Champions League - 30.09.2008

[Ledi17]

1. Zenit - Real Madrid

Last 5 matches for Zenit:
Lokomotiv Moscow - Zenit 0-3
Zenit - CSKA Moscow 1-3
Juventus - Zenit 1-0
Terek Groznyi - Zenit 1-4
Manchester Utd - Zenit 1-2

Team news: Coach Advocaat does not have any suspension issues to worry about and he will also welcome back a few important figures. Midfielder Roman Shirokov has recovered from a calf injury and returned to training at the weekend while Turkish forward Fatih Tekke is also back in contention after shrugging off a thigh ailment. The pair could still be lacking in match fitness while Belgian defender Nicolas Lombaerts is still sidelined with a long term knee problem.
Probable starting: Malafeev – Anyukov, Krizanac, Puygrenier, Siri – Zyryanov, Tymoschuk (c) Denisov – Danny, Arshavin - Pogrebnyak


Last 5 matches for Real Madrid:
Real Betis - Real Madrid 1-2
Real Madrid - Sporting Gijón 7-1
Racing Santander - Real Madrid 0-2
Real Madrid - BATE Borisov 2-0
Real Madrid - Numancia 4-3

Team news: Pepe and Rubén de la Red were suspended for the opening game against BATE due to sanctions carried over from last season but both will be available again for selection. Fabio Cannavaro should also be reinstated to the team after being rested at the weekend but midfield trio Wesley Sneijder, Fernando Gago and Guti are all still out injured. Schuster’s biggest headache is to decide who between four key players he has to drop to from the attacking trident. Raúl could be the one to take the sacrifice this time after starting the last four games.
Probable starting: Casillas (c) – Sergio Ramos, Cannavaro, Pepe, Heinze – Van der Vaart, Diarrà, De la Red – Higuaín, Van Nistelrooy, Robben


Prediction: Home win (0 AH) (2.10 @ Bwin)



2. Aalborg - Manchester United

Last 5 matches for Aalborg:
Brønshøj - Aalborg 2-2
FC Copenhagen - Aalborg 3-0
Celtic - Aalborg 0-0
Aalborg - Aarhus 0-2
SønderjyskE - Aalborg 1-2

Team news: Lasse Nielsen could move in to the Aalborg defence to replace the suspended Michael Jakobsen for the visit of Manchester United. Australian centre-back Michael Beauchamp is available for selection after the red card he picked up against Celtic was correctly transferred to his team-mate. Danish international right-back Kasper Bøgelund (hamstring) is a serious doubt for this game after being forced to come off at half-time during AaB’s match at the weekend.


Last 5 matches for Manchester United:
Manchester United - Bolton 2-0
Manchester United - Middlesbrough 3-1
Chelsea - Manchester United 1-1
Manchester United - Villarreal 0-0
Liverpool - Manchester United 1-2

Team news: The list of absentees at the heart of the United midfield has grown with the addition of Owen Hargreaves (knee) to a treatment room that also contains his England team-mate Michael Carrick (ankle). The ex-Bayern Munich man has been ruled out after a flare-up of his long-standing tendonitis problem. In better news, Edwin Van der Sar should be between the posts once again for the European champions after his successful recovery from the knee injury he picked up against Chelsea a week ago.


Prediction: Away win (-1.5 AH) (2.00 @ Bet365)



3. Arsenal - Porto

Last 5 matches for Arsenal:
Arsenal - Hull City 1-2
Arsenal - Sheffield United 6-0
Bolton Wanderers - Arsenal 1-3
Dynamo Kyiv - Arsenal 1-1
Blackburn Rovers - Arsenal 0-4

Team news: Arsene Wenger has made a vow to ring in the changes for the midweek clash after the Emirates horror show against Hull. He hinted that Johan Djourou may be drafted in to add some defensive height, while Samir Nasri is back in contention.
Probable starting: Almunia - Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy - Fabregas, Denilson, Walcott, Nasri - Adebayor, Van Persie


Last 5 matches for Porto:
Porto - Pacos Ferreira 2-0
Rio Ave - Porto 0-0
Porto - Fenerbahçe 3-1
Benfica - Porto 1-1
Porto - Belenenses 2-0

Team news: Lucho Gonzalez, who sat out the league win on Friday, is part of the travelling panel meaning that Ferreira has a full squad from which to choose.
Probable starting: Helton, Sapunaru, Bruno Alves, Rolando, Fucile, Tomás Costa, Raul Meireles, Lucho, Tarik, Lisandro, Rodriguez


Prediction: Home win (1.53 @ Ladbrokes)



4. Bate Borisov - Juventus

Last 5 matches for Bate Borisov:
Gomel - Bate Borisov 0-2
Bate Borisov- Shakhter 5-0
Real Madrid - Bate Borisov 2-0
Naftan - Bate Borisov 1-2

Team news: Anri Kahgush is suspended after seeing red in the Bernabeu in match day one and thus he will miss out. Goncharenko is likely to use the same team which won at the weekend for this one.
Probable starting: Veremenko, Likhtarovich, Sosnovsky, Mirchev, Krivets, Nekhaichyk, Kazantsev, Sivakou, Stasevich, Yurevich, Zaunerchyk.


