23-01-2011 20:45 Milan - Cesena

Recovering Momentum

No one can doubt Milan's ability and propensity to entertain and thrill this campaign. The Rossoneri have been sensational at times with star striker and mercurial creative mind Zlatan Ibrahimovic weaving his sorcery from time to time, but since the beginning of the new year they appear to be struggling to get the points.

The hard-fought 1-0 victory over Cagliari was followed by a brilliant yet eventually disappointing 4-4 draw with Udinese, and last weekend things went worse as Milan failed to get anything more than a 1-1 draw in Lecce against a side set to suffer relegation at the end of the season.

Now four points clear at the top of the table in Serie A with 41 points from 20 matches, Milan need to start picking up wins. Massimiliano Allegri's side comfortably went through to the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia on Thursday night as they destroyed Bari 3-0 at San Siro and will hope for a similar result against a similarly struggling side.

Lightning Doesn't Strike Twice, Does It?

Cesena were a revelation at the start of the 2010-11 campaign as they went on to reach the pole position in Serie A, albeit for short period of time. En route to that orgasmic moment was the 2-0 humiliation of Italian giants and former European champions Milan in what remains one of the most shocking results of the Serie A season.

Four months fast forward, and the Seahorses will hope for lightning to strike twice. The Rossoneri are not exactly in the best of form result-wise at the moment and this could be the time that Cesena resurrect their campaign by achieving a great result.

It's easier said than done, though, as Massimo Ficcadenti's side have an appalling record on the road, having won once and lost six times in nine away league encounters. With 19 points from 20 matches, Cesena are level on points with third-from-bottom Lecce - time as well as games is running out.

TEAM NEWS

Milan

Boateng, Zambrotta, Inzaghi, Amelia and Pirlo are out injured for the Rossoneri, who are expected to leave Cassano and Pato on the bench and start with Ibrahimovic and Robinho as the two forwards in a 4-3-1-2 formation.

Cesena

Lauro and Nagatomo are out injured for the Seahorses while Giaccherini is suspended. Malonga and Jimenez will be the two attacking midfielders deployed behind striker Bogdani in a 4-3-2-1 system.

Prediction

A win for Milan appears to be the most likely outcome but given that the Rossoneri haven't always looked formidable in the league this month, the Seahorses could make it tough for them if they get an early goal.

Milan 3-0 Cesena

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23-01-2011 21:00 Villarreal - Real Sociedad

Out Of The Copa But Still Strong In La Liga

Villarreal were fighting on three fronts prior to Tuesday night’s elimination from the Copa del Rey by Sevilla. Coach Juan Carlos Garrido will feel that his side have been knocked out of the least important of their trio of objectives and will be happy to start focussing on the Primera Division encounter against Real Sociedad.

At El Madrigal this season, Villarreal have been irreproachable. Only Valencia have managed to avoid defeat at the venue, and even los Che only managed to earn a point. Off the back of this excellent record, the Yellow Submarine have installed themselves as La Liga’s third force, marginally ahead of their near neighbours.

Even with a depleted squad, Garrido managed to lead his side to a 4-2 success against Osasuna last weekend, though a weakened team crumbled 3-0 against los Nervionenses in midweek. Having fallen behind early in a match they realistically needed to win, Villarreal were sunk early in the second period, when their hosts scored twice from corner kicks.

After Tuesday’s game, Garrido was quick to congratulate Sevilla, though he also stressed that he felt the final result was a harsh reflection of his side’s performance. Having rotated his squad for the clash, it was made clear that the Copa was not his priority, so expect to see yellow-clad players frothing at the mouth eager to get their teeth back into the league campaign come the weekend.

Bad Streak Bust

Last weekend’s 4-0 success over Getafe was a cathartic result for Real Sociedad, whose poor run of form had threatened to undermine much of the good work they did earlier this season. Four successive losses over the Christmas period were certainly awkward for la Real, but a fantastic evening in the Spanish capital has helped to re-energise the squad, keeping them nine points clear of the red zone.

“We got more than we deserved,” coach Martin Lasarte admitted after the game, clearly aware that Mikel Aranburu’s unlikely late brace gave the full-time result a rather flattering complexion from the point of view of the Basques. “We've always talked about the goal, which is to ascend. There is room to grow. The result was a very good one with which to go into the second round of games, and we will try to stay in peace.”

Not only will an array of goals please the coach, but the fact his side managed to keep a clean sheet will have been equally satisfying. At times this term Real Sociedad have leaked goals at an alarming rate, so shutting the opposition out for the first time in five games must be deemed satisfying.

Though the San Sebastian club lose a lot of games – more than two of the sides in the bottom three – the fact they tend to win the others means that they are unlikely to be sucked into great danger. On the other hand, an ability to grind out a draw would be a useful attribute travelling to somewhere like El Madrigal, where the hosts are so dominant.


TEAM NEWS


Villarreal

Juan Carlos faces another month on the sidelines after picking up a problem in a Copa del Rey tie against Sevilla a fortnight ago. Marcos Senna and Nilmar continue to rehabilitate from surgery, while Carlos Marchena is nearly ready to return. Santi Cazorla should be fit after missing the last two matches.


