sicilians have lost their last two away matches in Serie A.

UdinesevsBologna

PROBABLE LINE-UPS



Handanovic
Benatia, Danilo, Domizzi
Basta, Isla, Pinzi, Asamoah, Armero
Torje
Di Natale


Agliardi
Garics, Portanova, Antonsson, Raggi
Pulzetti, Mudingayi, Perez, Kone
Diamanti
Di Vaio
TEAM NEWS
  • Andrea Coda, Damiano Ferronetti and Giovanni Pasquale are still on the sidelines, while Antonio Floro Flores and Paulo Barreto are doubts. Gabriel Torje returns after a rest midweek.
  • Udinese are only one of three sides in Serie A who are unbeaten; the other two are Juventus and Atalanta.
  • Antonio Di Natale has scored in three of his last four games against Bologna.
    • It has been a disastrous start under Pierpaolo Bisoli, losing three out of four as they sit second from bottom in Serie A.
    • Federico Agliardi replaces Jean-Francois Gillet, who has a dislocated shoulder, while Niccolo Cherubin, Saphir Taider, Jose Angel Crespo and Alvaro Cruz are all out. action. Archimede Morleo is suspended for one more match, but Andrea Raggi is expected to return at left-back.
    • Bologna's last win at the Friuli was in March 2005, where they secured a 1-0 victory.

      ParmavsGenoa

      PROBABLE LINE-UPS



      Mirante
      Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli, Gobbi
      Biabiany, Blasi, Galloppa, Modesto
      Giovinco
      Floccari


      Frey
      Rossi, Bovo, Kaladze, Moretti
      Constant, Veloso, Kucka
      Jorquera
      Palacio, Caracciolo
      TEAM NEWS
      • Graziano Pelle may feature after returning to training, but Hernan Crespo is likely to be forced to miss out.
      • Parma lost their second consecutive match, once more without scoring, in a 1-0 reverse to Roma last week.
      • Franco Colomba's side have lost three of their four games in the league this season.

      • Cesare Bovo will replace Dario Dainelli, who is banned. Giandomenico Mesto and Ze Eduardo are still out and not due back for a few more weeks.
      • Alberto Malesani's side suffered their first loss of the season last week, losing 2-1 to Chievo.
      • Genoa have only ever won at the Tardini on one occasion; a 3-2 victory over Parma in April 2010.

      PalermovsSiena

      PROBABLE LINE-UPS


      Tzorvas
      Pisano, Silvestre, Migliaccio, Balzaretti
      Bertolo, Barreto, Della Rocca, Zahavi Hernandez, Miccoli



      Brkic
      Vitiello, Rossettini, Terzi, Rossi
      Mannini, D’Agostino, Gazzi, Brienza
      Calaio, Destro
      TEAM NEWS
      • Edgar Alvarez is Palermo's only injury worry, but has a very slight chance of featuring, as Fabrizio Miccoli should replace Mauricio Pinilla in attack.
      • Palermo drew against Lazio, in a goalless encounter at the Olimpico last weekend.
      • However, Denis Mangia's side are aiming to maintain a 100 per cent record at the Renzo Barbera this season.
      • Angelo remains injured, as is fellow defender Cristian Del Grosso.
      • Siena, who thrashed Lecce 3-0 last matchday, have won at Palermo just twice in Serie A; in 2006 and 2008.
      • Franco Brienza prepares to face his former employers, whom he represented between 2001 and 2008.

      LeccevsCagliari

      PROBABLE LINE-UPS



      Julio Sergio
      Oddo, Tomovic, Ferrario, Brivio
      Obodo, Giacomazzi
       Piatti, Bertolacci, Pasquato
      Di Michele


      Agazzi
      Pisano, Canini, Astori, Agostini
      Biondini, Conti, Nainggolan
      Cossu
      Nene, Thiago Ribeiro
      TEAM NEWS
        • Moris Carrozzieri is the only injury victim, but Carlos Grossmuller and Andrea Esposito are suspended.
        • Lecce are trailing in 17th place, having lost three of their four Serie A games thus far, including their last two.
        • However, they have only failed to beat Cagliari at the Via del Mare on just two occasions in the top-flight.
          • Moestafa El Kabir and Sebastian Eriksson remain their only casualties, as Cagliari are expected to start with the same team that drew a blank against Udinese last week.
          • Before their goalless draw, Massimo Ficcadenti's side had not kept a clean sheet in 11 competitive games.
          • Cagliari's only win at Lecce came in 1994; a 1-0 victory for the Sardinians.

