29/12/10

Chelsea vs Bolton Preview

Chelsea vs Bolton Preview

 

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka is a doubt for Wednesday night's Barclays Premier League clash with Bolton at Stamford Bridge.
Anelka missed Monday night's 3-1 defeat by Arsenal with a knee problem, while Alex, Yuri Zhirkov and Yossi Benayoun remain sidelined.
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti indicated on Monday night there will be few, if any, changes against Bolton.
Bolton are short on numbers for Wednesday's game.
The Trotters had just 19 fully-fit first-teamers available for their Boxing Day win over West Brom but have now lost South Korea winger Lee Chung-yong to the Asia Cup.
Defender Gretar Steinsson is also doubtful with a knee injury while Tamir Cohen remains on compassionate leave.
Joey O'Brien, Sean Davis, Ricardo Gardner and Jlloyd Samuel are all still sidelined.
Teams:
Chelsea (from): Cech, Turnbull, Bosingwa, Hilario, Ivanovic, Ferreira, Cole, Terry, Essien, Lampard, Mikel, Ramires, McEachran, Malouda, Kalou, Drogba, Anelka, Bruma, Sturridge, Kakuta, Van Aanholt.
Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Bogdan, Cahill, Steinsson, Knight, Robinson, Holden, Muamba, Petrov, K Davies, Elmander, Blake, Taylor, Klasnic, Ricketts, Alonso, Moreno, M Davies.

Under-2.40
Over-1.53

Liverpool vs Wolves Preview

Liverpool vs Wolves Preview

 

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will make his long-awaited return from a hamstring injury at home to Wolves on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old midfielder's comeback after more than six weeks on the sidelines has been delayed twice after their last two matches against Fulham and Blackpool were postponed because of the cold weather.
Centre-back Daniel Agger has also finally recovered from a complicated calf problem which had sidelined him since September 25.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy will again be without a number of key players.
McCarthy will have to again rely on the squad available for Sunday's 2-1 home reversal by Wigan - a result which sent them to the bottom of the table.
Skipper Karl Henry (knee), Jody Craddock (hip), Kevin Doyle (thigh), Michael Mancienne (knee) and Steve Mouyokolo (back) are still ruled out.
The only consolation for McCarthy is that winger Kevin Jarvis and striker Steven Fletcher will be in contention to start.
They were only fit enough to be on the substitutes' bench against the Latics because of a knee injury and illness respectively.
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Konchesky, Kuyt, Meireles, Lucas, Rodriguez, Gerrard, Torres, Jones, Kelly, Aurelio, Poulsen, Cole, Ngog, Babel, Agger, Shelvey.
Wolves: Hennessey, Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi, Foley, Edwards, Milijas, Hunt, Ward, Ebanks-Blake, Hahnemann, Fletcher, Jarvis, Jones, Bent, Mujangi Bia, Doherty

Under-2.10
Over-1.70

Wigan vs Arsenal Preview

Wigan vs Arsenal Preview

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas must serve a one-match suspension at Wigan after picking up his fifth yellow card in the win over Chelsea.
Abou Diaby, fit again after an ankle problem, could start alongside Russian winger Andrey Arshavin, who was an unused substitute against Chelsea.
Striker Marouane Chamakh and centre-back Sebastien Squillaci are also in contention but Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles), goalkeeper Manuel Almunia (ankle) and Kieran Gibbs (ankle) are out.
Hendry Thomas and Maynor Figueroa will return for Wigan as the Latics look to halt Arsenal's momentum.
The Honduras pair missed Sunday's win at Wolves through suspension and manager Roberto Martinez is set to freshen up his team despite their much-needed triumph.
Emmerson Boyce (hamstring) and Franco Di Santo (ankle) are still not fit to return while James McCarthy and Victor Moses are long-term casualties.
Teams:
Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Wilshere, Walcott, van Persie, Nasri, Szczesny, Rosicky, Squillaci, Arshavin, Chamakh, Bendtner, Vela.
Wigan: Al Habsi, Stam, Alcaraz, Figueroa, S Caldwell, G Caldwell, Gohouri, Watson, N'Zogbia, Diame, Cleverley, McArthur, Thomas, Rodallega, Boselli, Gomez, McManaman, Golobart, Mustoe, Pollitt.

Under-2.00

 Over-1.80

20/12/10

Man City vs Everton Preview

Man City vs Everton Preview

 

Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez is expected to return in the Barclays Premier League match against Everton on Monday.
Tevez was rested on Thursday night when the team drew with Juventus in the Europa League after missing the West Ham victory through suspension.
Aleksandar Kolarov is also available after a ban but Nigel de Jong sits it out under the totting up procedure.

Under-1.70
Over-2.10

29/11/10

Barcelona v Real Madrid Preview

Barcelona v Real Madrid Preview

 

Pep Guardiola is still sweating on the fitness of Lionel Messi ahead of El Clasico with Real Madrid.
The Barcelona coach however believes his side can win with or without the Argentina winger.
Messi picked up a thigh injury in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao and was missing as Barca beat Inter Milan 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
"I will decide tomorrow whether Messi plays or not," Guardiola said.
"I would rather he is playing than not playing, of course, but we can beat Real Madrid with or without Messi."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic also faces a race against the clock to be fit as he recovers from a muscle problem picked up in Barca's 4-2 win at home to Mallorca a fortnight ago.
Yaya Toure could also return after recovering from a bout of swine flu, but Gabi Milito is still on the way back from a long-term knee injury.
Barca led the Primera Division until last weekend's draw in Bilbao, which saw them drop to second, a point behind Madrid.
"There is a general consensus that we are the better team, that we play more attractive football, but they are the ones who are leaders," Guardiola said.
And the former Barca captain knows Manuel Pellegrini's side poses the biggest threat yet to his side's perfect league record at the Nou Camp.
"They have only let in four goals away from home and historically, they have always come here to win," he added.
"I can't imagine they will come here and sit back, they will look to dominate and try and beat us."
Pellegrini confirmed that Madrid will set out to attack.
"We are going to the Nou Camp to attack. We will play with our weapons, which are different to those of Barcelona, but which are just as good as theirs," he said today.
Pellegrini praised Guardiola's Barca side, but claimed the Catalans are not the better of the two teams.
"Pep Guardiola's team plays football very well and has a lot of quality, but they are not superior to us," he said.
"We wouldn't be happy with a draw, we know exactly what we are going to do at the Nou Camp."
Pellegrini will make a last-minute decision on centre-back Raul Albiol, who has been struggling with a knee ligament strain picked up against Zurich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Christoph Metzelder, Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Guti are all sidelined.
One player likely to start tomorrow night is Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portugal winger was recently sidelined for almost two months, but made his long-awaited comeback in the 1-0 win over Zurich, playing 20 minutes.
"There is no set amount of time for Cristiano to play at the Nou Camp, so let's see how long he plays," Pellegrini added.
Barcelona won the corresponding fixture 2-0 last season, thanks to late goals from Samuel Eto'o and Messi, in what was the first game in Juande Ramos' brief reign as Madrid coach.

Under-2.10
Over-1.70

 

El Clasico: Clash of the Titans!

El Clasico: Clash of the Titans!

 

It’s the 159th showdown between La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and it promises to be a cracker!
Barca take on the mega-money cast of Real for the first time this season, knowing that their quest for a second treble rests of their ability to keep Los Blancos at bay in the League. La Blaugrana have the added motivation to win so as to prove that big spending does not equate to wins and titles.
The Bernabeu boys will go into the game with the best record in La Liga so far, with nine wins, one draw and one loss. Barca are just one point behind Manuel Pellegrini's men, with 28 points from eight wins and three draws.


Barcelona news ahead of El Clasico:
Xavi has demanded Barcelona remain faithful to their attacking philosophy by dictating the game against bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has signed a contract extension with Barca to keep him at the club until 2015.
Carles Puyol believes that Sunday's El Clasico will be a close affair but added that Barcelona are high on confidence after their victory over Inter, while Gerard Pique is in a confident mood ahead of this weekend's showdown against Real Madrid.
Finally, former Barcelona striker Henrik Larsson reckons the Catalans are playing the best football on the planet, and Gary Lineker has lent his support to La Blaugrana, adding that El Clasico transcends football in Spain.
Real Madrid news before the Nou Camp showdown:
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo wants to be involved in his first El Clasico and claims he will be undaunted by the hostile reception at Barcelona's Nou Camp.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso heads into his first 'clasico' insisting the showdown with Barca "will be important but not decisive" in the title race.
Centre-back Pepe insists that Real Madrid do not fear Barcelona as both sides clash this Sunday.
Fellow defender Sergio Ramos has told realmadrid.com that Barcelona were lucky to win three titles last season.

