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Win this and Atlético’s last few days will have been like the climactic end-game in the Godfather when Michael Corleone hacks down every single one of his would be rivals.
Both Valencia and Sevilla legitimately have their eye on clawing points from the big three and, who knows, possibly testing Atlético’s chin with a few hooks and jabs across the season. Probe for weaknesses.
But Diego ‘El Cholo’ Simeone was back from his ban last weekend. The man in black walked the line again. Or prowled. Result? Sevilla were ripped to shreds – 4-0.
Midweek Atlético went toe-to-toe with the runaway Italian champions in the Champions League and cut Juve down to size too.
The Tattaglias and Barzinis down. Just Moe Greene left.
Valencia. They shouldn’t be credible for third place but if Peter Lim’s takeover is confirmed and if Jorge Mendes keeps putting his formidable transfer market power at Valencia’s disposal then you never know.
Paco Alcácer has four goals and a goal assist in his last five games while Rodrigo, a Real Madrid youth product, would love to send one into Atlético’s ribs.
They’ll face Miguel Ángel Moyà who’s time as Valencia’s keeper was plagued by both injuries and doubts about his top level mentality – will he fluff his return lines or steal the show?
Atlético continue to produce set-play gems and, importantly, to win the second ball around the box. Both centre backs, Mandzukic, Raúl García and the wonderful Arda all look like scoring value in, potentially, a 2-2 draw.
A match between two clubs in a race to see which one can be first to resemble Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
The Catalans spent well over €100m in the summer.
Paco Jémez has had to cope with incorporating 17 new players, swapped, borrowed or found down the back of the sofa. You’d think that the visitors might get there first.
But it’s Rayo’s desire to reproduce the best of the Guardiola ideal at Vallecas which tells you this should be a corker of a game.
So successful is Jémez that in 2013 Rayo ended Barcelona’s 317 game run since 2008 when they had always dominated possession. But despite owning the ball for 54% of the time they still lost 4-0.
Rayo don’t have a Petrodollar billionaire owner like PSG but their scouts will have seen the Parisians showing, in winning 3-2 on Tuesday, that if you run at the Blaugrana full backs, if you get quality crosses into the box – fun things can result.
Leo Baptistão has not only scored four times [two off his right foot, one off his left and one header] in two consecutive wins over Athletic and Levante, but he’s precisely the quick footed, hard running striker who might cause danger.
Worth a look for a goal as is Alberto Bueno [Bertie Good] who has four in six and who won the 2006 European U19 Championship with Juan Mata and Gerard Piqué for Spain against Scotland.
Jordi Alba, Andrés Iniesta and Pedro are all notably lacking form for Barcelona who are neither invulnerable nor as intimidating now as they once were.
But Rayo’s attacking, front foot, ‘un-park the bus and drive it through the opposition defence’ will also allow space for Leo Messi, Neymar, Munir and possibly even Xavi who looks fresh and with a free kick goal in him pretty soon.
There should be goals, entertainment and three points for the league leaders despite the whiff of a shock.
Okay – quick quiz question. What links multimillionaire Thomas Gravesen, celebrity PSG fan David Beckham and racehorse owner Michael ‘Go on my son’ Owen?
Answer – they all started for Real Madrid the last time Athletic Bilbao won at the Bernabéu.
Nearly a decade ago.
Not a good for anyone who’s tempted to oppose Madrid based on the fact that this is last season’s fourth-placed club meeting the side which finished just a place above them.
And, just like in real life, the news gets worse and worse.
During that decade Madrid [home and away] have scored three or more goals against Athletic on 13 occasions. Defences on top… etc.
Right now the Basque club: sit a point off the bottom three, have only beaten Levante in La Liga, who ARE in the bottom three, this season; was beaten on its last trip to Madrid, ten days ago against Rayo, and its chief goal threat, Aritz Aduriz, has only ever scored once against Los Blancos – four and a half years ago for Mallorca.
After Athletic lost 2-1 to BATE on Tuesday their coach, Ernesto ‘The Ant’ Valverde savaged them: “We were super-weak, lacking in intensity and virtually unrecognisable”
Madrid, after 15 goals in three league games, centre their concerns around the rampant Cristiano Ronaldo.