Last 5 matches for Juventus:
Sampdoria - Juventus 0-0
Juventus - Catania 1-1
Cagliari - Juventus 0-1
Juventus - Zenit 1-0
Juventus - Udinese 1-0

Team news: Jorge Andrade, Cristiano Zanetti, David Trezeguet and Jonathan Zebina are all unavailable for selection. Christian Poulsen and Gianluigi Buffon have not recovered from minor knocks and thus they will miss out on the trip to Belarus. Dario Knezevic returns and he is available to Ranieri.
Probable starting: Manninger, De Ceglie, Chiellini, Legrottaglie, Grygera, Nedved, Camoranesi, Sissoko, Giovinco, Del Piero, Amauri


Prediction: Away win (-1 AH) (1.60 @ Bet10)



5. Fiorentina - Steaua Bucuresti

Last 5 matches for Fiorentina:
Fiorentina - Genoa 1-0
Lazio - Fiorentina 3-0
Fiorentina - Bologna 1-0
Lyon - Fiorentina 2-2
Napoli - Fiorentina 2-1

Team news: Fiorentina have no players suspended or within a booking of suspension. Italian international Alessandro Gamberini has returned to action after he dislocated his shoulder representing Italy in a World Cup qualifier against Cyprus two weeks ago. Gianluca Comotto is also available for the Viola, having recovered from injury, but Manuel Pasqual remains unavailable. Wing-back Luciano Zauri sustained a head knock against Lyon, but the defender has recovered well and looks set to line up alongside Gamberini in the back line. Fiorentina is expected to use a 4-3-3 formation with Adrian Mutu, Gilardino and Mario Santana up front in a three man attack, while Felipe Melo is expected to start behind them.
Probable starting: Frey- Gobbi, Gamberini, Kroldrup, Comotto - Montolivo, Felipe, Donadel - Mutu, Gilardino, Santana.


Last 5 matches for Steaua Bucuresti:
Cluj – Steaua Bucuresti 1-1
Steaua Bucuresti – Gaz Metan 4-0
Steaua Bucuresti - Bayern Munich 0-1
Farul Constanta - Steaua Bucuresti 1-4
Steaua Bucuresti - Pandurii Tg. Jiu 1-0

Team news: Steaua welcome back Banel Nicolita after the player served a one match ban on the last match day against Bayern Munich. Ifeanyi Emeghara and Mihaita Plesan are out with injuries and therefore unavailable for the Viola clash. Ovidiu Petre and Mirel Radoi are recovering from injury and it is unclear whether they will take part in the European game, as both have only recently resumed training. Pawel Golanski, though, has returned to action following his knee injury.
Probable starting: Zapata- Marin, Ghionea, Goian, Ogararu - Toja, Gomes, Lovin, Semedo, Stancu - Arthuro


Prediction: Home win (-1 AH) (1.92 @ 10Bet)



6. Villareal - Celtic

Last 5 matches for Villareal:
Sporting Gijón - Villarreal 0-1
Villarreal - Racing Santander 2-0
Numancia - Villarreal 1-2
Man Utd - Villarreal 0-0
Villarreal - Deportivo 1-0

Team news: Giuseppe Rossi came off the bench to mark his return from injury on Saturday, and he will likely take the place of Nihat who came off at half time versus Sporting with a thigh injury. Matias Fernandez will also miss out after coming off in the same match. There may be some big names missing from the final squad. The likes of Pascal Cygan and Cani were omitted from the 19-man team for the Sporting match, and there could be more difficult decisions for Pellegrini on Tuesday.
Probable starting: Diego Lopez; Capdevilla, Gonzalo/Edmilson, Godin, Angel; Pires, Eguren, Senna, Cazorla; Rossi, Llorente


Last 5 matches for Celtic:
Celtic - Aberdeen 3-2
Celtic - Livingston 4-0
Kilmarnock - Celtic 1-3
Celtic - Aalborg 0-0
Motherwell - Celtic 2-4

Team news: Gary Caldwell should return to the starting line-up after serving a suspension in the match versus Aberdeen, meaning Glen Loovens will miss out. Hesselink netted twice against the Dons, and Scott Macdonald also scored meaning if Strachan does indeed go with one striker, he has a big decision to make with all three on good goal scoring form.
Probable starting: Boruc;Hinkel/Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor;Nakamura, Brown, Robson,Hartley, Maloney/McGeady; Samaras/Vennegoor of Hesselink


Prediction: Home win (1.53 @ Paddypower)



Good Luck!!!

[Pavlik]

Nice post!

Basicly agree, just Zenit:Real X2 for me and Fiorentina 1 without AH

[Ledi17]

Originally Posted by Pavlik

Nice post!

Basicly agree, just Zenit:Real X2 for me and Fiorentina 1 without AH

Thanks, Ill try Zenit to win with 0 AH because both teams play the same way of play, with to much speed, to much passes and someone can think that they havent play good with Juventus (lost 1-0) but to compare Juventus and Real Madrid. Juventus play more in defense and try to score only one goal in the match and about Real Madrid we havent seen that result, they score 4 goals and concede 3. So i decide that Zenit will be clearly superior in this match. Thanks for the comment.

[xuba]

hi ledi,how are u my frends...
I think you post are good.
I am for zenit,fiorentina and manchester only 1,but I scared little frome villareal.

[xuba]

and fener too

[Ledi17]

Originally Posted by xuba

hi ledi,how are u my frends...
I think you post are good.
I am for zenit,fiorentina and manchester only 1,but I scared little frome villareal.

fine thanks. Zenit will have some problems with Real Madrid but still they will win this match. Villareal is without some players, like Kahveci, Fernandez but still with Cazorla and company they will get the win. Dont forgoet that Villareal is in first position with Valencia in the league. So should be the home win.

[Ledi17]

Originally Posted by xuba

and fener too

Fenerbahce and Bayern i have touch it today, because i expekt suprise like in every champions league day.

[Ledi17]

saw first half at zenit - real madrid 1-2 HT, it was clearly dominated by real madrid, i was safe that i have bet too much for over 2.5, now lets see second half, hope that zenit will score one goal and will be good for me.