          FiorentinavsLazio

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS



          Boruc
          Cassani, Gamberini, Natali, Pasqual
          Behrami, Montolivo, Vargas
          Cerci, Santiago Silva, Jovetic



          Marchetti
          Konko, Diakite, Dias, Radu
           Gonzalez, Brocchi, Ledesma
          Hernanes
          Cisse, Klose
          TEAM NEWS
          • Per Kroldrup and Alberto Gilardino continue to be Fiorentina's only injury victims.
          • Sinisa Mihajlovic's side have kept clean sheets in three of their four games this season, including last week's 0-0 draw at Napoli.
          • The Viola have won three of their last five Serie A meetings with Lazio on home soil.
          • Matuzalem, Stefano Mauri, Giuseppe Biava and Simone Del Nero form a long injury list for Edy Reja.
          • Lazio failed to make it consecutive wins in the league after drawing 0-0 to Palermo.
          • More alarmingly, they have won just one of their last six games.

          CesenavsChievo

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS


          Ravaglia
          Comotto, Von Bergen, Rodriguez, Lauro
          Parolo, Guana, Candreva,
          Eder, Mutu, Martinez


          Sorrentino
          Sardo, Morero, Cesar, Jokic
          Bradley, Rigoni, Hetemaj
          Cruzado
          Paloschi, Thereau
          TEAM NEWS
          • Cesena will be without the services of Francesco Antonioli and Vincenzo Rennella, but Adrian Mutu looks likely to feature from the offset.
          • The Seahorses are rock bottom, losing all four games.
          • However, the last time they failed to score at home was against Udinese in February.
          • Sergio Pellissier faces a late fitness test, along with Luciano, but Francesco Acerbi remains out of contention.
          • Chievo have won their last two matches, including a 1-0 win over Napoli during the middle of last week.
          • They are also currently riding high in third place, on seven points, along with five other teams.

          JuventusvsAC Milan

                                                                           
          Another potential classic is in the offing involving two of Inter's arch-rivals, Juventus and AC Milan. The late kick-off on Sunday promises to be the showdown that it has been billed by Italian football enthusiasts, but Antonio Conte's side will seek a victory to consolidate their position as Serie A leaders, while the visitors look to achieve a third successive win of the season at Juventus Stadium.

          A full preview of this fixture can be found here.

          Ligue 1 Round 9 - Preview


          Saturday 1st OCTOBERKOSunday 2nd OCTOBERKO
          Caen - Nice1900Lille - Stade Rennes1700
          Dijon - Ajaccio1900
          Olympique Marseille - Brest1700
          Lorient - Valenciennes1900
          PSG - Olympique Lyon2100
          Nancy - Evian TG1900


          Saint Etienne - Auxerre1900
          Sochaux - Toulouse1900
          Bordaeux - Montpellier 2100
           all kick-offs in CET

          CaenvsNice

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS


          Thebaux
          Vandam, Leca, Herteaux, Raineau
          Hamouma, Seube, Proment, Bulut
          Frau,
          Niang


          OGC Nice
          Ospina,
          Clerc, Pecjinovic, Mabiala, Diakite
          Fae, Digard, Abriel
          Mouloungoui, Pentecote, Mounier


          TEAM NEWS
          • Caen secured a convincing 4-2 victory over Evian last Saturday.
          • Les Malherbes are unbeaten against Nice in four encounters.
          • Caen's Stade Michel d'Ornano has seen the fewest goals scored in this season so far.
          • Nice drew 1-1 with Dijon on matchday eight.
          • Eric Roy's men have prevailed in a paltry one of their last 21 away games.
          • Les Aiglons have won only one of their last nine trips to Caen, with that victory coming in 1996.