24/11/10

Rangers vs Man Utd Preview

Rangers vs Man Utd Preview

 

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson goes into Wednesday's clash with Rangers promising that the return of Wayne Rooney will bring about a settled strikeforce.
Ferguson has rotated his attacking options regularly this season with Rooney struggling with form, fitness and personal problems.
Dimitar Berbatov began the season in exhilarating style but has regressed recently. But Ferguson has pledged that the Bulgarian will be united with Rooney on a consistent basis from now on in a bid to improve results.
"We have been changing the strikers quite a lot recently and I have to accept responsibility for changing it too much," Ferguson said.
"Now we are going to have a more consistent look about our team.
"We have a lot of good young options but hopefully we can get Wayne Rooney back to his best and Dimitar is suited to playing with Wayne."
If the return of Rooney to the starting line-up dominates debate over Ferguson's team selection, Berbatov's slump in form is not that far behind.
During a stellar first month of the campaign, United's £30.75million record buy was in outstanding form, capped by a brilliant hat-trick against Liverpool.
But he did not even make the bench for the weekend win over Wigan and doubt is again being raised about his long-term future.
"It has not taken Dimitar back to square one," Ferguson insisted. "In our game it is very difficult to play well every week.
"We are in a competitive league. The results themselves tell you something. Getting consistency of performance from front players is very difficult.
"Look around at other clubs. They are finding it much the same as us."
Opposite number Walter Smith is praying Rooney is not yet up to speed - but knows his side could find themselves up against a revitalised Rooney instead in what is a vital game for the Scottish champions.
The 25-year-old is set to start in Glasgow after making his comeback from injury as a substitute against Wigan, having completed a period of rehabilitation in the United States for an ankle problem.
And Smith said: "Once you get rid of all the stuff that was going on in the background, they will be looking forward to getting him back playing again.
"I can only hope tomorrow that he's a little bit rusty through lack of activity in terms of games.
"From a Manchester United point of view, they will be delighted to have him back."
Smith has worries over his own team selection, with Madjid Bougherra and Maurice Edu both sidelined and Sasa Papac rated doubtful, meaning he will have to rethink the ultra-defensive formation which has served him well in the majority of European outings so far.
He said: "The squad is weakened, I don't think there is any doubt about that.
"We've lost not only them. If we lose Papac, they are three players who have started for us regularly.
"The injuries to Andy Webster and James Beattie are also causing us a little bit of a problem in terms of players to come in and fill the breach for us.
"There is no doubt that losing Bougherra and Edu will be a problem for us. We don't have a big squad of players and we find ourselves down to more or less the 11 players tomorrow night.
"We have to change our way of playing in this game by the nature of the fact that we've got a few injury problems that will cause us to do that. We will see how we handle it. Hopefully we can still get together and do well."

Under-1.95
Over-1.85

Panathinaikos vs Barcelona Preview

Panathinaikos vs Barcelona Preview

 

Barcelona will take on Panathinaikos looking to secure their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Barcelona must first put all thoughts of next week`s mouthwatering Primera Division showdown with Real Madrid to the back of their minds.
Barca host arch rivals Madrid at the Nou Camp next Monday and will be looking to replace Jose Mourinho`s side at the top of the standings, with one point currently separating the two Spanish giants.
However, before then Barca have the chance to not only progress through to the knockout stages of the Champions League but also guarantee top spot if they can beat Panathinaikos in Athens and the other Group D match goes their way.
With two matches remaining, Pep Guardiola`s side are a point clear of FC Copenhagen at the top of the table, with Rubin Kazan five points behind and Pana six adrift.
Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta acknowledges there is great interest in the clash with Madrid, but is confident Guardiola`s men will be focused solely on their European challenge.
"It`s true that since we started the season it seems everyone has been waiting for this game (against Madrid), but the clasico would mean nothing without all the other matches," he said.
"The Champions League is a vital part of the season for us, and so this game is very important for qualification, for first place and everything that happens later in this competition."
He added: "I`ve never seen this team hold anything back. They like competing. They are very good at focusing on the important aims. The game with Almeria was a good example of that, if you don't get caught napping in the league then it's difficult for that to happen in the Champions League."
Barca warmed up for the trip to Greece by thrashing Almeria 8-0 on Saturday - equalling the club`s biggest-ever away win in La Liga.
Lionel Messi struck a hat-trick in that match, which was his sixth treble of 2010 for Barca and took his tally to 15 goals in his last 10 appearances for the club.
Panathinaikos also enjoyed a victory at the weekend, beating Iraklis 4-2 to move joint top of the Greek standings with Olympiacos.
Jacek Gmoch was in charge for that match following the departure of coach Nikos Nioplias, but Jesualdo Ferreira was named as Pana`s new coach on the same day.
Ferreira was recently sacked as coach of Barca`s Primera Division rivals Malaga just a few months into a three-year contract.
Pana are not in such good shape in the Champions League having recorded just two points and one goal from their opening four games, but nevertheless Zubizarreta is anticipating a testing time for Barca at the Spiros Louis Stadium - where Pana have lost only three of their last 58 league games.
"Whenever we go to Greece we expect highly competitive teams, and a lot of noise and pressure from the stands. I don't know what we`ll find, but that`s what we're expecting. We have the utmost respect for an important ground and a great, historic team, with good, experienced players."

Under-2.20
Over-1.65

 

22/11/10

Sunderland vs Everton Preview

Sunderland vs Everton Preview

 

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is hoping that leading scorer Darren Bent can return for Monday night's clash with Everton.
The 26-year-old has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, but is back in training and may be available once again.
Danny Welbeck, who has partnered record signing Asamoah Gyan in Bent's absence, is expected to recover from a tight hamstring, but John Mensah (shoulder) and Anton Ferdinand (hamstring) will be missing once again. David Meyler is working his way back towards full match fitness following a serious knee injury, but Fraizer Campbell (also knee) remains on the sidelines.
Everton are again without midfielder Marouane Fellaini.
The Belgium international is serving the second match of a three-game suspension for his sending off against Bolton earlier this month.
Manager David Moyes has reported no fresh injury concerns following this week's midweek internationals.
That leaves Leon Osman (ankle), Victor Anichebe (knee) and Ross Barkley (broken leg) as the only major absentees.
Teams
Sunderland (from): Mignolet, Gordon, Onuoha, Bardsley, Richardson, Angeleri, Turner, Bramble, Da Silva, Cattermole, Riveros, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Zenden, Bent, Gyan, Welbeck, Adams.
Everton (from): Howard, Neville, Distin, Jagielka, Baines, Coleman, Cahill, Pienaar, Heitinga, Arteta, Saha, Rodwell, Yakubu, Bilyaletdinov, Beckford, Gueye, Hibbert, Baxter, Duffy, Mucha.

Under-1.60
Over-2.30

13/11/10

Inter Milan vs AC Milan Preview

Inter Milan vs AC Milan Preview

 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fired up to face his former club Inter Milan for Sunday's city derby.
The Sweden international joined AC Milan on loan from Barcelona having quit Inter last year after winning three Serie A titles.
Ahead of the encounter at the San Siro which will see Milan acting as visitors, Ibrahimovic took a swipe at his old club.
"When you feel that you can no longer grow in a team, that you no longer have the right motivation, you look for something else," said Ibrahimovic."At Inter I had arrived to that point.
"I needed the change and then, of course, I joined a stronger team."
Ibrahimovic is not concerned by the frosty welcome he will get from the Nerazzurri supporters.
"I welcome their jeers as they fire me up even more," he said.
"It just adds to the motivation.
"Inter are now a rival team for me. I play for Milan and I will do everything to beat Inter."
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri hopes Ibrahimovic can deliver up front with team's top scorer Alexandre Pato and veteran striker Filippo Inzaghi out of action through injury.
Pato will be sidelined for six weeks with a muscle problem while Inzaghi's campaign is all but over with a serious knee injury.
Despite those setbacks, Milan go into the game leading the Serie A table for the first time in two years.
Wednesday's 3-1 triumph over Palermo saw the Rossoneri go one point clear of Lazio and they are three ahead of Inter after 11 games played.
Inter, meanwhile, have dropped to fourth place after draws against Brescia and Lecce this week.
However, Inter Milan midfielder Dejan Stankovic is convinced his team can return to winning ways on Sunday.
"We are very motivated to do well," he said.
"I'm not worried because even though we have lost a few points in recent weeks, Milan are just three points clear of us.
"I'm sure we will turn things around on Sunday.
"Motivation will not be lacking because the derby is always a beautiful and important game."
Inter suffered a huge blow this week when a knee injury ended Argentina defender Walter Samuel's season, but the Nerazzurri welcome back Dutch international Wesley Sneijder.
Sneijder was rested for Wednesday's 1-1 draw at Lecce.

