RSSJuventus vs Udinese Report
Alessandro Matri scores a superb brace against Udinese to help a triumphant Juventus extend their Serie A lead to four points.
Two goals from striker Alessandro Matri were the difference as Juventus withstood the falling snow to edge Udinese 2-1 to move four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings on Saturday.La Vecchia Signora pushed to the attack immediately from the kick-off and the South American connection of Arturo Vidal and Marcio Estigarribia combined for what almost was their opening goal. Vidal sent Estigarribia through on goal with a penetrating pass, but the Paraguayan international had his fierce shot saved by the foot of Udinese goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.
Moments later Udinese came close to opening the scoring, when a powerful drive from Almen Abdi was only just tipped over the bar by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Mendoza BoCA Juniors vs River Plate Preview
River Plate will be looking for sweet revenge when they clash with eternal rivals Boca Juniors in the second and final superclasico of the summer on Sunday.
The crosstown rivals clash in what is expected to be another fiercely-contested encounter at the Malvinas Argentinas stadium in Mendoza on Sunday. While Boca come into the derby with high spirits, after having beaten River 2-0 in Chaco midweek, their rivals will be hoping to avenge their defeat with what would be a boosting victory.
River, who were relegated to the Argentine second division midway through last year, have reinforced their squad with several high-profile players this season in an attempt to warrant a prompt return to the Argentine top-flight.
Sporting CP Lisbon vs Beira-Mar Preview
Sporting welcome Beira-Mar to the Alvalade tomorrow desperate to break out of a wretched run of form that has seen them yet to win in 2012 in six attempts.
The poor sequence of results has all but ended Sporting’s title aspirations, and Domingos is keen for his side to recapture their form as a series of important cup clashes loom on the horizon.“Tomorrow’s game is fundamental to get rid of anxiety and give us confidence. The players want to invert this less than positive moment. To reverse a negative situation you need to show effort, great determination and to have the supporters on your side,” said Domingos.
The former FC Porto and Portugal striker has shown signs of nerves in recent weeks, with tetchy and somewhat irritable press conferences replacing his usual calm and pondered demeanour.
Feirense vs Benfica Report
Benfica came from one goal down to earn a hard-fought three points against Feirense tonight.
Feirense started well and Luciano came close with two headers that narrowly cleared the crossbar. At the other end of the pitch Paulo Lopes did well do deny Rodrigo with two stunning saves in the first half.
The hosts grabbed the lead shortly after half time, as Varela headed in powerfully from a corner.
Benfica hit straight back, with Varela getting on the score-sheet again, but this time at the wrong end as he headed past his own goalkeeper.
Gil Vicente vs FC Porto Preview
FC Porto coach Vítor Pereira has asked for “more of the same” as he leads his team into a tricky looking match at Gil Vicente on Sunday night.
The Dragons were back to their best in possibly their most impressive domestic performance of the season last week at home against Vitória Guimarães. The drastically improved form of talismanic midfielder João Moutinho especially, along with the influential duo of Álvaro Pereira and James Rodríguez, will have been particularly pleasing to the Porto coach.
“Essentially I want to see a consistent and rigorous Porto, playing a hard-working and high-quality game, so that we keep up the level of performance of our most recent matches,” said Pereira. “I expect to see a mature Porto in Barcelos.”
Milan vs Cagliari Preview
Red-hot AC Milan will be hoping to fire on all cylinders when they battle with an improving Cagliari at the San Siro stadium on Sunday.
Italian champions AC Milan will be hoping to close the gap on league leaders Juventus when they entertain Cagliari at the San Siro stadium on Sunday.The Rossoneri know that anything less than the three points could drastically reduce their chances of retaining the Scudetto, particularly because Juventus find themselves in sensational form and could escape from the chasing pack.
Milan, who beat Lazio 3-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia midweek, have won seven consecutive home matches against Cagliari and will make it eight if they continue to play like they have been in recent games.
Liverpool vs Manchester United Report
Super-sub Dirk Kuyt scores late winner as Liverpool defeat arch-rivals Manchester United to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
The Reds followed up booking their tickets to the Carling Cup final with progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to a late winner from Dutch midfielder Dirk Kuyt to secure a 2-1 win over Manchester United in Anfield on Saturday.The highly anticipated clash commenced at a frantic pace, as both teams tried their best to gain possession of the ball. Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia was the most dangerous player on the park in the first period, and he almost put the visitors ahead in the 17th minute when his 18-metre drive struck the left post.
Four minutes later Daniel Agger went a step better, when he rose to head home a Steven Gerrard corner-kick to open the scoring for Liverpool.
Real Madrid vs Real Zaragoza Report
Zaragoza scored first through Lafita but Real Madrid replied with goals from Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Özil.