Real Sociedad

Zurutuza is banned, and Mikel Gonzalez and Carlos Martinez are both doubtful. Carlos Martin could be back in the squad but is unlikely to play, while Vadim Demidov still waits for his debut. Diego Ifran has made an improvement but isn’t thought likely to feature either.

Prediction

Villarreal will prove that crashing out of the Copa del Rey was a mere blip. The Yellow Submarine will field all of their top players at the weekend and will continue to feel very much at home at El Madrigal by picking up three points against a Real Sociedad team who rarely travel well.

Villarreal 3-1 Real Sociedad

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23-01-2011 19:00 Real - Mallorca

More Derby Success

Mallorca were the first Primera Division opponents faced by Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, and they were also to prove the first opponents to frustrate the Castilian side, earning a scoreless draw back in August. A repeat of that result would be hugely damaging for los Blancos, who are aiming to get back to winning ways in the Primera Division after last weekend’s surprising slip against Almeria.

There were no problems for los Blancos in their midweek Copa del Rey quarter-final encounter against city-rivals Atletico Madrid. Leading 3-1 from the first leg, there was never any danger of a slip in the Vicente Calderon after Cristiano Ronaldo shot the title challengers ahead midway through the first half for what proved the only goal of a sometimes tetchy affair.

“The team played a good game. We did what we had to do to reach the next round and we earned a good result.” Mourinho affirmed after the match before discussing a change in his side’s tactical make-up.

“We reached the next round without exerting ourselves too much. I wanted to play differently tonight because we won the first leg 3-1. I knew we would go through if we kept a clean sheet. Two leg knockout stages are different to league games.”

There has been speculation that the Portuguese coach could take his leave from the Bernabeu sooner rather than later, though ‘Mou’ has already quashed rumours that he could depart before the end of the season. On the field, his side are discovering that even the slightest slip will be punished by Barcelona, so once again winning is imperative this weekend.

Paid The Penalty Last Week

In a season that was meant to be a real slog for Mallorca, the Balearic club are passing the exam impressively. With half of the campaign already played, els Barralets lie in the top half of the standings and are 11 points clear of the relegation zone, earning praise from celebrity shareholder Rafael Nadal in the process.

Of course, not everything’s gone smoothly for the Iberostar Estadi club. Last weekend they were comprehensively beaten 3-0 away to Atletico Madrid, and on their return to the capital less than a week later coach Michael Laudrup will be hoping for a more successful performance from his players.

The Islanders certainly had their chances against Atleti last weekend, but the best of those was squandered by Pierre Webo, who accepted responsibility for the defeat. “The key play was the penalty miss,” he lamented, considering his moment of infamy to the Diario de Mallorca. “If we score, I think that we could have won the game. I had no luck and the goalkeeper has done well.

“Mallorca had played a pretty nice game and didn’t deserve this beating. We had chances, and Atletico Madrid have received too much of a reward for their performance.”

Already this season Mallorca have proven to be stubborn opponents for Spain’s best. After holding los Blancos 0-0 on the opening day of the campaign they went to Camp Nou and came away with a 1-1 draw against Barcelona. Laudrup’s side will be no pushovers.

TEAM NEWS


Real Madrid

Pepe, Jerzy Dudek and Gonzalo Higuain will continue to miss out but no new problems have been reported in los Blancos' ranks.

Mallorca

Michael Laudrup’s squad is depleted by suspensions to Jonathan De Guzman and Pau Cendros.

Injury problems in the Islanders’ team are not rife, but in-form striker Victor Casadesus sits out. Jose Luis Marti is their other absentee. Ratinho, Sergio Tejera and Gonzalo Castro will be checked before the game.

Prediction

This is a dangerous fixture for los Blancos. Though they have been dominant at the Bernabeu this season, Mallorca have often managed to raise their games for the really big challenges. It could turn out to be a grind, but Jose Mourinho’s men will pick up the three points.

Real Madrid 2-0 Mallorca

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23-01-2011 17:00 Zaragoza - Dep. La Coruna

Moving Towards Safety

A welcome dose of hope was injected into Zaragoza’s season last weekend. Bottom of the table almost exclusively since Round 4 of action, los Manos boosted their survival hopes with a crucial 1-0 victory over struggling Levante. Javier Aguirre will hope that win can spark new life into his side, and the weekend’s fixture against Deportivo La Coruna will certainly be targeted for more points.

What little success the Aragon side have enjoyed this season – three league wins in total – has come solely at home. La Romareda may have seen its team lose on five occasions, but the 11 points Zaragoza have won at the venue comprise the vast majority of their present tally.

Last weekend, the bowl of a stadium witnessed an all-too-infrequent success this season, though it did come against a direct rival, doubling the value of the victory. Levante didn’t put up a great fight, and Gabi’s goal on the stroke of half-time could prove a priceless strike for the struggling northerners.

“We failed to kill the game with few chances we had and from there we suffered,” Aguirre said, expressing his concern at his side’s lack of goal scoring instinct. “We are still a little short on time, so we cannot afford to be average.”

Though Depor are uninspiring, they are unlikely to gift three points to los Manos, who will have to be on their mettle if they are to earn three points.