Under-1.66
Over-2.15

Sampdoria vs Chievo Preview

Sampdoria vs Chievo Preview

 

Sampdoria coach Domenico Di Carlo admits his team are "hungry" to halt their slide down the Serie A table when they take on Chievo.
The Blucerchiati have clinched just one win in their last four games and Thursday's 1-0 loss at Parma dropped Samp to seventh in the table.
Moreover, they have failed to score in their last two league matches and Di Carlo is aware it is a downward spiral they need to get out of quickly.
"We're hoping to reverse our fortunes," he said.
"The last few weeks have been difficult not only in terms of results and we have tried to understand what went wrong without forgetting what we have done before."
Samp have been distracted by Antonio Cassano's ongoing saga.
The Italian striker was dropped from the team for indiscipline last month and his future at the club remains uncertain.
"I cannot say anything regarding Cassano's situation until the club speaks out," said Di Carlo.
In the meantime, Di Carlo knows Chievo, whom he guided for two years before joining Samp this summer, will be no pushovers.
Chievo are level on 15 points with Samp after 11 games.
"Chievo are very dangerous when playing away from home," he said.
"They have won at difficult grounds like Genoa and Napoli.
"But my players are hungry after Thursday's defeat and I hope they will raise their game in order to clinch three points on Sunday."
Chievo go into the encounter at the Luigi Ferraris stadium on the back of a goalless draw to Bari.
Stefano Pioli's side have won just once in their last seven games.
The visitors will be without defender Bostjan Cesar and midfielder Kevin Constant, both suspended.
The only consolation for Pioli is that striker Cyril Thereau and defender Marco Andreoli will be available having shaken off muscular injuries.

Under-1.60
Over-2.30

Bologna vs Brescia Preview

Bologna vs Brescia Preview

 

Brescia striker Andrea Caracciolo is expecting a tough afternoon when he and his team-mates travel to Bologna.
In a battle between two sides that could be in a relegation fight at the end of the season, Brescia hold the last position of safety but are level on 11 points with third-bottom Bologna.
Brescia held Juventus to a 1-1 draw in midweek having previously clinched a point at Inter Milan and Caracciolo is predicting another hard match.
"Bologna is a tough ground to play at," said Caracciolo. "The Rossoblu play well in general and remain unbeaten at home.
"It will be a difficult game but then all games in Serie A are challenging.
"Our objective this weekend is not to concede a goal.
"I think we have made some progress with this lately.''
Giuseppe Iachini´s Brescia have given away two goals in their last two games, including one against Juve, who have the best striking force in the competition.
Iachini has stressed the importance of improving their record on their travels as Brescia have won just once on the road this season.
"We must look ahead to Sunday,'' he said. "We take on a side that is below us in the table and we must stop the rot with regards to picking up points on the road."
Wednesday´s 1-0 defeat at Genoa dropped Bologna to the relegation zone with Omar Milanetto´s goal nine minutes from time denying them a share of the spoils.
"It´s a pity to have lost at Genoa but we must react immediately," said Bologna captain Marco Di Vaio. "We will have the support of our fans in order to take an important result at home."
Bologna coach Alberto Malesani will have all of his players available for the encounter with defender Daniele Portanova having recovered from a muscular injury.

Under-1.66
Over-2.15

 

Udinese vs Lecce Preview

Udinese vs Lecce Preview

 

Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin is looking for an immediate response to his side's first defeat in six weeks against Lecce.
Guidolin's men head into Sunday's home match against Lecce on the back of a 1-0 loss at Catania that ended a six-game unbeaten run.
"Against Catania we lacked the incisive cutting edge that we had shown in our previous games," said Guidolin.
"It's a defeat that burns but we have an opportunity to bounce back immediately.
"We will be without three key players on Sunday but we have enough talent to overcome those absences."
Giampiero Pinzi and Giovanni Pasquale will serve a one-match ban on Sunday while Cristian Zapata is out of action through injury.
The good news for Guidolin is that Italy international Antonio Di Natale has recovered from a thigh injury that saw him miss the game at Catania.
Di Natale will lead Udinese's attack alongside Floro Flores.
Lecce travel to the Friuli Stadium in buoyant mood after holding Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw in midweek.
"My team never showed any fear," said Lecce coach Luigi De Canio.
"My players displayed character, heart and determination and were rewarded for their efforts."
Di Canio expects more of the same on Sunday if Lecce are to end their winless run on the road this season.
Lecce have scored just one goal in their last three games while Udinese have conceded three times in their last seven matches.
Lecce , who are two points behind 12th-place Udinese, have picked up just one point away from home so far.

Under-1.80 
Over-2.00

Palermo vs Catania Preview

Palermo vs Catania Preview

 

Catania visit Palermo for their Sicilian showdown looking to claim their first victory on the road this season.
Ten months have passed since Catania last celebrated a triumph on their travels.
With just two points from five games away from home, Marco Giampaolo´s men have had to rely on their results at the Massimino Stadium to remain clear of the relegation zone.
Wednesday´s 1-0 triumph over Udinese allowed Catania to return to winning ways after two consecutive draws and was their third win of the season.
The outcome allowed Giampaolo´s side to climb to 10th in the standings, level on 14 points with Palermo and three clear of the drop zone.
"My players gave a solid performance against Udinese and this win will no doubt give the team a boost in confidence for our next game," said Giampaolo.
"We have struggled to get results away from home and we need to show more determination on our travels.''
Palermo head into the encounter at La Favorita determined to bounce back from Wednesday´s 3-1 loss at AC Milan, their third defeat in four games.
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini was so disenchanted after his club's defeat to Milan that on Thursday he announced the club would be put up for sale.
The Rossaneri will look to put their frustrations behind them with a win on Sunday.
"We are not happy with the game at the San Siro," said Palermo captain Fabrizio Miccoli.
"But we must look forward with the right spirit because on Sunday we face the derby at home and for us this is a very important game."
Palermo coach Delio Rossi will be without injured midfielder Javier Pastore.
The visitors will be without midfielder Pablo Ledesma, who serves a one-match ban, but welcome back Alessandro Potenza from suspension.

Under-1.75
Over-2.05

Bari vs Parma Preview

Bari vs Parma Preview

 

Parma captain Stefano Morrone hopes his side can build on Thursday's triumph over Sampdoria by recording beating Bari.
Valeri Bojinov's late goal saw Parma edge Samp to end a nine-match winless run.
The outcome was Parma's second triumph of the campaign and lifted the Gialloblu to 16th in the standings.
"We wanted and needed this win," said Morrone. "We have taken the first step on a new path.
"But we have to continue to work hard because on Sunday we face a more important game.
"We have little time to recover but we have to get our energy back because this game is crucial for us."
Sunday's game at the San Nicola stadium is a battle between two sides that could be in a relegation fight at the end of the season.
Bari lie bottom of the standings, just two points behind Parma.
Despite the Galletti having claimed just one point in their last six games, Bari coach Giampiero Ventura believes his team is showing signs of improvement.
"To have held Chievo to a goalless draw was an important result for us considering we had seven players out injured," he said.
"The team showed a lot of determination against Chievo and I hope they can do the same against Parma on Sunday."
Bari will be bolstered by the return of midfielders Edgar Alvarez and Alessandro Gazzi, who have recovered from the injuries that saw them miss Wednesday's goalless draw at Chievo.