Jose Mourinho offered Pepe yet another spot in Real Madrid’s starting XI. The Portuguese defender partnered with Carvalho and Hamit Altintop at the back whereas Granero and Xabi Alonso featured as defensive midfielders in the 4-2-3-1 formation. Kaka and Mesut Özil joined Cristiano Ronaldo in attack as Karim Benzema led the line as a lone striker.The first great chance of the match fell to Karim Benzema inside the 6th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo set up the Frenchman who headed the ball into the wrong direction from 4 yards. Despite having little ball possession, Real Zaragoza broke the deadlock at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry takes its toll in 2011/12 La Liga race: No more rest for the Catalans
Can FC Barcelona afford to drop any more points with a Real Madrid side that might have found their groove? Not if they want to defend their Liga title.
A 100% record in La Liga was probably not FC Barcelona’s aim at the start of the season; but in view of Real Madrid’s solidification, they are advised to go for perfection.Yes, Barcelona have been trying to give their fans the very best. Surely, never did they allow themselves to get carried away by complaisance; but in contrast, their results in La Liga have not always been positive.
Failing to accomplish missions or dropping points are things that can happen from time to time. Yet, mistakes seem to get massive exposure when they come at an unexpected moment.
Lecce vs Internazionale Preview
Inter Milan will be aiming to extend their impressive seven-game winning streak in the Serie A when they visit lowly Lecce at the Stadio Via del Mare on Sunday.
The Nerazzurri will be looking to rebound from their Coppa Italia elimination to Napoli midweek, with a positive result against relegation candidates Lecce that would see them close in on the league leaders.Inter beat Lazio 2-1 last weekend to move into fourth place on the standings, six points adrift from league leaders Juventus. A victory over Lecce could possibly move Inter into third place, as they look to continue to escalate.
If the Nerazzurri stick to their normal game plan they should cruise to a comfortable victory over Lecce without even breaking a sweat as their opponents have been in disastrous form this season and are destined to return to the Serie B after two years in the Italian top-flight.
Will Arsenal be able to put away Gutsy Aston Villa in the FA Cup?
Aston Villa and Arsenal have had memorable battles in the Premier League in recent memory. Will their FA Cup meeting turn out to be one which fans reminisce about as well?
Arsenal has lost three games on the trot in the Premier League. Their last win however did come in this competition against Leeds. That day, Arsenal won by a single goal scored by none other than their legendary striker Thierry Henry, the club’s highest scorer of all time. Robin Van Persie didn’t feature in that match in order to allow him to rest his weary feet.Aston Villa has had a good run since they lost, 1-2, against Arsenal in Birmingham. They have lost just one match and have even beaten Chelsea. The game in Birmingham between Arsenal and Villa for long spells looked to be heading towards a draw; Yossi Benayoun came on from the substitutes’ bench and scored with a header to secure the win for the Gunners.
How will Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey exit to Barcelona shape La Liga’s title race?
Following what happened in the 2011/12 Copa del Rey quarterfinals, should Barcelona and their fans fear Real Madrid’s threat in La Liga even more?
This Copa del Rey quarterfinal fiasco has left Real Madrid with a lot of positives to take. The second leg of the tie, especially, has opened a way for Los Blancos to follow. Defender Alvaro Arbeloa couldn’t explain this better. He was quoted as stating by Real Madrid’s official website:
“We've managed to get rid of our psychological anxiety and fear to lose against Barcelona. It's hard to be strengthened after being eliminated, but we realize we can defeat them and we're looking forward to our next meeting.”
Indeed, it seems like Jose Mourinho and his men have found the key to unlock Barcelona’s secrets. You cannot look at the 2-2 draw in Camp Nou and talk about humiliation for Madrid.
Liverpool vs Manchester United Preview
Liverpool and Manchester United will lock horns in what is expected to be a fiercely-contested FA Cup fourth round tie in Anfield on Saturday.
The clash will mark the first time the teams face one another since Liverpool's Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches after being accused of racially abusing Manchester United left back Patrice Evra in October.The eagerly-awaited contest is expected to be fought out right until the death, as the fierce rivals will do their utmost to inflict defeat upon one another.
What adds an extra dimension to the clash is obviously the race row conflict concerning both sets of teams, although both clubs have played their part to ensure that the match doesn't continue to play a secondary role.
Liverpool vs Manchester United light up weekend of FA Cup Fourth Round entertainment
By the time Arsenal will play on Sunday, only one team between Manchester United and Liverpool will remain in the 2011/12 FA Cup.
Spurs’ fate was decided on Friday night. Van der Vaart’s 42nd minute goal helped them defeat Watford 1-0 en route to the Last 16 of the competition. Also on Friday was Everton vs Fulham. Murphy’s penalty goal gave the lead to the London side but Everton issued a comeback thanks to goals from Stracqualursi and Fellaini.
