10.12. (Sat) 22:00 Real - Barcelona

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REAL MADRID Casillas Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo Xabi Alonso, Diarra, Khedira Di Maria, Benzema/Higuain, Ronaldo

BARCELONA   Valdes Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta Messi, Cesc, Sanchez

Jose Mourinho looks set to deploy Alvaro Arbeloa at right-back after the defender returned from injury in the midweek Champions League win over Ajax. Sergio Ramos and Pepe will continue their partnership at the heart of the defence, with Ricardo Carvalho still injured.

Xabi Alonso returns from suspension and will play alongside Lassana Diarra, while Sami Khedira is likely to be given the nod ahead of Fabio Coentrao to complete a three-man midfield.

Mourinho has already confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria will start the game in support of either Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain.

Despite suffering concussion in last weekend's 5-0 victory over Levante, Carles Puyol is winning his battle to start at centre-half alongside Gerard Pique, with Barcelona set to opt for a four-man backline, although Pep Guardiola has indicated he has considered utilising a back-three, as he has done on several occasions this season.

Guardiola has no major injury woes and has a selection dilemma in midfield and attack. Sergio Busquets is expected to shield the defence with Xavi and Andres Iniesta likely to provide the creativity in the middle of the park.

David Villa is set to miss out again as Guardiola is likely to select Chile forward Alexis Sanchez on the left, with Cesc Fabregas deployed in the 'false nine' position and Lionel Messi reverting to a right-wing role.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Real Madrid have won only one of their previous 11 meetings with their Catalan rivals (losing seven and drawing the other three).

• However, Los Blancos have won six out of eight of their last meetings versus Barcelona when the sides have met in the month of December (one defeat, one draw).

• Madrid have not dropped a single point after scoring first in Liga since the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign, with every other team dropping at least 18 points in this period.

• Barcelona have won only three of their last 10 Liga away fixtures, this coming after setting the record for most consecutive away victories last season (12).

• Lionel Messi has scored on his last five visits to the Santiago Bernabeu, netting a total of seven goals in the process.

• Pep Guardiola's men have scored more goals in the opening 15 minutes than any other side in La Liga this season (11), while Madrid have netted the most strikes in the last 15 (10).

Prediction

Real Madrid have home advantage and are in brilliant form, but Pep Guardiola's men cannot afford to lose this game. With both sides boasting squads of similar quality, especially in attack, it's difficult to see anything other than a score draw at the Bernabeu, in what is sure to be an intensely-contested encounter.

Editor's Prediction

Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona

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10.12. (Sat) 20:45 Inter - Fiorentina

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INTER Julio Cesar Faraoni, Ranocchia, Samuel, NagatomoCambiasso Alvarez, Stankovic, Motta, Zarate Pazzini

FIORENTINA Boruc De Silvestri, Gamberini, Natali, Pasqual Behrami, Montolivo, Vargas,  Lazzari Jovetic, Gilardino

Inter coach Claudio Ranieri will need to tinker with his back-four as Lucio, Cristian Chivu and Maicon are all out with injuries. Wesley Sneijder and Sulley Muntari will also miss the clash on Saturday while Javier Zanetti is suspended after picking up the first red card of his Serie A career last weekend. Diego Forlan is still nursing an injury and is not yet ready to return to the fold.
Fiorentina boss Delio Rossi does not have too many injury worries but will be without the services of influential defenders Mattia Cassani and Per Kroldrup at the weekend.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Inter have picked up only three wins in 10 home games in all competitions so far this season.

• The Nerazzurri have scored just five goals in their last five Serie A encounters.

• Ranieri's men have lost four league games by a one-goal margin this term.

• Fiorentina have kept seven clean sheets this season, which is second only to Udinese.

• The Viola are winless on the road this term and have only scored one goal on their Serie A travels.

• Rossi's side have been held scoreless in three out of their last four games.

Prediction

Inter need a win to distance themselves from the relegation zone, and while Fiorentina struggle for goals away from home, the Nerazzurri don't have the necessary firepower up front to secure all three points.

Editor's Prediction

Inter 0-0 Fiorentina

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10.12. (Sat) 20:00 Betis - Valencia

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REAL BETIS   Castro Isidoro, Ustaritz, Dorado, Nacho Benat, Iriney, Sevilla Castro, Santa Cruz, Pereira

VALENCIA Alves Barragan, Rami, Ruiz, Alba Albelda, T Costa Piatti, Jonas, Mathieu Soldado

Betis look set for the contest with no major injury news, and although they eventually suffered defeat at Osasuna last weekend, their nine loss in 10 matches, the board at the Sevilla club have indicated that Pepe Mel will remain in charge until the end of the season.

Valencia look to bounce back from Tuesday's Champions League elimination to Chelsea by fielding a full-strength team. Roberto Soldado will likely start after Aritz Aduriz featured last weekend.

On the injury front, Ever Banega is still recovering from a knee injury, but may earn a few minutes against Betis, though it does not look likely.

Sergio Canales is still out until April with a knee injury, while Hedwiges Maduro looks to return in February with an ankle injury. In goal, Vicente Guaita is still nearing fitness and may make the start in favour of Diego Alves, who has not been in form as of late.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Real Betis are in 17th place in the league, only one point above the relegation zone. Racing Santander and Sporting Gijon have 12 points, while Real Zargoza are last with 10. 

• The Sevilla-based club won their first four league games but have not seen victory since, losing nine and drawing one.

• Betis have allowed nine goals at home in the league. Only two teams have conceded more, as Zaragoza and Saturday's opponents have allowed 11.

• Valencia were eliminated from the Champions League group stage on Tuesday when they lost 3-0 to Chelsea in London. 

• Los Che currently sit in third place in La Liga with 30 points, four ahead of Levante.
  