Under-1.65 
Over-2.20

Cagliari vs Genoa Preview

Cagliari vs Genoa Preview

 

Genoa boss Davide Ballardini hopes his team can end a good week on a high note when they travel to Cagliari.
The former Palermo and Cagliari coach replaced sacked Gian Piero Gasperini earlier this week and enjoyed a winning start to his reign by guiding the Grifoni to a 1-0 victory over Bologna on Wednesday.
The result was Genoa's first win since October 3 and saw them climb to 11th in the standings.
"The players deserve this," said Ballardini. "I have only been training the team for several days and I was curious to see how the team would respond.
"I am very pleased with the outcome but I know there is still a lot of work to do.
"We must give continuity to this result."
Cagliari are three points behind Genoa but will fancy their chances with the Grifoni having won just once on the road this season.
The Sardinians head into the encounter at the Sant' Elia eager to put Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Napoli behind them.
Cagliari thought they had secured a point only to be denied by Napoli's Ezequiel Lavezzi's last-gasp winner.
"It´s disappointing to lose in the last seconds of the game," said Cagliari coach Pier Paolo Bisoli.
"But we need to put this defeat behind us.
"We showed against Napoli that we have the right mentality and quality to do well.
"We just need to focus on the positives and make the most of our chances against Genoa."
The hosts will be without injured trio Andrea Lazzari, Francesco Pisano and Daniele Ragatzu.

Under-1.66
Over-2.15

 

Lazio vs Napoli Preview

Lazio vs Napoli Preview

 

Lazio striker Sergio Floccari is confident he and his team-mates can end a two-match losing streak when they host Napoli.
The Biancoceleste saw their five-match winning run halted in last weekend's 2-0 defeat to Roma in the city derby, their first setback at home this season.
Three days later, Lazio's spell at the top of Serie A ended as their 1-0 loss at Cesena coupled with AC Milan's 3-1 triumph over Palermo saw the Rossoneri leapfrog the Romans into first place.
"Against Cesena we missed a chance to recover from the derby defeat," said Floccari.
"But we cannot get depressed because we risk the possibility that this loss could hinder us even more.
"We must turn the page and try to end the week in the best possible way.
"We are still in a good position in the standings and we cannot throw away all the good work we have done so far."
A win on Sunday could see Lazio regain top spot provided AC Milan fail to win at Inter.
Lazio lie second, one point behind AC Milan 11 games into the season.
Napoli travel to the Italian capital with confidence high in the camp.
Wednesday's 1-0 triumph at Cagliari, courtesy of Ezequiel Lavezzi's last-gasp goal, was Napoli's third straight triumph.
The result lifted Walter Mazzarri's side to third in the standings, one point behind Lazio.
Lavezzi believes his team can make it four wins in a row on Sunday.
"If we play with the unity and determination as we did against Cagliari, we can achieve great results," said Lavezzi.
Napoli have yet to lose on the road this season and have claimed four victories in six away games.
The visitors will be without midfielder Walter Gargano and defender Salvatore Aronica, with the former suspended and the latter out injured.

Under-1.60
Over-2.30

9/11/10

Tottenham vs Sunderland Preview

Tottenham vs Sunderland Preview

 

 

Darren Bent will not allow his return to Tottenham to overshadow Sunderland's search for three more Premier League points.
The £10million striker heads back to White Hart Lane for the first time since the Black Cats brought his miserable spell there to an end with a summer swoop.
Manager Steve Bruce has insisted the 25-year-old, who has eight goals to his name already this season, has nothing to prove back at his old club, and the man himself is adamant that he does not want to be the focus of attention.
Bent told the club's official website: "It's going to be strange, but I don't want the game to be about Darren Bent v Spurs, because it's so much more than that.
"It's about us - Sunderland - kicking on to the next level and hopefully pushing into Europe.
"I'm expecting a hostile reception, but that often happens when you return to a former club.
"But at the same time, I don't want people to turn the game into being all about me going back there.
"It would mean a lot for me to score, but it would mean everything if the team wins.
"If the team wins and I don't score, I will be the happiest man alive. But if I score and we don't win, I will be devastated."

Under-2.00
Over-1.80

Stoke City vs Birmingham Preview

Stoke City vs Birmingham Preview

 

Ryan Shawcross will miss out on Stoke's clash with Birmingham following his red card at Sunderland at the weekend.
Shawcross was shown two yellow cards - much to the fury of boss Tony Pulis - in the 2-0 defeat at the Stadium of Light.
Robert Huth is expected to move into the centre of defence, with either Danny Higginbotham or Andy Wilkinson coming into the side.
With no injuries to report, Pulis is otherwise expected to field an unchanged team.
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has no fresh injury concerns.
Colin Doyle will continue to act as back-up for number one keeper Ben Foster while Maik Taylor nurses a shoulder injury which caused him to be ruled out of the weekend draw with West Ham.
McLeish is considering handing a start to winger Jean Beausejour who is approaching full fitness after his knee setback.
The former Scotland boss said: "We are fine. There is no-one on the treatment table that took part in the game at the weekend. We were all out training this morning."
Teams:
Stoke (from): Begovic, Sorensen, Huth, Faye, Collins, Etherington, Pennant, Whelan, Whitehead, Walters, Fuller, Jones, Gudjohnsen, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Tuncay, Delap, Diao, Wilson.

Birmingham (from): Foster, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Fahey, Hleb, Jerome, Zigic, Beausejour, Doyle, Bowyer, Gardner, Phillips, Derbyshire, Parnaby.

Under-1.50
Over2.50

 

4/11/10

Odense vs Young Boys Preview

Odense vs Young Boys Preview

 

Odense BK coach Uffe Pedersen insists his team must show no fear against Young Boys in their must-win Europa League tie.
The Danish side are bottom of the group without a point from their first three games in Group H, having lost 4-2 to Young Boys in Bern last time out.
The Swiss side have recorded victories in their last two group matches and can eliminate Odense with a win tomorrow night.
However, Pedersen does not see much difference between the teams in terms of quality, with Odense fourth and Young Boys fifth in their respective domestic leagues.
He told www.ob.dk: "If we must compare with Danish conditions, we can see that Young Boys are a sub-top team in Switzerland. They are not right at the top now, and they are a team we should measure ourselves against.
"So it would be reasonable to expect that we must at least be able to play straight up with them at TRE-FOR Park. They have a fine team but they are no better than us."
Odense go into the match boosted by a 1-0 win away to Nordsjaelland on Monday, and Pedersen added: "If we stick to the good things we did against Nordsjaelland, where we defended well and showed a threat, that's what it takes. We must not in any way fear the team we will meet out there."
Young Boys boss Vladimir Petkovic is set to be without first-choice goalkeeper Marco Wolfli with a thigh problem sustained in the 1-0 win over Grasshopper on Sunday. Emiliano Dudar and Hassan Lingani are also sidelined.
David Degen, who has scored three in two games for Young Boys, has a bruised foot and a decision on his participation will be made on match day.
For Odense, Pedersen has little in the way of fitness concerns and insisted it was a "boring" time for the club's medical staff.
"Because there are not many injuries to speak of, there are no excuses to perform poorly," he added.

Under-2.30
Over-1.60

 

Club Brugge vs Dinamo Preview

Club Brugge vs Dinamo Preview

 

Club Brugge coach Adrie Koster has told his players nothing less than a victory will do when they face Dinamo Zagreb.
The Belgian club currently sit bottom of Group D with two points after picking up a goalless draw against the Croatian side last time out.
That result means Brugge are four points adrift of section leaders Villarreal and in desperate need of the three points if they are to have any genuine chance of advancing beyond the group stages.
And Koster knows his side will not only need to claim the three points at the Jan Breydel Stadion on Thursday evening, but they will also need to avoid defeat in their final two group fixtures.
Koster said: "At home we absolutely must win against this team, but elsewhere we have to gather points.
"It is not easy, but it will have to if we want to qualify. I was pleased that Villarreal beat PAOK Salonika in their last game as PAOK and Dinamo now have four points and we have two.
"We are still in this competition, but we must leave absolutely nothing to chance at home."
But Koster knows his side will face a stern test against Vahid Halilhodzic's well-organised visitors.
"We should not underestimate Dinamo," he added. "They have shown on many occasions that they are a team with real footballing ability.
"Sometimes they pass the ball around very efficiently and quickly. They are a difficult team to play against because they can play well on the counter."
Koster's hopes of success will be high with his side unbeaten in five Europa League home matches, and will have been buoyed by the way they performed in their 2-2 Jupiler League draw with Standard Liege at the weekend.
And Halilhodzic, mindful of Brugge's home record, believes a win in Belgium would be a great result for his side and mark a major step in their progression.
"A win would be a great achievement and progress for this team and Dinamo," he said.
"Villarreal have the strongest team in the group, but Brugge has caused us the most problems, we created very few chances in the first game."

