13-03-2011 21:00 Sevilla - Barcelona

DID YOU KNOW?

* Sevilla are unbeaten in their last four home games, grabbing three wins and a draw.

* The last four games in which Sevilla have been unable to score have all ended 0-0.

* Alvaro Negredo has hit the frame of the goal more times than any other player this season, rattling the woodwork five times.

* Sevilla are the only side to concede four David Villa goals in a single league game. That was in 2004, when the Asturian forward was playing with Zaragoza.

* Barcelona have not suffered defeat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in four years.

* The Blaugrana are also undefeated in their last seven league games against Sevilla.

* In those last seven meetings, Sevilla have only scored one goal in the first half.

* Barcelona have scored in every one of the last 15 league games against Sevilla.

* In the first 15 minutes of the second half, Barcelona have scored the most this season with 14 goals in that period, whilst Sevilla have conceded the most with 10.

LAST MEETING

October 30th, 2010: Barcelona 5-0 Sevilla

Braces from both David Villa and Lionel Messi were bolstered by a Dani Alves goal, to hand Barcelona a dominant win.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Sevilla: Varas; Navarro, Fazio, Caceres, Dabo; Perotti, Rakitic, Medel, Navas; Kanoute, Negredo

Barcelona: Valdes; Maxwell, Abidal, Pique, Alves; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Villa, Messi, Pedro

Prediction

Barcelona are flying high, and you can expect them to continue that form in this game. Sevilla will not make it easy for them, but their inconsistency this season points too a heavy defeat.

Sevilla 1-1 Barcelona

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13-03-2011 20:45 Parma - Napoli

DID YOU KNOW?

* Parma are currently placed 15th in Serie A with 29 points from 28 matches, just a point above the relegation zone.

* The Ducali have not won in their last seven encounters and have drawn their last three.

* Pasquale Marino’s side have conceded 10 goals from outside the penalty area, the highest number in the league.

* The Crociati have won seven of their 11 Serie A matches against Napoli at the Tardini.

* Parma lost the reverse fixture 2-0 in Naples, with striker Edinson Cavani scoring both the goals

* Napoli are third in the league standings at the moment with 53 points from 28 matches, eight points behind leaders Milan.

* Cavani is the league's second highest scorer, having netted 20 times so far this campaign.

* The Partenopei have not scored in their last two matches. If they fail to find the target against Parma, then it will be the first time since March 2009 that Napoli would have failed to do so in three fixtures.

* Walter Mazzarri’s side have lost five of their last eight away matches but have won the other three.

* The Azzurri have scored 16 goals in the last 15 minutes of their games.

LAST MEETING

November 7, 2010: Napoli 2-0 Parma

Edinson Cavani was the star of the show last time the two sides confronted each other. The Uruguay international striker broke the deadlock after just 19 minutes and ensured the points for the former Italian champions four minutes from full time.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Parma: Mirante; Zaccardo, Paci, Lucarelli; Valiani, Morrone, Dzemaili, Modesto; Candreva; Crespo, Bojinov

Napoli: De Sanctis; Santacroce, Cannavaro, Ruiz; Zuniga, Pazienza, Yebda, Vitale; Hamsik; Lavezzi, Cavani

Prediction

Napoli appear to have taken a downward spiral in recent days and will be desperate for a win to revive their Scudetto challenge. Parma are struggling for survival and Walter Mazzarri's visiting team should eventually garner the points.

Parma 1-2 Napoli

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13-03-2011 17:45 Manchester City - Reading

DID YOU KNOW?

* Manchester City's £27 million January signing Edin Dzeko has scored in both his FA Cup appearances but has yet to find the back of the net in seven Premier League appearances.

* City have not lifted a major piece of silverware since they beat Newcastle United 2-1 in the 1976 League Cup final.

* City have needed a replay in two of their three FA Cup ties this season.

* Carlos Tevez has scored five goals in his last seven F.A. Cup appearances.

* Of the games following each of their 10 Europa League fixtures this season, City have won six, lost three and drawn one.