          DijonvsAjaccio

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

           Dijon FCO
          Reynet,
          Bamba, Zarour, Paulle, Souprayen
          Mandanne, Sangare, Altama, Corgnet, Bautheac,
          Jovial


          AC Ajaccio
          Ochoa,
          Lippini, Medjani, Poulard, Mendy,
          Mostafa, Pierazzi,
          Cavalli, Sammaritano,
          Ilan, Socrier


          TEAM NEWS
          • Dijon secured a 1-1 draw against struggling Nice last weekend.
          • Patrice Carteron's side have scored at least a goal a game in each of their home games this season.
          • 50% of the encounters between these two sides have ended in a 1-1 draw.
          • Promoted Ajaccio were held to a 1-1 draw with Stade Brestois in their last game.
          • Should Olivier Pantaloni's men pick up three points on Sunday, it will be the first time they've achieved that at Dijon.
          • Despite having Mexican international Guillermo Ochoa between the sticks, Ajaccio are yet to keep a clean sheet in Ligue 1 this season.

          LorientvsValenciennes

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS
          FC Lorient
          Lecomte
          Pedrinho, Bourillon, Manga, Le Lan
          Jouffre, Romao, Mvuemba, Autrel
          Emeghera, Aliadiere



              
          Penneteau
          Mater, Mirin, Benjamin, Bong
          Ducourtioux, Kader, Cohade,
          Pujol, Samassa, Danic



          TEAM NEWS
          • Lorient held champions Lille to a 1-1 draw on matchday eight.
          • Les Merlus are unbeaten in their last five games with Valenciennes.
          • Christian Gourcuff's men have only lost once in their last 20 home games at Stade du Moustoir.
          • Valenciennes needed an injury time equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw with Marseille.
          • Daniel Sanchez's men have conceded at least once in each of their last five visits to Lorient.
          • Valenciennes languish in 16th spot in the table, and have Mathieu Dossevi still on the sidelines.

          NancyvsEvian TG

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

            
          Gregorini
          Helder, Andre Luis, Loties, Hadara
          Cuvillier, Diakhite, Mangani, Bakar
          M'Bile, Niculae


            Evian Thonon Gaillard
            Andersen 
          Djedje, Cambon, Barbosa, Mensah
          Leroy, Rabiu, Sorlin, Govou
          Adnane, Sagbo


          TEAM NEWS
          • Nancy continued their poor start to the season with a 1-0 defeat to Toulouse last weekend.
          • Jean Fernandez's men, along with Brest remain the only sides yet to taste victory in Ligue 1 this season.
          • This will be the first meeting between the two sides.
          • Evian were beaten 4-2 at home by a resurgent Caen last Saturday.
          • Bernard Casoni's side have failed to win any of their last six games.
          • The promoted side have failed to find the net in their last two away games.


          Saint EtiennevsAuxerre

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

          AS Saint-Etienne

           Ruffier,
          Nery, Paulao, Mignot, Ghoulam,
          Guilavogui, Clement
          Aubemayang, Lemoine, Sako
          Kitambala



          Sorin
          Dudka, Boly, Coulibaly, Berthod
          Cisse, Oliech
          Chafni, Traore, Contout
          Le Tallec

          TEAM NEWS
          • Saint Etienne's winless run stretched to four games as they were held to a 1-1 draw with Rennes
          • Christophe Galtier's men have had the least shots on target in Ligue 1 this season, with Auxerre striking the most.
          • Sainte have found the net in 21 of their last 22 home games.
          • Auxerre thrashed Sochaux 4-1 thanks to Kenyan midfielder Denis Oliech's hat-trick.
          • AJA are unbeaten in their last six against Les Verts.
          • Despite that, Laurent Fournier's men have not won any of thir away league games this season so far.