Under-1.80
Over-2.00

Bayer Leverkusen vs Aris Preview

Bayer Leverkusen vs Aris Preview

 

Bayer Leverkusen defender Stefan Reinartz has called on his team to produce fireworks on the pitch against Aris Salonika.
The Germans were held to a turgid goalless draw in Greece two weeks ago, which left Bayer a point clear of their opponents in pole position in Group B.
Victory at the BayArena on Thursday would put Jupp Heynckes' side within touching distance of the next round, and Reinartz wants a better attacking display than they offered in the reverse fixture.
"In Salonika there were fireworks before the game but not on the pitch," he said, referring to the atmosphere at the Kleanthis Vikelidis Stadium.
"In Leverkusen, we want to do it the other way around."
Heynckes has called on his team to take the game to the Greeks, who have lost their only away match in the group so far, 2-1 at Rosenborg.
"We have to play with tempo, get the ball out wide and pressure our opponents into making mistakes," he said.
Bayer have been boosted by the return to training of winger Renato Augusto, who returned from Brazil at the weekend where he had been recovering from a knee injury, and Gonzalo Castro, who is back after a hamstring problem. Tomorrow's game is likely to come too early for both, though.
Midfielder Michael Ballack, striker Stefan Kiessling and defender Sami Hyypia remain long-term injury victims.
Aris ended a two-game losing run in the Super League with a 2-0 win over Atromitos last time out.
They have scored just two goals in four away league games so far this term, and a mere five in eight in total. Indeed they have failed to score in three of their last four matches in all competitions, suggesting the Bayer backline is unlikely to be in for an especially busy night.
Leverkusen are themselves, though, without a win in their last two home games, a run which has left them seven points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Under-2.07
Over-1.73

Porto vs Besiktas Preview

Porto vs Besiktas Preview

 

Porto coach Andre Villas Boas does not want his team distracted by playing Benfica on Sunday when they meet Besiktas.
A fourth straight win in the Europa League will guarantee a place in the next stage of the competition.
That is all that matters to Villas Boas, who was on Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho's backroom staff at Chelsea and Inter Milan.
After arriving at Porto in June, he is determined to make a name for himself in management.
Porto have already beaten Besiktas 3-1 in Turkey, with Rapid Vienna and CSKA Sofia occupying third and fourth place in Group L.
Villas Boas said: "The team is confident and has grown in terms of organisation. The impact we can have in qualifying will be extremely beneficial, even for Sunday's game.
"We have two more games to ensure qualification but are in fact standing at the gates to secure it. To throw away that chance against our nearest rivals would be a mistake."
Villas Boas has indicated he may tinker with his team, adding: "Our schedule is tight and we will have little time to rest. In that respect there might be one or two changes to the side."
Guti hopes Besiktas will be far more solid than they were in the first meeting between the clubs.
The Spaniard could play a key role, especially as former Porto midfielder Ricardo Quaresma will miss the game through injury.
Guti said: "We want to keep a clean sheet as that would help our ambition in this competition.
"We went through a bad spell with a lot of injuries. Now the team will have more options. It is important we go back to getting the kind of good results we achieved at the beginning of the season."
Meanwhile, talented defender Ridvan Simsek is facing a spell on the sidelines after a freak accident at home.
He slipped in his bathroom last night and fractured his right hand. According to club doctor Devrim Urgun, the player's hand will be in a cast for about three weeks.

Under-2.20
Over-1.65

PSV vs Debrecen Preview

PSV vs Debrecen Preview

 

PSV Eindhoven coach Fred Rutten wants a victory over Debrecen as they strive to top their Europa League group.
The Dutch club would move onto 10 points with another win, and that should be enough to see them go through.
"It is important that we get the three points and move onto 10," Rutten said. "It does not guarantee you go through, which is our objective, but it moves you a long way in that direction. Winning is all that counts."
PSV won 2-1 away to Debrecen in their last Europa League outing and will be strong favourites on home turf.
But Rutten expects Debrecen to come out fighting as they seek their first points of the campaign.
"I cannot imagine their coach will be thinking they should come out just to avoid a defeat," he said. "Their only chance is to win. They still have some hope if they are to win their remaining three games."
Atiba Hutchinson is set to make his 50th appearance in Europe in the match, but the 27-year-old is not interested in personal milestones.
"It is an important game and we must focus on playing our own game," he said. "They will want to gamble on the counter attack."
Hutchinson has seen plenty of playing time at right-back of late, moving out of his usual midfield berth, but the change has not phased him.
"I've played there for a while now, and you get used to it and get better, so hopefully that carries on," he said.
"We have already talked about it, I might even move somewhere else, but I will know what to expect."
Rutten will be without the services of Jagos Vukovic, having taken the decision to suspend him for the match following his sending off against FC Twente last week.
Vukovic is facing a four-match ban in the league following a clumsy challenge on Bryan Ruiz late in the 1-0 loss, but Rutten believes the 22-year-old deserves further punishment.
"This kind of action we cannot accept," he said.
Debrecen have more serious injury problems, with Peter Kabat, Balazs Farkas, Tamas Kulcsar and Istvan Szucs all failing to make the trip.

Under-3.20
Over-1.32

AEK Athens vs Anderlecht Preview

AEK Athens vs Anderlecht Preview

 

Anderlecht will be keen to strengthen their grip on second place in Europa League Group G when they travel to AEK Athens.
However, general manager Herman Van Holsbeeck does not expect to see a repeat of the 3-0 scoreline his players produced when the teams met a fortnight ago.
Anderlecht claimed their first win in the pool with an impressive display in Brussels against their Greek opponents.
That moved the Belgian side into the top two, above AEK and Hajduk Split on goal difference, with the three clubs seemingly fighting it out for the second qualifying spot behind runaway leaders Zenit St Petersburg.
Anderlecht would do their chances of progressing to the last 32 a world of good if they can complete the double over AEK in Athens tomorrow.
But Van Holsbeeck has warned the Greeks will put up a much-improved performance on home soil.
"The race (for second) is wide open, but we will be taking a huge step in the right direction with a good result against Athens," he told club website, www.rsca.be.
"We proved two weeks ago we can handle AEK. The question is whether they are really as weak as we saw then. We'll soon find out on Thursday.
"This is a home game for them and I think they will show they can do much better. They also know full well that they, Hajduk and ourselves have a chance of finishing second in the group.
"We just have to make sure we don't lose. A point would be good."
Defeat to Anderlecht last time out has left AEK bottom of the group.
Their preparations for Europe were not helped either by a surprise 1-0 defeat at lowly Panionios in the domestic Super League, which has left them trailing leaders Olympiacos by five points.
Coach Manuel Jimenez has demanded his side improve on that performance.
"We made too many mistakes," he said. "The defence was too deep, the midfield was completely cut off and far from aggressive.
"We made no attempt to attack and were too predictable.
"We can not afford to let any opponent control our game. We have to move the ball and put pressure on defenders."
Gregory Makos sat out training today because of a virus but has been included in Jimenez's 17-man squad for the visit of Anderlecht.
However, Papa Boupa Diop and Nathan Burns are sidelined by injuries

Under-1.80
Over-2.00

3/11/10

Shakhtar vs Arsenal Preview

Shakhtar vs Arsenal Preview

 