Starting To Flounder Again

Copa del Rey elimination on Wednesday night against Almeria wasn’t particularly sore for Deportivo La Coruna to take, as coach Miguel Angel Lotina had explained from the outset of the tie that his side were primarily focussing their efforts on their league campaign. So far, the Primera Division isn’t going especially smoothly for the Galicians.

Defeat against Valencia last weekend left Depor languishing firmly in the bottom half of the table, though after a dreadful start to the term little more could be expected by this stage. Indeed, a five point gap to the relegation places may even seem pretty healthy for the north easterners.

Their defensive face was firmly on view at the Mestalla in the 2-0 defeat, but Lotina’s side were somewhat more enterprising in midweek. After losing the opening leg 1-0, there was little prospect of a comeback for the goal-shy side after the Andalucians took a 19th minute lead. Pablo Alvarez and Adrian briefly offered hope of a resurrection, but this was short-lived as Lotina’s men went down 3-2.

A difficult run of fixtures has seen only four points from the last five games return to Galicia, but a match against the league’s bottom club will make for an appetising fixture for Depor, who need their season to come back to life before they slip into further difficulties.

TEAM NEWS

Zaragoza

Once again, coach Javier Aguirre is playing his cards close to his chest, not revealing much about his squad’s state before the weekend game. Jiri Jarosik overcame slight muscular problems to play last weekend, and no fresh worries have been named in the press over the course of the last week.

Deportivo

Riki and Andres Guardado are back training with the main squad, but Claudio Morel and Saul are yet to overcome their injury problems. Rested in midweek, Knut Olav Rindaroy, Alberto Lopo and Juan Rodriguez will all be involved.

Prediction

Goals should certainly not be expected in this match; Deportivo remain grimly defensive, while Zaragoza are not an exhilarating offensive force by any means. The guests will try to operate on the break but will find life tough if los Manos score the first goal... if there is even a goal in what’s likely to be a tight, tense battle.

Zaragoza 1-0 Deportivo

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23-01-2011 17:00 Real Sporting - Atletico Madrid

Remembering How To Win

Sporting de Gijon were a side languishing badly last weekend, but a 2-0 victory over Hercules has certainly increased morale in the Asturians’ ranks. Prior to that encounter, the El Molinon side had gone an alarming 11 matches in the Primera Division without a win, and now Manuel Preciado will attempt to maintain his side’s positive run against Atletico Madrid.

The landscape of los Sportinguistas’ results in La Liga has been dominated by draws over the course of the last year. Already they have tied seven times this season, and towards the end of last term they were recognised as 1-1 specialists – a tag they have done little to shake since.

Victory over Hercules, which came courtesy of goals from David Barral and Nucho Cases, was enough to push Sporting temporarily out of the drop zone, but wins must be accrued on a more regular basis if they are to stay out of the bottom three.

“The team has always worked and shown a great attitude but it seems that poor results led to a kind of mental block,” Preciado said after last weekend’s success. “[The team] had almost forgotten how to win.”

With an unwelcome monkey off their backs, the Gijon club are looking forward to Sunday’s clash with great optimism, though it promises to be a difficult affair.

Mentally Strong

There was more derby disappointment for Atletico Madrid on Thursday evening, when they were ousted from the Copa del Rey by city-rivals Real Madrid. A solitary Cristiano Ronaldo goal was all it took to down los Colchoneros on the night, but the overall result was comfortable; Jose Mourinho’s men moving through 4-1.

Coach Quique Sanchez Flores was, nevertheless, impressed with his side’s attitude in midweek, of the opinion that they showed the correct desire, despite being placed in an almost impossible position but the Portuguese star’s strike.

“We pushed hard and tried to play football against a team that made things hard for us,” he commented. “I have full confidence in the group. The team is smart; it works well daily and prepares for each match with a lot of intensity. In recent years, we have been more successes than failures.”

The Primera Division campaign is not necessarily going smoothly for los Rojiblancos. At the start of the campaign they were heavily tipped to be a side competing for the top four, but they have failed thus far to show the kind of consistency required to move into that bracket. A seven point gap to Valencia is not unbridgeable, but in the second half of the campaign, the men from the Vicente Calderon will have to show greater consistency, starting on Sunday.

TEAM NEWS

Sporting

Andre Castro has indicated his willingness to make his debut on Sunday, but on the other hand Jose Angel has told the club of his desire to leave.

No new injury problems have been registered. Alberto Botia is poised to miss out again, but Luis Moran should be back involved.

Atletico

Jose Antonio Reyes isn’t expected to be fit after being withdrawn after only 25 minutes on Thursday evening with a sprained ankle. Sergio Aguero, Mario Suarez and Jorge Pulido all missed out in midweek and will struggle for this encounter, but Antonio Lopez returns.

Prediction

Atletico Madrid are horribly unpredictable beasts, but Sporting Gijon tend to play relatively well at home. This match is unlikely to be a walkover for los Colchoneros, who simply cannot string a run of positive results together. The hosts will be battling for every point they can get, and this is a match they will not want to lose.

Sporting de Gijon 1-1 Atletico Madrid

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