05.04. (Thu) 21:05 Valencia - AZ Alkmaar

PROBABLE LINEUPS

VALENCIA Alves Barragan, Rami, Victor Ruiz, Mathieu Albelda, T CostaFeghouli, Jonas, Jordi Alba Soldado

AZ Esteban Marcellis, Moisander, Viergever, Poulsen Maher, Martens, ElmGudmundsson, Altidore, Holman

For Valencia, Adil Rami returns from suspension to boost a defence that has looked short of average for the past month. Miguel is also back in the squad after a six-week recovery from an injury and the Portuguese is even in with a chance to displace Antonio Barragan in the starting XI.

Ever Banega and Sergio Canales are both still sidelined for Unai Emery's team, while Hedwiges Maduro continues to recuperate from his ankle problem and could feature very soon.

For the visitors, striker Roy Beerens (ribs) is still looking to reach full fitness and is the only injury concern. He will travel to Spain, but whether he will play will be decided by coach Gertjan Verbeek on Wednesday.

Up top, American Jozy Altidore may get the nod, despite a poor performance in the first leg as he found the net at the weekend in a 2-2 draw with Vitesse.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Valencia last won a game at home on March 8th, defeating PSV 4-2 in the Europa League round of 16.

• On Sunday, the team drew with Levante 1-1 in the local derby.

• The hosts have only been held scoreless at Mestalla once this season, falling 0-1 to Real Sociedad in mid-January.

• AZ enter the game having lost only twice in their last 11 games.

• The Dutch side have never won the competition.

• In seven Europa League away games this season, AZ have won just once.

Prediction

Valencia should have no problem finding the net, but it may not be tough for the visitors to do the same. The form of the home defenders will go a long way in deciding this one. In the end, the Dutch escape.

Editor's Prediction

Valencia 2-2 AZ

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05.04. (Thu) 21:05 Athletic Bilbao - Schalke 04

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

BILBAO Iraizoz Iraola, Ekiza, Martinez, Aurtenetxe Perez, De Marcos, Herrera Susaeta, Llorente, Muniain

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

Having rested several key plays for Saturday's defeat to Barcelona, Marcelo Bielsa should reincorporate the likes of Ander Herrera, Iker Muniain and Fernando Llorente. Ibai Gomez and Gaizka Toquero are likely to settle for a place on the bench, while Ander Iturraspe and Fernando Amorebieta are suspended for this game.

For Schalke, Lars Unnerstall should make his European comeback, having surprisingly started against Hoffenheim on Sunday. However, fellow goalkeepers Ralf Fahrmann and Timo Hildebrand remain sidelined.

Benedikt Howedes and Christoph Metzelder are still injured and Huub Stevens is likely to name the same back line as in the first leg. In midfield Lewis Holtby is in with a chance to replace Marco Hoger, who disappointed in the 2-4 loss to Athletic Bilbao.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Athletic Bilbao have won all of their last four Europa League games.

• The last time a German side played at San Mames Werder Bremen ran out 3-0 winners against the Basque outfit in 2009.

• However, Bilbao, since losing to Thomas Schaaf's side, have not lost any of the seven subsequent home games in Europe.

• Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (pictured right) has scored a hat-trick in both of the last two rounds, but failed score in the first leg.

• He scored twice in a 5-2 win at San Mames in 2009, when playing for Real Madrid.

• The Royal Blues kept a clean sheet in all of their away games in the group stage, but have failed to win on their European travels since.

Prediction

Despite the convincing nature of the scoreline in Gelsenkirchen a week ago, Athletic Bilbao were hardly the dominant team against Schalke, who would have got more from the match, were it not for some defensive lapses. I'd expect the second leg to be a far tighter affair, but, with the tie all but decided in the first encounter, I'd expect the hosts to edge through to the semi-finals without needing to leave first gear.

Editor's Prediction

Bilbao 2-2 Schalke

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05.04. (Thu) 21:05 Hannover 96 - Atletico Madrid

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

HANNOVER Zieler Cherundolo, Eggimann, Pogatetz, Pander Stindl, Pinto, Rausch Schlaudraff Diouf, Ya Konan

ATLETICO MADRID Courtois Perea, Miranda, Godin, Filipe Gabi, Assuncao Adrian, Diego, Arda Falcao

Mirko Slomka will be without Danish midfielder Leon Andreasen, who remains a long-term absentee for the 96ers. Didier Ya Konan may be drafted into the starting XI after proving to be the hero in Hannover's weekend 2-1 victory over Borussian Monchengladbach.

Diego Simeone conducted a training session on Tuesday, with some members of the first-team squad being awarded a rest after the victory over Getafe at the weekend. The players who missed the practice returned to full training on Wednesday.

Atletico Madrid still have a few absentees going into the second leg. Silvio Pereira and club captain Antonio Lopez continue their recuperation and will be joined by Pizzi on the sidelines as the 22-year old has came down with a case of gastroenteritis.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The first leg between the sides at the Vicente Calderon was the inaugural meeting between Atletico Madrid and Hannover.

• The 96ers have yet to lose a home game in a Uefa competition, recording five wins and two draws over the course of their two continental campaigns.

• Hannover's last European home game ended in a 4-0 win against Standard Liege in the round-of-16.

• Atletico Madrid have lost just one of their last eight European away matches, picking up five wins and two draws.

• Los Colchoneros' record in 31 games against German sides reads 14 victories, 6 draws, 11 defeats.

• Adrian Lopez and Falcao are the only players to have featured in all 11 of Atleti's matches since the start of the group stage.