Coach Mircea Lucescu says Europe will see the real Shakhtar Donetsk when they try to avenge their 5-1 trashing at Arsenal.
The Gunners chalked up a record 14 goals from their opening three Group H games, with Shakhtar going the same way as Braga and Partizan Belgrade as Arsene Wenger's side took control of Group H.
Another positive result for Arsenal, who will be without skipper Cesc Fabregas because of a hamstring problem, and the Barclays Premier League club could secure their place in the last 16 of Europe's elite once again.
However, since the thrashing in north London, Shakhtar have won all three of their domestic matches, without conceding a goal.
Arsenal have yet to record a victory in Ukraine, and with the Minors boasting an impressive record of only two defeats of their last 30 matches in all competitions, Lucescu believes his men can head into tomorrow's return fixture at Donbass Arena with some confidence.
"After analysing all the technical and tactical actions, I can say that the teams had about the same of the ball, 51% to 49%, and the passing also were about the same level," the Romanian said.
"We hope to show to our fans and the whole of Europe that now it will be a quite different Shakhtar.
"We have analysed the game that was in London to draw attention to the mistakes."
Lucescu added: "Not in any way do I think that Arsenal is stronger than Shakhtar. We will try tomorrow to demonstrate that on the field."
Arsenal never looked back after being gifted an early goal following a terrible fumble by Shakhtar keeper Andrei Pyatov.
However, Lucescu continues to lament a number of decisions by Swedish referee Svein Moen which he felt went in favour of the home side.
Swiss official Massimo Busacca, who took charge of the 2009 Champions League final between Manchester United and Barcelona, will be the man in the middle tomorrow night.
"I hope that tomorrow will be valid and neutral refereeing, which will help football in general. We will try to fulfil their responsibilities on the field," said Lucescu.
"The mistakes of the referee in favour of Arsenal were clearly visible.
"The third goal was not a penalty, the players pulled shirts together - and it should have been a red card for a hard [Jack] Wilshere reception against [Tomas] Hubschman.
"After three games, Arsenal has one card, while the rest of the teams have seven or eight. That says something.
"Therefore, we should double or triple our efforts to be at the level of this team or even higher."
Arsenal boss Wenger, meanwhile, is expecting a stern examination tomorrow night.
"I expect Shakhtar Donetsk to have a reaction of course and a response from that heavy defeat," he said.
"They are a better side than what they have shown at the Emirates. For me they are one of the best European sides.
"On the other hand we have a good opportunity to qualify straight away and finish top of the group and you want to take that chance.
"I believe as well we want to confirm that we are stepping up a gear from game to game and that we are capable of being consistent and that is what is at stake for us."
Wenger added: "I will remind the players Shakhtar is a strong side that we perhaps caught on a good day for us at Emirates.
"They will have been hurt by what happened, and at home, they will be a completely different team.
"If you let them get into a flow, they can cause you many problems. We will make sure we are well aware of that."

Under-1.90
Over-1.90

 

Milan vs Real Preview

Milan vs Real Preview

 

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri wants his players to forget their Juventus loss against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The Italians go into the game at the San Siro on Wednesday evening on the back of Saturday's 2-1 loss, which saw them drop five points behind Serie A leaders Lazio. The result marked Milan's first league defeat at home in 10 months.
"I am disappointed by the result as we didn't deserve to lose," said Allegri.
"We played well and created many goalscoring opportunities.
"We must put this defeat behind us and bounce back immediately in order to prepare well for the game against Real Madrid."
The Rossoneri host the Spanish giants sitting second in Group G, five points behind leaders Real and level on four points with Ajax.
The Dutch side visit Stade Abbe-Deschamps to meet bottom side Auxerre, who have yet to clinch a point in the competition.
AC Milan playmaker Ronaldinho knows his team cannot be complacent in the early stages of the match.
The Rossoneri lost 2-0 at Real last month after giving away two goals in the opening 14 minutes.
"To concede twice early on made life difficult for us," said Ronaldinho. "We must be focused from start to finish.
"This is a very important game for us and we must only think of doing what the coach asks us to do in order to clinch three points."
Milan will be without injured pair Massimo Oddo and Daniele Bonera.
Massimo Ambrosini, Gianluca Zambrotta and Ronaldinho have all recovered from their respective injuries and are available for selection.
Allegri is hoping to have Thiago Silva available with the Brazilian defender fighting against the clock to recover from an ankle problem.
Madrid make the trip to the San Siro looking to continue their superb start to life under Jose Mourinho and knowing a win will see them qualify for the last 16.
Since Mourinho took charge this summer, Madrid are yet to be beaten and have picked up 10 wins from 13 games in all competitions.
Their dangerman is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 11 goals in his last six appearances.
With Ronaldo and his fellow forwards in such good form, Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira believes if his side can keep it tight at the back then the victory will be theirs tomorrow night.
"If we keep a clean sheet we will win the match. The big teams in Europe who manage to go far are almost always the ones who concede the fewest goals. That's the key to success. A good defence wins titles," said Khedira, whose team have conceded just five goals under Mourinho.
The German international knows it will not be easy, though, as seven-times European champions Milan can ill afford to drop more points.
"It will be a difficult match. (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Alexandre) Pato, Ronaldinho, Robinho, also (Clarence) Seedorf, (Kevin-Prince) Boateng...they are all exceptional players and even more so when you allow them to play their own game," Khedira said.
"(Gennaro) Gattuso and (Andrea) Pirlo are also very dangerous. If you don't take them seriously they can have you up against the ropes."
He added: "Our objective is to get the three points to get through to the last 16.
"We played an almost perfect game against them at the Bernabeu, defending very well against their strong attack.
"We are in good condition to overcome a very strong team like Milan away from home and get this win."

Under-1.90
Over-1.90

Auxerre vs Ajax Preview

Auxerre vs Ajax Preview

 

Ajax go into the clash with Auxerre hoping to steal a march on AC Milan in the race to qualify along with Real Madrid.
The Rossoneri are level with Ajax on four points, both five adrift of leaders Madrid, and Ajax know that if results go their way they could stand second by the end of the night.
The Amsterdam club have a well-placed mole in their ranks ahead of the game too, with midfielder Teemu Tainio having spent eight years with Auxerre before moving to England with Tottenham, Birmingham and Sunderland and then on to Ajax.
"Auxerre are very strong, especially in home games," the 30-year-old said.
"I spent seven-and-a-half years with them and this is the first time I will meet them as an opponent. Furthermore, this is a Champions League game. That makes it doubly special."
Ajax are known worldwide for their ability to develop young players, and Finland international Tainio believes Auxerre deserve credit for their academy too, having witnessed the work they do at close quarters.
"They are the little brother of Ajax," he added. "They put energy into the development of young players they then might sell."
Experienced Ajax striker Mido will miss the clash so Florian Jozefzoon comes into the squad.
Demy de Zeeuw (leg) missed the 4-1 win against Heracles at the weekend and is a fitness concern, while Oleguer has not played since breaking his nose against Auxerre two weeks ago.
Nicolas Lodeiro and Kenneth Vermeer are long-term injury casualties and defender Andre Ooijer is suspended.
Auxerre have yet to win a game in this season's competition and are rooted to the foot of the group without a point to their name.
They have only scored one goal so far too, with Valter Birsa netting a free-kick in the 2-1 defeat to Ajax last time out in Europe.
Dennis Oliech and Jean-Pascal Mignot were both sent off in that defeat and will miss out through suspension, while Anthony Le Tallec (ankle), Steeven Langil (ankle) and Ireneusz Jelen (knee) are injured.

Under-1.80
Over-2.10

Partizan vs Braga Preview

Partizan vs Braga Preview

 

Partizan Belgrade goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic has not given up hope of reaching the knockout stages.
This, despite his side remaining pointless after three games.
The Serbian champions host Braga on Wednesday night knowing that anything other than victory is likely to be terminal to their bid to reach the knockout phase.
Partizan are six points behind second-placed Shakhtar Donetsk, who face a tough task to take anything from their home match against runaway Group H leaders Arsenal.
As a result, tomorrow's game looms as the perfect opportunity for both Partizan and Braga to make up ground for the second qualification place.
Braga are best-placed to do that after their 2-0 win over Partizan in Portugal a fortnight ago - their only points of the campaign - and Serbia goalkeeper Stojkovic admits that means his side face a must-win situation.
"I will be satisfied only if we win," said Stojkovic, who made nine appearances for Braga three seasons ago before being loaned to Partizan.
"It does not matter whether we win by the slimmest of margins and it is not important if I concede. All we care about is winning the three points to extend our European dream.
"We do not feel any extra pressure because of the poor start we have made, there is still 270 minutes left."
With Shakhtar also set to make the trip to Belgrade next, Stojkovic has set his team a target of four points from those two home games in order to qualify, or at least sew up a Europa League place as the third-ranked team.
"We will seek in the next two rounds at home to win at least four points," he said.
"Maybe that momentum could take us into the next round of the Champions League.
"Even if none of that happens will will still have had a great experience that we must then implement in our Super League matches.
"We need to win our domestic title again and give ourselves the chance to compete with the best again."
Partizan will be favourites to claim their first ever Champions League win after their 3-0 win over Jagodina at the weekend moved them top of the Serbian league.
By contrast Braga suffered a 2-0 reverse against bottom club Rio Ave to slip down to sixth in the Portuguese Liga.
Despite that Partizan defender Mladen Krstajic is wary after goals from Lima and Matheus consigned his side to defeat in Portugal last time out.
"They have quick strikers and are strong on the counter," Krstajic told www.uefa.com.
"If we lose the ball in midfield, three or four players can be in on goal in a moment. We need to stay tight on them. Braga have a fantastic team."
Braga welcome Hugo Viana and Elton back into their squad from the team that lost at Rio Ave although midfielder Custodio will miss out.

