Champions League Semifinals Leg 2

The second legs of the Champions League semifinals are today and tomorrow at 2:45 pm on Fox Soccer. To the surprise of many, both of the German sides were able to come out victorious in the first legs with each winning rather handily over the Spanish opposition. Borussia Dortmund were victorious 4-1 over Real Madrid with Bayern Munich winning 4-0 over Barcelona.

Borussia Dortmund @ Real Madrid (Tuesday @ 2:45 on Fox Soccer) (AGG: Dortmund 4-1)

The key for this game is whether or not Real Madrid can STOP Robert Lewandowski. Lewandowski managed to score all four goals against Real Madrid in the first leg and was unstoppable. He had his way with Madrid's back four and made goalkeeper, Diego Lopez, look like he didn't belong out there.

I'm shocked to see Diego Lopez has been named the starting goalkeeper after the last performance and thought that Real Madrid should definitely change it up and go with their captain, Iker Casillas. Casillas has been the guy in front of net for years now and has managed to lose his starting job due to injury. He should have been the first choice in front of goal for Madrid and it shouldn't have even been a question.

Madrid will need to win this game either 3-0 or 4-1 most likely if they are going to advance. They need to outscore Dortmund by at least three goals in order to tie up the aggregate. If the game ends 3-0 Madrid they would advance. If it ended 4-1 it would go to penalty kicks. If Dortmund scored two or more goals then Madrid would need to win by at least four goals.

Dortmund will likely come into this game trying to play defensively. They have the three goal lead and will be trying to do everything in their power to keep that lead. Expect the center backs of Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic to have their hands full today, but they should be able to keep it from not getting too out of hand.

If Madrid is going to win they are going to need a surplus of goals that they just weren't able to get in the first leg. Gonzalo Higuain is getting the start with Karim Benzema likely coming on at halftime. They will both need to score if they are going to want to end up in the final. Cristiano Ronaldo will likely get one goal so they will need their defense to step up and possibly keep Dortmund scoreless. Ronaldo was the only man for Madrid to get a goal in the first leg.

While I think Madrid will get a good amount of goals, I'm not sure if they have a four-goal night in them today. I think Dortmund will be able to get the one goal they'll need as they will keep this game close enough to advance.

Prediction: Real Madrid wins 3-1 (Borussia Dortmund Advances on Aggregate 5-4)

Bayern Munich @ Barcelona (Wednesday @ 2:45 on Fox Soccer) (AGG: Munich 4-0)

As crazy as it was to see Real Madrid lose by three goals, it was even crazier to see Barcelona go down by four. Thomas Muller led Bayern Munich with two of their four goals with Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez each adding one apiece.

The team that is considered the best in the world manage to go scoreless in one of the biggest games of the year and they will have to change a lot if they are going to advance to the final. Their defense allowed four goals, which is unheard of for Barcelona. Their four or five defenders that they use are all arguably a part of the top 10 defenders in the world right now.

Barcelona can't afford to let in a single goal tonight and if they do it will likely be over. If one goal is to go in for Munich, Barcelona would have to score at least six in order for them to advance. If Barcelona is going to advance they are going to have to pull off the impossible.

I'm expecting Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas will have to come out and try to get some goals on the board early. They can't afford to wait too far into the game to start racking up the goals. I could even see Barcelona going to a three-man defense in back and trying to play a much more offensive game.

In all seriousness I just don't think Barcelona has a shot in hell at advancing. There's no way that Bayern Munich is going to slow down their scoring and there's no way Barcelona is going to score five or six goals. Manuel Neuer will have a long night tomorrow, but it will be worth it when his team is playing in what will likely be an all-German Champions League Final.

Prediction: Barcelona wins 3-2 (Bayern Munich Advances on Aggregate 6-3)

Champions League Semifinals Leg 1

The Final Four of soccer is starting up in a couple of hours as the Champions League semifinals will feature the two best teams from Spain and Germany. Barcelona and Real Madrid will try to prove why Spain has the best two teams in the world today, while Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will try to prove that their German teams are right up there with them.

Barcelona @ Bayern Munich (Tuesday @ 2:45 on Fox Soccer)

Barcelona and Bayern Munich have been the best two teams in Europe so far this year. They have both gone on to win their league titles relatively easy and have dominated just about everyone on their way to this semifinal match-up.

Lionel Messi has been cleared to play for Barcelona for this game and he will be the man to watch. He has been the best player in the world the last few years and hasn't shown any signs of possibly losing the top spot. With a healthy Messi, Barcelona are considered to be the favorites to win the Champions League as he has managed to score 57 goals in the 46 games he has played so far this year.

While Messi is the man to watch for Barcelona, they still feature many other world-class players in Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas. The three of them are considered to be some of the best midfielders in the sport of soccer today with Xavi and Iniesta both being perennial runners for player of the year award.

Barcelona's back four has switched depending on who has been healthy this year, but the five main guys splitting time back there have been Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Dani Alves, Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol. The five of them have done a great job in helping goalkeeper Victor Valdes protect the goal all season long.

The man to watch for Munich is goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. With Madrid's Casillas being injured for a majority of this season, Neuer has stepped up as the world's best goalie. Neuer has been the key to Munich's resurgence as the top team in Germany and one of the best teams in the world. Prior to his arrival they were relying on lesser-caliber goalkeepers that had trouble when playing against the world's best.