On Saturday, the FA Cup will continue with Queens Park Rangers vs Chelsea at 7:00am EST and 12:00pm GMT. Villas-Boas’ Blues cruised to victory in the previous round with a 4-0 result against 2010 FA Cup finalists Portsmouth. They are poised to beat QPR even in the absence of African stars Drogba and Kalou.
At 7:45am and 12:45pm GMT, Anfield will once again transform into the center of attraction as Liverpool will host Manchester United.
Will Arsenal be able to end a run of defeats with a win over Bolton?
Arsenal is coming into this match on a low due to three Premier League defeats while Bolton is coming into the match on a high.
The build-up to this match will perhaps primarily focus on Arsene Wenger following his poor substitution against Manchester United on Sunday. Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain had been the co-star of the Arsenal attack on Sunday. Wenger however took the player off at a time when Arsenal looked the side capable of scoring a winner.The substitution caused great uproar in the stands as it did on the pitch. Robin Van Persie defied his coach’s decision and the cameras caught him ‘in the moment’. Van Persie spoke at length afterwards about his relationship with his coach. According to him, things were absolutely fine in the Arsenal ranks.
United takes on Liverpool in the pick up of the ties in the FA Cup
Liverpool is on a high after reaching the Carling Cup final and will have their sights set on knocking out their major rivals Manchester United from England’s other cup competition.
Liverpool claimed a major scalp by knocking Manchester City out of the Carling Cup. They achieved the feat over two legs. In the first leg at the Etihad Stadium, Kenny Dalglish’s side showed great determination. City kept knocking on the door throughout the match but Liverpool defended with great strength and kept them out. A Steven Gerrard penalty saw them win the game.In the second leg, Liverpool started well and tried to defend their lead. In the second half, City took a 2-1 lead and had the tie wrapped up. Liverpool nonetheless is a gritty team in their own backyard and scored an equalizer via a man who has been the hero on the field and a villain off it multiple times in his career, Craig Bellamy. They won the tie, 3-2, on aggregate.
Juventus vs Udinese Preview
Juventus will be hoping to continue with their winning ways when they invite direct rivals Udinese to the Juventus Stadium in what has the potential to be an explosive encounter on Saturday.
Fresh from a 3-0 thrashing of Roma in the Coppa Italia on Tuesday, the Old Lady know that if they manage to claim maximum points against Udinese they would move six points clear of the visitors, and consolidate their position at the top of the Serie A standings.Just over a month ago, on December 21 to be precise, the two sides fought out a goalless draw in a round 1 catch up game, further highlighting the fact that we can expect a very evenly balanced encounter at the Juventus stadium on Saturday.
However, Juventus come into the clash as the odds on favourites, not only because of their home-field advantage, but because they continue to remain unbeaten this season, with six wins and three draws from nine home matches.
Italian champions AC Milan capture Argentine striker Maxi Lopez
The Rossoneri opted for the former Catania man after continuous failed attempts to sign Carlos Tevez.
Italian champions AC Milan have confirmed the signing of Argentine goal-poacher Maximiliano Lopez from fellow Serie A club Catania, all but putting to an end their possibilities of adding Carlos Tevez to their squad.According to reports Milan deposited the player's contract to the Italian league headquarters on Friday.
"I'm happy, after everything that has occurred. At the end my reward to be able to join this big team has arrived," a delighted Lopez stated to Milan's television channel.
Feirense vs Benfica Preview
Benfica travel to the smallest ground in the Portuguese top flight tomorrow, Feirense, aiming to rack up a ninth successive win and pile further pressure on FC Porto.
The Eagles are soaring high having lost just once in all competitions this season, and at last pulled away from bitter rivals FC Porto at the table summit at the start of this calendar year, albeit holding just a two-point lead. Jorge Jesus’ team take on Feirense, who have recently moved back into their newly renovated Marcolino de Castro Stadium, which has a capacity of five thousand fans.
“We’re going to play in a stadium that is small but which is full of passion,” warned Jesus. “It won’t be the most artistic of games and we have to realise that. It’s going to be a difficult game because against Benfica the other teams run twice as much as what they normally do. Also we have to remember Feirense took points off FC Porto at home.”
Villarreal vs Barcelona Preview
After a stern test at the Camp Nou in mid-week against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, FC Barcelona travel to El Madrigal to take on Villarreal in La Liga.
The Catalans beat Villarreal 5-0 much earlier this season, and it is once again with the intention of imposing themselves that Pep Guardiola’s army face the Yellow Submarines. Unfortunately for Barca though, midfielder Andres Iniesta is unavailable due to a tear in his left hamstring.The Spaniard will be out of action for approximately three weeks, but the club seems to have more formation problems with the absence of Sanchez, Villa, Fontas and Afellay. For the rest of the team though, excuses are needless: “We are FC Barcelona,” declared Fabregas during a meeting with the press after El Clasico.
“We have to give our best and push on. There are players in the B team who are doing really well.”