Under-1.70
Over-2.10

2/11/10

Valencia vs Rangers Preview

Valencia vs Rangers Preview

 

Valencia midfielder Joaquin has warned Rangers they will treat their Champions League clash like a cup final.
With Manchester United expected to top Group C and Bursaspor rooted to the bottom without a single point, it looks like being a straight fight between Valencia and Rangers for second place and a spot in the last 16.
The teams battled out a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in their last European outing a couple of weeks ago, in a match the Scots were disappointed not to win, and Joaquin is not surprised by how well Walter Smith's men, sitting a point above the Spaniards, have done so far.
"Rangers have always been a threat in this competition and still are," he said.
"There are many points still to play for and Valencia have to depend on themselves. So we are going to take tomorrow's game as a final as it's a very important game.
"This is a very open competition so to get the three points tomorrow is very important for us."
Rangers boss Walter Smith insists they are relishing the pressure they now find themselves under as expectations of a last-16 place in the Champions League begin to grow.
The Scottish champions were all but written off when the draw was made and they found themselves in a section which also includes Manchester United, Valencia and Turkish champions Bursaspor.
Rangers finished bottom of their group without a single win in the competition last year but have already garnered five points at the halfway stage this time.
He said: "There is no doubt there is pressure on us to get a result tomorrow night, it's not just Valencia who want to do well in the tournament.
"We have started well and we welcome the extra pressure that's on us at the present moment. To see if we can try to remain in the tournament after Christmas is a pressure that's welcome.
"Last season, we were never in this position and we are quite pleased to be in it at the moment."
However, Smith claims Valencia are still favourites to progress from Group C, along with Manchester United, despite some less than impressive results domestically, as well as drawing at Ibrox in their last European outing.
He said: "Valencia would have started as anyone's favourite at the start of the campaign.
"Manchester United and Valencia were the two favoured teams to remain in the Champions League. I still think that's the case.
"You mention Valencia's last two results but when you lose the players they lost in the close-season, it always takes a bit of time to find your feet.
"They did so exceptionally well in the early part but there were always going to be one or two problems.
"For the last few seasons, David Villa has been their top goalscorer and, when there was a little bit of a problem, he would do something special to win a game.
"Maybe in the last couple of games they haven't had that but overall they are still an extremely strong team and still the favoured team to go through in this competition."

Under-1.95
Over-1.85

Werder Bremen vs FC Twente Preview

Werder Bremen vs FC Twente Preview

 

Werder Bremen director of sport Klaus Allofs has admitted the clash at home to FC Twente is a must-win.
Bremen have taken two points from their opening three games in Champions League Group A and with clashes against Tottenham and Inter Milan to follow, Allofs realises victory against Dutch champions Twente is vital if they are to secure a top-two finish.
He said: "We must win. The potential is there, the team can do it."
Germany midfielder Marko Marin echoed those sentiments and called for the players to raise their game at the Weser Stadion.
He said: "It will definitely be much more difficult if we don't triumph.
"But we can't think about that, because we're playing in front of our own fans - a definite advantage - and we have the quality to beat Twente here."
Coach Thomas Schaaf has to contend with a lengthy injury list, however.
Tim Borowski, Naldo and Sebastian Boenisch are definitely out while goalkeeper Tim Wiese, Clemens Fritz and Petri Pasanen all missed training today and are considered doubtful.
While Bremen's domestic form has been patchy - they lost their most recent Bundesliga game at home to Nurnberg at the weekend - FC Twente have been flying in Holland.
Michel Preud'homme's men have won their last five Eredivisie games, the latest of which saw them triumph 1-0 at title rivals PSV Eindhoven to establish a one-point advantage at the summit.
Things have not been as straightforward in Europe as they, like tomorrow's opponents, have mustered two points from their opening three games and are need of a win in Germany.
Goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov told www.uefa.com: "We have to play a little bit better, both offensively and defensively.
"We are going to try to score goals and we're going there to get some points, maybe one or maybe three."
Reflecting on the draw between the sides last month, Mihaylov said: "It was disappointing because they scored in the 80th minute.
"It was partly down to a small mistake from ourselves that they equalised, but still they had a couple of chances. We also had a few chances so, in the end, it was the right result."

Under-2.35
Over-1.57

30/10/10

Barcelona vs Sevilla Preview

Barcelona vs Sevilla Preview

 

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola could welcome back Xavi and Gabi Milito for the Saturday's match against Sevilla.
Xavi has been struggling all season with an Achilles injury, while Milito is available again after recovering from a thigh problem.
Guardiola rested a host of first-team players in Barca's 2-0 Copa del Rey win at Second Division B side Ceuta earlier this week and may rotate again ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match away to FC Copenhagen.
Barca have lost just six times to Sevilla at the Nou Camp, having drawn 10 and won 50 of the 66 meetings between the two sides at the famous old stadium.
Guardiola's side have won just two of four games at home in the league this season, but lie in third place after eight games, just a point behind fierce rivals Real Madrid after eight games.
Sevilla - in sixth place - have looked a better side since the arrival of Gregorio Manzano as coach earlier this season, but the Andalusian club's revival will face its biggest test yet tomorrow.
Nevertheless, goalkeeper Javi Varas, who will replace the injured Andres Palop at the Nou Camp, believes his side can produce an upset in Catalonia.
"We are Sevilla - we're a big club and we can surprise Barcelona," he said.
Manzano's side thrashed Second Division B side Real Union 4-0 away from home in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Jesus Navas and Federico Fazio missed that match through injury, but are back in training and could feature on Saturday.

Under-2.87
Over-1.40

 

25/10/10

Real Sociedad v Deportivo Preview

Real Sociedad v Deportivo Preview

 

Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper Dani Aranzubia hopes Monday's trip to struggling Real Sociedad can spark a revival.
Depor started the weekend in 19th place in the standings and one of only two clubs yet to pick up a victory this season, the other being bottom side Real Zaragoza.
Miguel Angel Lotina`s side have also had major problems in front of net, and their tally of three goals scored - two of which came from the penalty spot in the same game - is the worst in the division.
The Galician outfit at least managed to end a three-match losing streak with a goalless draw against Osasuna last time out, although their opponents had played with a man less from the 35th minute.
Nevertheless, Aranzubia hopes his side can build on that result against promoted Sociedad tomorrow evening.
"Sooner or later this win will arrive and hopefully it will be at Anoeta. The three points would give us the impetus that we need," said the veteran goalkeeper, who felt his side`s attitude against Osasuna was a plus even though they again failed to score.
"I`m not concerned about the lack of goals. What concerned me was the feeling the team were transmitting, but we showed a totally different side of us against Osasuna."
He added in AS: "We shouldn`t be relaxed (about his team`s situation), but neither should we feel overwhelmed."
The good news for Depor is that tomorrow`s opponents Sociedad are not in the best of shape either.
Martin Lasarte`s men enjoyed a good start to life back in the top flight after picking up four points from their opening two games, but since then the Basque outfit have lost four of five outings.
Last weekend's 2-1 loss to fellow-promoted outfit Levante was disappointing, but striker Joseba Llorente believes his side needs to keep the faith, saying: "We are not in dire straits by any means - we're still in Primera and our dreams remain intact."