He left the Ludogorets midweek win with a sore Achilles, victim of a studding, and thus whether or how he plays is of extreme interest. Last time he was absent for Madrid… they lost.
There is one interesting glimmer for the Basques – that 0-2 win back in February 2005 was coached by Valverde during his first spell in charge.
What’s that? You want another straw to cling to?
Fine. Madrid conceded YET another set piece goal to a header against Ludogorets in midweek, Aduriz’s only goal against Madrid was a header and he’s one of Europe’s finest exponents of the nod to the net.
More? Referee Alex Hernández Hernández in his two seasons in Spain’s elite has been in charge of Madrid three times – and they’ve lost twice.
To Malága and Celta.
And he sent two of Athletic’s opponents off in his first term in the big time.
That aside it looks like Madrid should score three, that Karim Benzema’s on bouncy form and is worth an ‘anytime’ punt [as is Ibai Gomez for the visitors] and that one of Spain’s champions league representatives might even be in a relegation position come late Sunday night.
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It’s been a tough few days for Blackburn Rovers with the resignation of manager Steve Kean and the side find themselves on the road again when they take on Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night (Forest 6/4, draw 9/4, Rovers 9/5 Match Betting).
After months of speculation and pressure for change at Ewood Park, Kean finally decided to call it a day with the Lancashire outfit ahead of their 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic at The Valley on Saturday.
The Scot’s departure will relieve the pressure on the Blackburn (11/2 Championship outright) squad and it will be up to caretaker manager Eric Black to guide the players through this spell, as the club’s owners continue their search for a successor.
Black has spoken about the positive attitude in the dressing room and, with the experience of Paul Robinson, Danny Murphy and Nuno Gomes in their ranks, they certainly have the mental strength to get through this difficult time and get results on the pitch.
The combination of Gomes and Scotland international Jordan Rhodes looks like it could be a potent partnership in the Championship this term and Forest will have their work cut out for them in defence if they are to keep the pair off the scoresheet.
As for the home side, their task against one of the favorites to win promotion back to the Premier League will be made all the more difficult following the suspension of Dexter Blackstock, who was sent off in the 1-0 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Derby County on Sunday.
Forest will still be hurting from that defeat at the City Ground and manager Sean O’Driscoll will be wanting to put things right against Rovers.
However, Blackburn have so much strength in their starting XI and the luxury of bringing impact players off the bench, so they should be able to just edge out the Reds (13/2 1-0 Rovers correct score).
In Wednesday’s other encounter Derby, who will be buoyed by that win over Forest, make the trip to the North East to take on Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough 21/20, draw 12/5, Derby 5/2 Match Betting).
Boro suffered their first defeat at the Riverside last weekend, as they were undone by Leicester City 2-1 to the frustration of manager Tony Mowbray. It was really a game the home side should have won but goals from Jamie Vardy and Lloyd Dyer saw their downfall.
Derby will have their work cut out for them on Wednesday, as they go in search of their second away win of the season following that scalp against Forest.
The Rams look like they will struggle in the Championship once again this term and manager Nigel Clough looks set to head back down to the East Midlands with nothing to show for their efforts at the Riverside, with Boro looking just too strong for them (7/1 2-0 Middlesbrough correct score).
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The Championship action continues on Sunday with the East Midlands grudge match between Nottingham Forest and Derby at the City Ground (Forest 10/11, draw 5/2, Derby 3/1).
Recent clashes between these two have always produced fireworks and with so much local pride at stake, it’s sure to be an absolute cracker.
After an uncertain summer following their takeover by the Al-Hasawi family, Forest have struggled to gel due to the influx of new players and go into the game on a run of seven matches without a win.
This has been partly down to the appointment of boss Sean O’Driscoll, who has tried to introduce a new footballing philosophy at the club, following years of long-ball tactics under the likes of Billy Davies and Steve Cotterill.
However, it’s surely only a matter of time before they start putting some points on the board and one look at their squad shows you that they have plenty of quality within their ranks.
Most notable of these is attacking midfielder Lewis McGugan (9/4 to score at anytime), who has long been seen as a potential Premier League star without anyone ever taking a chance on him.