Prediction

The German side will have a cracking support behind them at the AWD Arena so this will certainly be a toxic atmosphere for the Atletico Madrid players. Both side's have the ability to create chances but it will likely be a tight match much like the previous leg. However, the experience of the Spanish side in European competition may see them sneak through.

Editor's Prediction

Hannover 96 1-1 Atl. Madrid

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04.04. (Wed) 20:45 Chelsea - Benfica

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

Chelsea CechIvanovic, Terry, Cahill, Cole Lampard, Essien, Ramires Mata, Torres, Sturridge

Benfica Artur Maxi Pereira, Luisao, Javi Garcia, Emerson Matic Bruno Cesar, Aimar, Gaitan Cardozo, Rodrigo

Didier Drogba may be sidelined for the hosts after missing the win over Aston Villa on Saturday with a toe injury while Raul Meireles(knee), another who didn't feature at Villa Park, faces competition from Frank Lampard, Ramires and Michael Essien for a starting place in midfield if he re-gains fitness.

David Luiz sustained ankle ligament damage during in the game and probably won't feature, Gary Cahill is likely to step in for the Brazilian, after replacing him against the Villans.

Up front, Roberto Di Matteo's only real decision is whether to play Daniel Sturridge or Salomon Kalou, however he may choose to play another midfielder depending on his gameplan.

The visitors are in somewhat of an injury crisis with several of first team players ruled out for the trip to London.

Defenders Ezequiel Garay, Jardel and Miguel Vitor are all in line to miss this tie with injuries, leaving defensive midfielder Javi Garcia a probable make-shift centre-half.

Meanwhile youngsters Luis Martins, Andre Almeida and Ruben Pinto will travel with the squad for the clash.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Chelsea have won every home game in the Champions League this season.

• The Blues have scored 14 at Stamford bridge, while conceding just once, the least of anyone in the tournament.

• No English side has ever failed to progress from Europe after winning the first-leg away from home.

• Excluding qualifiers, the hosts have scored in ten European matches in a row for the first time, consecutively winning their last four games.

• The Premier League team have netted first in every one of their nine Champions League games this season.

• Benfica have failed to claim a victory against English opposition in their last five attempts.

• Argentine playmaker, Nicolas Gaitan has the joint most assists in the competition along with Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. (5)

• The visitors have netted eight out of their 12 goals in the first-half, the highest proportion of any side in this season's tournament.

• The first leg, in which Di Matteo (pictured) masterminded the Blues to a 1-0 victory, was the first time that Benfica failed to find the back of the net in the Champions League this campaign.

• Chelsea have David Luiz, Ashley Cole and Raul Meireles one yellow away from missing the semi-finals. The Eagles also have no less then five players walking the tightrope: Artur, Ezequiel Garay, Luisao, Bruno Cesar and Javi Garcia.

Prediction

It's hard to see Chelsea throwing this one away. The Premier League side head into the game in fine form under Di Matteo, having won six from eight games. The Blues managed to nullify the Portuguese outfit's attacking threat in the first-leg and you'd fancy that to be the case again at their fortress, Stamford Bridge.
Add to this the fact that Torres is finding his feet as well as Juan Mata shining week in week out the west Londoners should have enough to bag another goal or two and secure their progression to the semi-finals.

Editor's Prediction

Chelsea 2-0 Benfica

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04.04. (Wed) 20:45 Real - APOEL

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PROBABLE LINEUPS

REAL MADRID Casillas Altintop, Pepe, Varane, Coentrao Granero, SahinCallejon, Kaka, Ronaldo Higuain

APOEL Chiotis Poursaitidis, Kaka, Jorge, Boaventura Morais, PintoCharalambidis, Marcinho, Manduca Ailton

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho looks set to make significant changes to the team that thrashed Osasuna at the weekend for the Champions League quarter-final second leg against APOEL on Wednesday.

Ricardo Carvalho and Lassana Diarra are both out injured, but Jose Callejon has shaken off an ankle problem and could feature. Xabi Alonso returns from suspension, but may be rested on the bench, while Nuri Sahin could deputise for Sami Khedira, who sat out the Osasuna game with a virus.

Injury-hit winger Angel Di Maria is likely to be named on the bench again as he continues his recovery towards full match fitness.

APOEL will be without Marcelo Oliveira and Ivan Trickovski due to injuries sustained in the first leg in Cyprus, although Gustavo Manduca is available after serving a one-match ban. Savvas Poursaitides (thigh) and Nektarios Alexandrou (groin) also picked up knocks in the first leg, but the duo are likely to be fit in time for the clash.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Real Madrid have a near-perfect record in this season's Champions League, winning eight of the nine games played so far.

• Los Blancos have emerged victorious in 26 of the 27 European ties in which they have held a lead from the first leg.

• Madrid's 3-0 triumph in the fixture in Nicosia was their 200th victory in the European Cup/Champions League.

• APOEL finished third in the Cypriot top-flight's regular season before the league split into three groups of four. They are now involved in play-off action against the rest of the top four - AEL Limassol, Omonia and Anorthosis Famagusta - to determine the destination of the title.

• The Cypriots have won six of their last eight matches in all competitions.

• Esteban Solari (pictured right) has netted 55 goals in 98 league games over two spells for APOEL, who have never lost when he has scored.

Prediction

APOEL have done remarkably well to make it this far in Europe's elite club competition, but a tie against the stars of Real Madrid was always going to be mission impossible for the Cypriots, and another Madrid victory looks all but a certainty at the Bernabeu.

Editor's Prediction

Real Madrid 3-0 APOEL

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