Under-1.53
Over-2.40

Napoli vs AC Milan Preview

Napoli vs AC Milan Preview

 

High-flying Napoli and AC Milan will square off hoping to bounce back from frustrating games in Europe.
Milan, who are joint-second in Serie A with Inter Milan, were beaten 2-0 at Real Madrid while Liverpool travelled to southern Italy and held Napoli to a goalless draw.
"We want to get back on track and you will see we will play a great game at Napoli," said AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato.
"Against Real Madrid, we suffered too much and perhaps we started off with tension and fear.
"In these types of games, you need to show character and we didn't do that."
The Rossoneri won 3-1 against Chievo in the previous round to clinch their third league triumph in a row.
Lazio are two points clear of Milan after seven games played.
Walter Mazzarri's Napoli were held to a 1-1 draw at Catania in their previous Serie A game, a result that dropped them to fourth in the table.
Then they played well at home against Liverpool but had to settle for a point.
"Liverpool came here not to lose and they succeeded," said Mazzarri.
"We created many goalscoring opportunities but it didn't go well for us.
"In any case my team showed an improved performance with respect to our game against Catania, where we didn't play to our potential."
One reason why Napoli are in the top four has been the play of Edison Cavani.
The striker is Serie A's joint leading scorer with six goals alongside Inter's Samuel Eto'o.
The hosts will be without captain Paolo Cannavaro, who serves a one-match ban.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri will be hoping to recover Gianluca Zambrotta and Ronaldinho.
Both players sustained muscular injuries in midweek and are doubtful for the encounter.

Under-1.80
Over-2.00

24/10/10

Los Angeles Galaxy vs FC Dallas Match Preview

Los Angeles Galaxy vs FC Dallas Match Preview

 

Los Angeles enter this game knowing that victory will see them awarded the Supporters Shield, and clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Galaxy forward Edson Buddle enters the game tied with Chris Wondolowski in the race for the MLS Golden Boot. “I’ve never won it before. It’s something I’d like to accomplish,” Buddle told the LA Galaxy website.

Victory for Dallas will see them tie up third seed in the conference and possibly lead to an immediate rematch with the Galaxy. Forward Jeff Cunningham will be motivated, knowing he can take the outright lead as the al-time leading goal scorer in MLS.

PREDICTION: Los Angeles Galaxy 1 FC Dallas 0. The Galaxy clinch the Supporters Shield and Buddle wraps up the Golden Boot.

Under-2.00
Over-1.80

Newell's Old Boys vs Gimnasia La Plata Match Preview

Newell's Old Boys vs Gimnasia La Plata Match Preview

 

Sunday's late game features Pablo Morant's Lobos visiting Roberto Sensini's Lepras in Rosario. Gimnasia's coach has confirmed he'll utilize a five man defensive line to stand against Newells' firepower, for his team shares the last position with Quilmes, turning this match into a must win for both sides.

Newell's Old Boys managed to obtain qualification for Sudamericana's next stage even though San Jose defeated the Lepras, and now they have to take on the reigning champion Liga de Quito. Sensini has not given up on the Apertura fight yet and will introduce only minor rotation in his squad to leapfrog Godoy Cruz and claim the 4th position in the table standings.

Leonel Vangioni and Mauricio Sperdutti are ready to return to Sensini's starting eleven and it wouldn't be unwise for Newell's coach to take advantage of this opportunity to give Mauro Formica or Lucas Bernardi some time off.

Gimnasia recovers its top striker, Jorge Cordoba for this clash. "The key to victory is to stay focused throughout the whole game. We need to be strong on the defense and be awake on the free kicks. Our rival will be tough, they play well on both ends of the field but we'll have our saying" said the Uruguayan striker.

Will this be enough to grant Gimnasia three decisive points for the relegation fight?

Under-1.65
Over-2.20

Stuttgart vs St Pauli Preview

Stuttgart vs St Pauli Preview

 

Stuttgart coach Jens Keller says his side must now win in the Bundesliga after claiming a third win in Europe on Thursday.
A 1-0 win over Getafe put the Swabians just one point away from qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League, yet they have picked up more points in three group games than they have in eight Bundesliga matches this term.
That, according to Keller, needs to be rectified fast, starting with Sunday's visit of St Pauli.
"This is an incredibly important game for us," he said.
"We must absolutely win this game at home. Of course we feel a lot of pressure given our league position, but we are professionals and have got to be able to deal with that."
The last time Stuttgart won a home game in Europe, they followed it up with their one and only Bundesliga triumph so far - a 7-0 home victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.
However, Keller would be happy with a simple 1-0, such is the strength he has seen in tomorrow's opponents.
"St Pauli thrive on a solid team performance," he said. "They don't have any stars, but they form a solid unit and have a very good team spirit.
"St Pauli are a good and strong opponent who have picked up some good results, above all away from home, where they have earned more points than they have at home."
Thursday's game took a lot out of Stuttgart's players and Keller may have to give some of his players a rest.
Christian Gentner, Khalid Boulahrouz, Stefano Celozzi and captain Cacau all have knocks, but Keller is hopeful that all four will be able to grit their teeth and play.
Serdar Tasci should return from an ankle injury to give Keller another option.
St Pauli coach Holger Stanislawski has no such injury problems to contend with and he can name his strongest team tomorrow.
"We are feeling good," he announced. "We will take a strong 18-man squad to Stuttgart."

Under-2.35
Over-1.57

23/10/10

Real Zaragoza vs Barcelona Preview

Real Zaragoza vs Barcelona Preview

 

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets believes summer signing Javier Mascherano is still adapting to their style.
The Argentina captain started in a winning Barca side for the first time on Wednesday night, when Pep Guardiola's men beat FC Copenhagen 2-0 in the Champions League.
Barca were well below their brilliant best in that match, but Mascherano was quietly efficient alongside Busquets.
He earned the praise of coach Guardiola for his display and Busquets too has been impressed.
"He is a very good player," said the 22-year-old. "He will give us a lot and it's a pleasure to play alongside him.
"He needs to pick up the tactics of the position a little, which is difficult, but with his characteristics I am sure he will adapt quickly."
Mascherano had previously started in the league defeat at home to Hercules and the draws against Rubin Kazan and Mallorca, but finished on the winning side on Wednesday as he completed 90 minutes for the first time as a Barca player.
"He played a very good game - his best one yet, I believe," Busquets said.
Barcelona have struggled for goals recently, with summer acquisition David Villa looking low on confidence, but Busquets reckons the Catalans will soon start scoring more.
"We are relaxed," he said.
"The goals will come. It would be more worrying if we weren't creating chances."
Xavi has been left out of the squad to face bottom club Real Zaragoza at La Romareda tomorrow.
The Spain midfielder has struggled all season with an Achilles problem and appeared only briefly against Copenhagen.
Defender Gabi Milito is also out, but goalkeeper Victor Valdes returns after illness kept him out of the side on Wednesday and youngster Thiago Alcantara is also named in the 17-man squad.
While Barca lie in third place, a point behind leaders Real Madrid, Zaragoza are still without a win in the Primera Division this season and prop up the table ahead of tomorrow's game.
The Aragonese outfit have lost four matches already and drawn the other three in what has been a miserable start to the campaign for the northerners.
Assistant coach Nayim wants more from his team in the game against Barcelona, a side he played for early in his career.
"We have to demand the best from ourselves and give everything for this club," he said.
Defender Matteo Contini may be left out of the side tomorrow after he was expelled from training by coach Jose Aurelio Gay for showing a bad attitude on Wednesday.

Under-2.35
Over-1.57

Sunderland vs Aston Villa Preview

Sunderland vs Aston Villa Preview

 

Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey and winger Marc Albrighton are fit for their Premier League clash with Sunderland.
The duo missed the home goalless draw with Chelsea last weekend through a back injury and sickness respectively.
Central defender Richard Dunne is also available after being substituted in the early stages against the Blues with a cut ankle which required several stitches.
But striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and full-back Luke Young are again ruled out.
Agbonlahor is still recovering from minor surgery to his groin while Young will be out of action for a further two weeks with a torn hamstring.
Sunderland striker Darren Bent will be fit after coming through Monday night's 0-0 draw at Blackburn despite missing 10 days' training with the groin injury he picked up on England duty.
Full-back Kieran Richardson is likely to miss out after suffering a setback in his battle against a hamstring problem, while Andy Reid is out with a similar problem.
Manager Steve Bruce has no other fitness concerns and only David Meyler, who is back in training after a knee injury, and Fraizer Campbell (also knee) remain on the sidelines.

Under-1.66
Over-2.15