The 23-year-old is now a major part of the Forest line-up and has been one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign.
He is also one of few local boys involved in the game and will be desperate to show his ability on Sunday.
After once again starting the season with high hopes, Derby have struggled this term as the lack of finances at the club have once again hampered Nigel Clough from adding true quality to his squad.
The lack of strength in depth has forced the Rams’ boss to utilise the club’s excellent youth players in a number of games and he’ll be looking to tap into his youngsters’ passion for the game at the City Ground.
He can also try to inspire his side with the memory of their miraculous win at Forest last year, where they upset the odds to win 2-1, despite being reduced to ten men after just two minutes.
One of the heroes of that match was Jamie Ward (5/2 to score at anytime) who after years of showing signs of potential, appears to have come of age this year and has even become a regular in the Northern Ireland team.
Ward thrives on pressure and will be looking to use his pace to try and get in behind the Forest rear guard.
This one is sure to be a classic local derby with two teams who will do anything to beat each other.
However, home advantage often plays a massive role in the outcome of these games and the extra class in the Forest side should see them through (Forest 7/1 to win 2-1).
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There will once again be plenty of expectation on Leicester City this term and it will be interesting to see how they get on when they get their campaign underway with a trip to Plainmoor to face Torquay United in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday (Torquay 3/1, draw 11/4, Leicester 5/6 Match Betting).
Over the past couple of seasons plenty of money has been spent at the King Power Stadium to sign the likes of Paul Konchesky and Jermaine Beckford, to name just a few players lured away from the Premier League.
Manager Nigel Pearson does have a very strong squad at his disposal and the introduction of Ritchie De Laet and Zak Whitbread to the defence this summer will make life difficult for Torquay, who will have to be at their best to catch the Foxes off guard.
There is bound to be some upsets on Tuesday night in the first round of the competition but it looks highly unlikely one will come at Plainmoor, with Leicester looking set to be too strong for the League Two outfit.
Cardiff City are another side who have splashed the cash recently and their latest recruitment of Craig Bellamy from Liverpool shows their intent ahead of their cup clash with Northampton Town at Sixfields Stadium (Northampton 10/3, draw 13/5, Cardiff 4/5 Match Betting).
The introduction of Heidar Helguson up front alongside Bellamy would be a potent combination which should cause the Cobblers all sorts of problems on Tuesday night.
Northampton boss Aidy Boothroyd may be able to get his side battling for promotion from League Two at the end of the season but they look set for a very early exit from the Capital One Cup.
Derby County are preparing to host Scunthorpe United at Pride Park on Tuesday, with the Irons more than capable of causing an upset if the Rams are not on their guard (Derby 8/11, draw 11/4, Scunthorpe 7/2 Match Betting).
Having come through a disappointing campaign in the Championship last term, manager Nigel Clough has lost defender Jason Shackell this summer and has been limited on the quality of players he can bring to the East Midlands outfit.
Scunthorpe have brought in American striker Mike Grella this summer and the former Leeds United forward has the ability to cause the Derby defence problems.
There is no reason why Scunthorpe can’t cause an upset here and they might just be able to get one over on Derby at Pride Park.
Championship promotion contenders Birmingham City are another team that have high expectations on their shoulders this season and they host Barnet in what should be another good game to prepare for the start of the league campaign (Birmingham 2/5, draw 7/2, Barnet Match Betting).
With a new manager, Lee Clark, at the helm in his biggest job to date, he will be looking to get a winning momentum going at St Andrews and they should have no problem in seeing off League Two Barnet to book their place in the second round of the Capital One Cup.
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With Arsenal arguably in their best run of form this season, Newcastle United face a tough test when they make the trip to the capital on Monday (Arsenal 1/2, draw 3/1, Newcastle 13/2).
The Gunners tore apart AC Milan in their last outing, with a 3-0 whitewash in the Champions League, which will have left manager Arsene Wenger thinking “if only”. Despite a fine performance at the Emirates, the north London outfit crashed out of the European competition 4-3 on aggregate but will be able to take plenty of positives from the way they played against the Italian side.
Attentions will now be solely focused on securing Champions League football for next season, with a top four finish in the Premier League being a must for Wenger, who has managed to turn things around having been under intense pressure for his job last month.