          SochauxvsToulouse

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

            FC Sochaux
           Richert
          Corchia, Perquis, Peybernes, Mouykolo
          Anin,
          Boudebouz, Martin, Mikari
          Butin, Maiga

             Toulouse FC
          Ahamada
          Akpa-Akpro, Congre, Abdennour, M'Bengue
          Capoue
          Machado, Devaux, Sissoko, Tabanou
          Bulut


          TEAM NEWS
          • Sochaux crashed to a 4-1 defeat to Auxerre on matchday eight.
          • They had earlier lost 6-2 to Rennes, meaning they have conceded 19 goals in just eight Ligue 1 games.
          • Les Lionceaux have only won two of their last five home games against Toulouse.
          • Toulouse recorded a slender 1-0 over struggling Nancy last weekend.
          • Le Tefece have lost only one of their last 10 away games in the league.
          • Alain Casanova's men have struck at least once in their last 10 league games.

          BordeauxvsMontpellier

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

            
          Carrasso
          Chalme, Henrique, Ciani, Marange
          N'Guemo, Sane
          Traore, Plasil, Ben Khalfallah
          Diabate




           Montpellier HSC
          Jourden
          Bedimo, Hilton, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bocaly
          Saihi, Estrada
          Dernis, Utaka, Marveaux
          Giroud

          TEAM NEWS
          • Bordeaux crashed to a 3-1 defeat to rivals Lyon last Saturday.
          • Les Girondins are yet to win a home league game this season.
          • Francis Gillot's men are however unbeaten at home against Montpellier for eight years.
          • Montpellier were overwhelmed 3-0 by league leaders PSG last Sunday.
          • That match was the first occasion La Paillade failed to find the net this season.
          • Montpellier last won at Stade Cheban Delmas in 2003, their only win in eighteen attempts in the west of France.

          LillevsStade Rennes

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

           Lille
          Landreau
          Debuchy, Rozehnal, Basa, Beria
          Balmont, Mavuba, Pedretti,
          Hazard, Sow, Cole




            Stade Rennais FC
          Costil
          Danze, Kana-Biyik, Mangane, Catherine
          Pajol, M'Vila
          Hadji, Feret, Pitroipa,
          Montano
          TEAM NEWS
          • Lille were held to a 1-1 draw against Lorient last weekend.
          • Les Dogues have scored in all but one of their last 16 Ligue 1 matches.
          • Some of Lille's stars may be rested following their exploits in the 1-1 Champions League draw against Trabzonspor.
          • Stade Rennes were made to settle for a 1-1 draw against Saint Etienne last weekend.
          • Les Rouge et Noir have won only two of their last 35 trips to northern France.
          • Frederic Antoinetti's men were in Europa League action on Thursday, drawing 1-1 with Atletico Madrid.


          Olympique de MarseillevsStade Brestois

          PROBABLE LINE-UPS

          Marseille
          Mandanda
          Morel, N'Koulou, Diawara, Azpilicueta
          Kabore, Diarra, Lucho Gonzalez
          Valbuena, Remy, Ayew




          Elana
          Coulibaly, Zebina, Ewolo, Makonda
          Poyet, Grougi, Culma, Lesoimier
          Roux, Baset
          TEAM NEWS
          •  Marseille were held to a 1-1 draw wtih Valenciennes last weekend, with Jose Saez netting a 92nd minute equaliser and Rod Fanni sent off.
          • Nevertheless, Marseille are unbeaten against Brest at the Stade Velodrome.
          • Didier Deschamps' men can also count on the morale boosting 3-0 victory over German champions Borussia Dortmund in midweek as a catalyst for a rejuvenated league campaign.
          • Brest settled for another draw, this time 1-1 against Ajaccio, last weekend.
          • Alex Dupont's men have conceded at least three goals in each of their last eight visits to Provence.
          • They are also yet to get off the mark away from home, with no goals scored.

          PSGvsOlympique Lyon
          PSG                  Sunday 21:00                      
          With both sides amassing 17 points out of a possible 24 and heading up the Ligue 1 table at such an early stage, the focus is very much on coming out on top for both Les Parisiens and Les Gones at the Parc des Princes in Sunday night's headline game. Will the big spending capital club come out on top, or will Remi Garde's attacking side take the plaudits?

          Read the full preview of Sunday's clash here.