• Striker Roberto Soldado has nine league goals, good enough for fourth place in the Pichichi rankings.

Prediction

Betis have been the most out of form team in the league as of late, and the trend should continue as Valencia look to bounce back from their Champions League failure.

Editor's Prediction

Betis 1-3 Valencia

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French Ligue 1 Opta Facts - 10th and 11th December

Nancy v Ajaccio

Ajaccio have never won at Nancy in Ligue 1, picking up just one point in four visits.
Nancy have failed to win any of their last three home league matches against newly promoted opposition.
Ajaccio are winless in their last 11 league matches, currently the longest run.
Nancy have scored a league-low 12 goals this term.
Ajaccio have conceded more than one goal in each of the last seven matchdays.
Ajaccio are the only side without a clean sheet in Ligue 1 this season.

Rennes v Brest

Brest have lost each of their last three trips to Rennes in all competitions.
Rennes are unbeaten at home this season in any competition.
Six of the last eight competitive games at the Route de Lorient stadium have ended in draws.
Brest have won just one of their last 21 away Ligue 1 matches.
Following their 2-0 at Bordeaux in October 2010, Brest have failed to score more than once in 21 away Ligue 1 fixtures.
Bruno Grougi scored from the penalty spot in both of his two Ligue 1 appearances against Rennes.

St Etienne v Caen

Caen have never won in 11 previous trips to St Etienne's Geoffroy-Guichard stadium in the top flight.
Caen have conceded 19 goals in their last six league trips to St Etienne.
St Etienne have lost just one of their last 10 league games.
St Etienne have scored in each of their last 14 home matches, currently the longest run in Ligue 1.
Caen have yet to keep a clean sheet away from home this season in Ligue 1.
None of St Etienne's Pierre-Emmerick Aubameyang's six Ligue 1 goals this season have come at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium.
Romanian international Banel Nicolita has scored in St Etienne's last two home league matches.

Sochaux v Paris SG

Sochaux have lost a greater percentage of their Ligue 1 games against PSG (58%) than versus any other opponent.
The Parisians have failed to win any of their last five competitive games away from home.
Sochaux have scored in all of their last 13 home games in Ligue 1.
22 of the 30 goals conceded by Sochaux this season in Ligue 1 have come in the second half of games.
28 goals have been scored at the Bonal stadium this season, more than at any other Ligue 1 venue.
Since joining Paris SG, Mevlut Erding has scored four goals in as many Ligue 1 appearances against his former club Sochaux.

Toulouse v Evian TG

Toulouse have won each of their last three league encounters against newly promoted sides by the same 2-0 score line.
Toulouse have kept clean sheets in their last five home games in Ligue 1.
Evian Thonon Gaillard have scored in nine consecutive Ligue 1 matches, currently the longest run.
ETG have been in the lead at half time in each of the last five matchdays.
Veteran midfielder Cedric Barbosa has scored or assisted eight of ETG's last 15 league goals.

Valenciennes v Montpellier

Montpellier are unbeaten in their last five Ligue 1 meetings against Valenciennes, winning four of these games.
Valenciennes have suffered only one defeat in their last 18 home league matches.
Montpellier are unbeaten in their last eight Ligue 1 matches, winning the last three.
Valenciennes have opened the scoring fewer times than any other side this season in Ligue 1 (four), while Montpellier have scored first on 11 occasions, a league-high.
Montpellier have already scored more Ligue 1 goals this term than during the whole of last season.
Olivier Giroud has scored in both of his two Ligue 1 appearances against Valenciennes.

Marseille v Bordeaux

In 48 previous trips to Marseille in Ligue 1, Bordeaux have managed just five wins.
Marseille have won their last three home league matches, keeping a clean sheet in the process.
Marseille have won five of their last six Ligue 1 matches.
The Ayew brothers have been directly involved (goal or assist) in Marseille's last four league goals.
Since joining Bordeaux, Anthony Modeste has scored in both of his two Ligue 1 appearances against Marseille.
Didier Deschamps has never lost a Ligue 1 match against a side managed by Francis Gillot, winning four and drawing one.

Auxerre v Nice

Nice have suffered 2-0 defeats in three of their last four trips to Auxerre in Ligue 1.
None of the last six league meetings between Auxerre and Nice have seen more than two goals.
Auxerre have lost seven of their last eight competitive matches.
Nice have won only one of their last 25 away Ligue 1 matches.
Nice have picked up only one point away from home this season, fewer than any other Ligue 1 side.
Nice left back Fabián Monzón has scored more goals than any other Ligue 1 defender this season (four, all from the penalty spot).

Lille v Dijon

Lille are unbeaten in their last 11 league matches against newly promoted opposition, winning 10 of these games.
Lille are unbeaten in the last 14 matchdays, currently the longest run.
Dijon have conceded 18 goals in their eight away Ligue 1 games this term, keeping only one clean sheet in the process.
Lille have scored in 25 of their last 26 home matches in Ligue 1.
Moussa Sow's five league goals this season have all been scored at the Stadium Nord.
Joe Cole has yet to lose a Ligue 1 game (12 appearances).

Lorient v Lyon

Lorient have suffered more Ligue 1 defeats against Lyon (nine) than versus any other opponent.
Lorient have lost just one of their last 24 home league matches.
None of Lyon's last 13 league matches have ended in a draw, currently the longest run.
Lisandro has scored 14 goals in his last 17 Ligue 1 starts.
Lorient have conceded only three goals at home this season, fewer than any other side.
Lorient have kept a clean sheet in their last four home matches, currently the longest run in Ligue 1.
Lyon have scored three goals in two consecutive league matches for the first time since last February.

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10-12-2011 Bodovi Renu NENAD DŽODIĆ (MONPELJE, FRANCUSKA 1)

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