The Gunners will welcome back midfielders Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey to the side having recovered from a head and ankle injury respectively, with the pair set to bring more creativity to the team in the middle of the park. That will be great news for the club’s star striker Robin van Persie, who will benefit from the extra chances he will get from the returning playmakers.
The Dutch international has continued his fantastic form, which does not look like it’s going to stop, as defenses continue to struggle to handle the 28-year-old, who has been linked with moves to both Real Madrid and Barcelona. Expect Van Persie (5/2 first goalscorer) to cause the Magpies plenty of problems at the back and it wouldn’t be surprising to see his name on the scoresheet once again on Monday.
As for Newcastle, they will be looking for a much better result than they got in their last trip to north London, when they were thumped by Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 last month. The Magpies produced a rare lacklustre performance, as they were outclassed by Spurs at White Hart Lane and manager Alan Pardew won’t want that to happen again at the Emirates.
It will be an interesting midfield battle on Monday night, with Chiek Tiote set to break up and create attacks in a game the visitors might see little of the ball. However the Black and Whites do have some exciting options in attack with the likes of Demba Ba (8/1 first goalscorer) and Papiss Cisse likely to cause a less-than-watertight Arsenal defence problems.
There should be plenty of goals in this game, with neither side boasting sturdy defences but having plenty of options in attack (8/13 Over 2.5 goals). Expect Van Persie to be in the goals once again as he looks to add to his 32 goals in the current campaign.
In their current form it’s hard to look past Arsenal winning this one after their thumping of Milan but Newcastle should have a better time of it than on their last trip to the capital.
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The thought of playing at Wembley must have been on the minds of most players from Crystal Palace and Cardiff City over the festive period as one of these sides will grace the turf at the home of football in the Carling Cup final this season (Crystal Palace 17/10, draw 23/10, Cardiff 8/5 in the match betting).
These two Championship teams are currently preparing for the first leg of their semi-final encounter on Tuesday, when the Bluebirds and their fans make the trip across the Welsh border to take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park.
Cardiff go into this game having been unable to imitate their Carling Cup form in the FA Cup as they crashed out in the third round of the competition with a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Premier League outfit West Brom last weekend.
The Bluebirds welcome back veteran defender Kevin McNaughton for the trip to the capital with the versatile player returning to action after three matches out with a calf strain.
Cardiff managed to beat Blackburn Rovers in the quarter-final of the competition to reach the final four and they ultimately sacrificed their hopes of continuing in the FA Cup by resting players for this game against the Eagles.
Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman is expected to make a host of chances after employing the same tactic as his opposite number on Tuesday – Malky Mackay – by playing a weakened side in their 1-0 FA Cup defeat against Derby County.
A host of unnamed players have come down with a bug this week which has delayed Freedman naming his squad that will look to take down a Bluebirds’ side who have lost just one game in their last 13 in the Championship.
The last time these two sides met was back in November and it was Mackay’s men who came out on top, with a 2-0 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium as their star men came to the fore.
Scotland striker Kenny Miller (6/1 First Goalscorer) and Peter Whittingham were on target for the home side that day and they will once again be a threat for Palace on Tuesday in what should be open game.
The Eagles have threats of their own with Wilfried Zaha (8/1 First Goalscorer) becoming a highly rated player at Selhurst Park and looks set to cause the Cardiff defence problems.
Darren Ambrose who scored the wonder strike to put Palace through to the last four of the Carling Cup is another standout player, as his goal knocked out Premier League champions Manchester United at Old Trafford in the upset of the tournament this season.
This should be a close encounter as Palace have come on leaps and bounds this term under the leadership of Freedman.
However Cardiff are in fine form and with their decent record at Selhurst Park – having lost just once on their last five visits, they should take a lead back to Wales for the second leg.
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It’s first versus third in League One on Monday night as Huddersfield prepare for what could be the biggest threat to their record-breaking unbeaten run in the form of Charlton Athletic.
The Addicks have been flying under Chris Powell this season and look on course for a return to the Championship. However, Huddersfield will be keen to pull them back into the play-off mix with a win in south-east London. Can the Terriers continue their remarkable run or have they finally bitten off more than they can chew?