* Reading hot-shot Shane Long was on the score sheet the last time the sides met when he netted the opener in the 2-0 Premier League victory on March 8 2008.

* Reading have won three of the last four meetings against City.

* City have needed a replay to beat Reading on the two occasions they've been drawn in the FA Cup.

* Shane Long has scored four goals in his last four FA Cup appearances.

* City and Reading have played each other 22 times in all competitions, with City winning 10, Reading seven and five games being drawn.


LAST MEETING

March 8, 2008: Reading 2-0 Manchester City
Goals from Shane Long and Dave Kitson temporarily lifted the Royals out of the Premier League relegation zone in a campaign in which they were ultimately destined for the drop.


PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Manchester City: Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta; Barry, de Jong; Silva, Yaya Toure, Tevez; Dzeko.

Reading: McCarthy; Khizanishvili, Gunnarsson, Ingimarsson, Harte; Karacan, Legiertwood, Howard; Hunt, Long, Robson-Kanu.

Prediction

Mancini's injury-ravaged squad has failed to impress in recent weeks. The scrappy nature of the win against Wigan Athletic is likely to be replicated against Brian McDermott's men.

Man City 2-1 Reading

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13-03-2011 17:00 Real Sociedad - Malaga

DID YOU KNOW?

* Malaga have failed to overcome Real Sociedad in their last nine away matches.

* Malaga, bottom of the table, have scored at least six more goals than the eight teams directly above them in La Liga.

* If La Liga was decided on away-form only, they would currently be ninth in the table instead of rock-bottom.

* Real Sociedad haven’t been beaten in their last four league games at home.

* Sociedad have lost just one of their last nine matches at home to the Malaga in La Liga.


LAST MEETING

October 31, 2010: Malaga 1-2 Real Sociedad

The lethal combination of Antoine Griezmann and Llorente was enough to see off Malaga the last time these two teams met. Malaga put in another poor performance at home to a rival team with Juanmi managing to get on the score sheet late on. However, it was too little too late yet again for the Andalusian side.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Real Sociedad: Bravo; Estrada, Demidov, Ansotegi, Gonzalez; Rivas, Illarramendi, Prieto, Zurutuza, Griezmann; Agirretxe

Malaga: Caballerom; Gamez, Demichelis, Weligton , Eliseu; Apono, Recio, Owusu-Abeyie, Maresca, Fernandez; Rondon 

Prediction

Manuel Pellegrini  is an excellent coach in my opinion, and I fancy El Ingeniero to lead Malaga to a priceless away win this weekend against the odds with Real Sociedad unbeaten at home in their last four league games.  

Real Sociedad 1-2 Malaga

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13-03-2011 17:00 Osasuna - Racing Santander

DID YOU KNOW?

* Osasuna have failed to beat Racing Santander in their previous eleven league attempts.

* Los Rojillos have amassed three wins and three draws from their last six league matches in Pamplona.

* Racing Santander have taken all three points on their last four league visits to the Reyno de Navarra.

* Racing have failed to score more than a solitary goal in a single away match in La Liga this season.

* However, the Racinguistas have now gone three straight league games without defeat away from home.

LAST MEETING

October 31, 2010: Racing Santander 4-1 Osasuna

Racing Santander easily despatched of their Pamplona counterparts the last time these two sides met. Markus Rosenberg helped himself to a brace either side of Kennedy’s opener, and Torrejon’s 85th minute strike. A converted penalty from Javad Nekounam shortly before the hour mark was all Osasuna had to show from the game.


PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Osasuna: Ricardo, Damia, Flano, Lolo, Calleja, Punal, Nekounam, Cejudo, Masoud, Camunas, Lekic

Racing Santander: Tono, Pinillos, Osman, Torrejon, Christian, Lacen, Colsa, Kennedy, Munitis, dos Santos, Rosenberg

Prediction

Osasuna scraped a much-needed victory against lowly Malaga last weekend and will be looking to pile more misery on Racing after their 3-1 defeat at home to Los Blancos. I anticipate a lot of goals in this one with both teams seemingly susceptible to defensive frailties.

Osasuna 2-2 Racing

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