These two clubs have been the success stories of League One this season, Huddersfield for their remarkable run of form and Charlton for the way they have taken the division by storm after a summer of drastic upheaval. Powell brought in 16 new players during the off-season, with 12 going the opposite way as he looked to make his mark on the Addicks. Having missed out on the play-offs last season the former Charlton defender looks as though he has finally turned around this sinking ship and is bringing it back from the depths.
Charlton are four points clear at the top of the table after 18 games, with 13 wins in that time. Their only defeat so far has come at the hands of Stevenage, who added the Addicks to their growing list of victims at Broadhall Way. At home, Charlton have been formidable, winning five and drawing three of their matches in front of their own supporters. The vastness of the Valley could have proven to be an issue for Powell, with some lower league clubs having struggled infront of big crowds in the past. However, the Valley has become a fortress, which in no small part is down to the goals of Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Reading must be kicking themselves after turning down the former Southampton and Manchester City goal-getter, Wright-Phillips having scored 14 in 17 appearances so far. Charlton are far from a one man team though, with Johnnie Jackson, Danny Hollands and Rhoys Wiggins all playing their parts in Charlton’s revival. However, the Addicks will have to do without Jackson on Monday due a hamstring injury, with new loan signing Hogan Ephraim poised to take his place.
Huddersfield look set to give a couple of new loan stars their first starts in the capital, with Jon Parkin and Alex Bruce part of Lee Clark’s squad for the trip south. Parkin could partner the Terriers top goalscorer, Jordan Rhodes, who has hit the back of the net 15 times already. The 21-year-old’s form has seen him called up to the Scotland squad, while Newcastle are ready to make a January bid for the young forward. Clark has already said Rhodes is going nowhere and will do well to keep him if Huddersfield are to finally escape League One.
The 2-1 victory over Notts County last week means Huddersfield have not lost in 43 regular league matches. However, the unbeaten run seems to been a millstone around the players necks and Clark might believe the sooner it is over the sooner they can focus on their number one goal, promotion.
Recent trips to the capital have been rewarding for Huddersfield, winning four of the last five. However, that run of results, along with their 43-game streak, could come to an end on Monday. Charlton are 11/8 for the win and that seems a great price, even given the quality of the opposition. If you fancy Huddersfield to cause an upset they are priced at 19/10, with the draw 23/10.
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Notts County boss Martin Allen has transformed his side around from a struggling club at the foot end of the table last season into a promotion chasing team this time around. They take on Hartlepool at Meadow Lane on Sunday and should be backed at Evs to continue their fine start to the season with three points.
Although they have lost their opening two games in October, Allen did pick up the manager of the month award in League One, as a reward for his side’s run in September. The curse of the award seems to have taken its toll on the opening results in the new month.
The two results won’t concern Allen too much, and he will see them as a mini blip as he challenges his players to go on winning run once again.
The Magpies were boosted with the news that Lee Hughes has signed an extension to his contract at the club. The former West Brom man has been critical to their rise from League Two strugglers in recent years. Take Hughes to score the first goal in the game at 9/2.
Hughes is one of the leading strikers in this division and always a handful for the opposition defence. He has been so successful at this level over the past couple of season that his goal celebration has become a big hit in these quarters.
Notts County have won four of their last five games in front of their home crowd, and that’s one of the key reasons to why they are currently ninth in the League One table, just one point outside the play-off zone.
It must be said that Hartlepool have had a solid start to their campaign and sit just one place above their opponents going into their game.
However, their recent run of fixtures have been kind to them, and they can expect things to become a lot tougher in the near future.
Coach Mick Wadsworth has refused to talk about promotion, and he is probably wise to do so because they are punching above their weight at the moment.
Their latest result was a 1-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday. The start of a tough run of fixtures.
Pools are without an obvious leading striker, like Hughes, who is capable of scoring 15 goals this season. They lacked quality in front of goal last weekend against the Owls.
Notts County are a high scoring side and the visitors will have to score at least twice if they are going to get something from the game on Sunday afternoon.
Take the 2-1 scoreline in favour of Notts County for your correct score selection at 8/1.
Three points on Sunday will keep the Magpies on track for a push for at least the play-offs this season. They struggled last season following promotion into the league, financial problems being their biggest Achilles heels. However, they now know what is required as they look for a return back into the second flight on English football.
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The battle at the bottom of the Premier League couldn’t be closer heading into the penultimate Sunday of the season, with West Ham relegated if they lose to Wigan in the game of the day. Elsewhere, Birmingham could make sure of another campaign in the top flight if they beat Fulham, while Liverpool and Tottenham battle it out for fifth. Plenty to look forward to and we pick out the best bets for each game……
Wigan v West Ham (4pm)
You don’t have to be a genius to work out where the most bitten fingernails will be on Sunday. The DW Stadium plays host to bottom club West Ham and one-from-bottom Wigan in a six-pointer.
Defeat for West Ham will send them down and even a win might not be enough to keep them up if results go against them. The Latics need three points to keep alive their hopes of survival and anything other than a win could end their hopes of beating the drop. While the Latics form has picked up recently they have still only managed one win in the last six matches. How West Ham long for a win – their last victory came back at the start of March.
The Hammers will have looked at Saturday’s results and realise the fat lady is warming up when it comes to their hopes of beating the drop. The Latics should have enough to take advantage but you get the sense that both of these teams are doomed.
Match bet – Wigan to win @ 21/20
Birmingham v Fulham (4pm)
Blues wouldn’t have been too impressed with results on Saturday as Wolves and Blackpool won, while Blackburn picked up a point against champions Manchester United.
That leaves Birmingham outside the relegation zone, but only on goal difference. A heavy defeat to Fulham at St Andrew’s while see them swap places with Blackpool and start the last week of the season in the drop zone.
However, they’ll have taken heart by the way Liverpool ran rings around the Cottagers on Monday night. The west London outfit had been making steady progress under Mark Hughes and the Welshmen will probably send his charges out with a flea in their ear after the defeat earlier in the week.
Match bet – Birmingham HT/Draw FT @ 14/1
Liverpool v Tottenham (4pm)
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp looks like a man under pressure at the moment after Tottenham’s capitulation this season. The north London club were being mentioned in the same breath as title challengers in the first half of the season.
However, since the turn of the year, Spurs have won just 7 out of their last 23 games in all competitions. That has seen Redknapp’s men tumble down the table and out of the Champions League qualification spots.
Contrast that with Liverpool’s resurgence and you get two teams going in different directions. The Reds have won six of the last eight in the league and victory for them on Sunday will see them confirm a place in next season’s Europa League.
While the end of the season can’t come soon enough for Tottenham, Liverpool will be keen for it to continue. Luis Suarez, Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriquez have all been lethal in front of goal recently and they should have too much for Spurs’ shaky backline.
Match bet – Dirk Kuyt to score anytime @15/8
Arsenal v Aston Villa (4pm)
The Gunners title challenge finally fizzled out at Stoke last week but there is still something to play for in their final two matches. With Manchester City just two points behind in fourth Arsenal could find themselves having to qualify for next season’s Champions League if they don’t pick up another win.
Arsenal are very strong at home and with the pressure off you might see a bit more free-flowing football from Arsene Wenger’s men. For Villa, they are all but safe and that will be a relief for their fans when you consider they face Liverpool on the last day of the season. A 1-1 draw with Wigan last week won’t fill Villa supporters with confidence they will get anything out of their trip to north London.
Match bet – Both teams to score @ 5/6
Chelsea v Newcastle (1:30pm)
The first match of the day comes last on our Premier League preview due to the dead rubber nature of the game. Neither Chelsea or Newcastle have much to play for other than pride and places, with the title race and relegation battle over for both clubs.
Carlo Ancelotti will have a tough job on his hands to pick up his players after their defeat at Old Trafford, especially in what is likely to be a sombre attitude at Stamford Bridge. However, Newcastle’s awful away form should play into the Blues’ hands – the Toon having picked up maximum points on the road just twice in the last 12 matches. The two clubs drew in this season’s clash at St James’ Park, but Chelsea should end their home campaign on a high.
Match bet – Chelsea to win 2-1 @ 22/1
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