Munich has many players on their side that could add goals for the German squad. Mario Mandzukic and Mario Gomez will split the time at striker for their side with Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery providing the help on the wings. Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller will be the guys in the central midfield trying to control the game that will likely be controlled by Barcelona's passing. Munich will have to try and keep possession between those three guys as Barcelona has shown all year that they can keep possession for the majority of the game on their way to victory.

This game will feature two of the best offensive squads in the world with both teams trying to just contain the other squad rather than stop them altogether. Messi and Mandzukic will both find the nets for their squads, it's just a matter of who else will end up finding the net that will change the outcome of the game. With Munich playing at home today, I like them to come up victorious as Messi might not be 100 percent fit.

Prediction: Bayern Munich win 3-2

Real Madrid @ Borussia Dortmund (Wednesday @ 2:45 on Fox Soccer)

When you look at the prestige of these two clubs and the names that will be featured in this game, you'd expect Real Madrid to run all over Borussia Dortmund. However, that is not the case as the German side has already shown twice this season. In group play the two teams played twice with Dortmund winning one game and the other ending in draw. In the first game Dortmund won 2-1 with goals coming from Marcel Schmelzer and Robert Lewandowski with Cristiano Ronaldo getting the lone goal for Madrid. Alvarao Arbeloa scored an own goal while Marco Reus adding one of his own for the Dortmund side in the second game which ended in a 2-2 draw. Pepe and Mesut Ozil added the two goals for Real Madrid.

Neither of these teams will be winning their respective league titles as the two teams playing in Tuesday's game will be claiming those trophies. Madrid will be trying to win their tenth European title this year and are the favorite to come out of this pairing. They haven't been able to defeat the German side yet this year, but with them setting all of their focus now on the Champions League, they should be able to come out victorious.

Whenever people talk about Real Madrid the first name that comes to mind is Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is the main key to Madrid's chances, but he is not who I am worried about. All year long fans and journalists have complained about the lack of goals coming from strikers Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain. Both Benzema and Higuain have struggled this season with finding the back of the net and there have been many rumors of Madrid trying to go after some new strikers in the summer transfer market including Falcao of Atletico Madrid and Edinson Cavani of Napoli.

If Madrid is going to advance they are going to need Benzema and Higuain to step up or they will likely end up going home. If they can each manage to get at least one goal out of the two games that should be enough with Ronaldo and others being able to get in some others to advance.

Dortmund will be relying on their big three of Lewandowski, Reus and Mario Gotze for their scoring. Lewandowski and Reus have done most of the scoring for Dortmund this year with Gotze being the main playmaker for their side. Gotze has been a player on most team's radars with the summer transfer market coming up and has shown to be one of the best attacking midfielders in all of Europe.

With Madrid's usual starting goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, possibly sitting on the bench for this game, I think there will be plenty of goals to come from this week's game. Madrid was unable to defeat Dortmund so far this season and with this week's match-up taking place on the road, I'm expecting this game to end in a draw.

Prediction: Draw 2-2

Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 1 Part 1

The quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League are finally here. The first legs of the quarterfinals will be played today and tomorrow with the second legs being played next Tuesday and Wednesday. The final eight teams remaining are Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Malaga, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Galatasaray.

Today's Games:

Barcelona (Spain) @ Paris Saint-Germain (France)

These two teams are currently the best teams in their home countries and with a win in this game would be moving closer to the claim of being the best team in all of Europe. Barcelona have been arguably the best team in soccer the last two or three years and PSG has been moving closer and closer to possibly claiming the top spot. Both teams have gone completely different ways of building their teams with Barcelona bringing up must of their players through their youth squads and PSG going out and buying some of the world's best talent.

One of the key players at PSG right now is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Ibrahimovic is a former player of Barcelona who had a falling out with the team about playing time and eventually moved to Italian side AC Milan before joining PSG last summer. Ibrahimovic and teammate Thiago Silva both left AC Milan to come to PSG over the summer and have been the keys for PSG's great season. The two of them are the keys for the French side.

Barcelona has managed to do what many teams haven't been able to do successfully. They have had a great youth program that has seen the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta grow up while playing together on the same team since before they were teenagers. They have been three of the top five players of the last three or four years and are the reason Barcelona are the best team in the world.

Both teams will manage to get a couple of goals in this game and as good as PSG is playing I don't know if they will be able to get a win over Barcelona. This game will likely end even as PSG will likely not lose at home.

Prediction: Draw 2-2

Juventus (Italy) @ Bayern Munich (Germany)

This game could easily be the championship game. Both teams are currently the best teams in the countries just as Barca and PSG are in theirs. Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus and Manuel Neuer of Bayern are two of the best goalkeepers in the world if not the best right now. Both teams will rely heavily on the play of their goalkeepers as they will try to slow down each teams scoring.

I think that Bayern Munich is one of the three favorites to take home the Champions League this year. Outside of the Spanish giants in Barca and Real Madrid they have the most talent at every position. The play of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben will likely decide how many goals Bayern ends up with today as they are two of the best in the world when it comes to creating goals for themselves and others on the outside.

I think both goalkeepers will be able to keep the scoring relatively low, but Bayern will get enough for a win that will give them the edge when the second leg is played in Italy.

Prediction: Munich win 2-1

Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg Preview Part 2

There are four games this week being played. The only game that seems to be out of reach is the Bayern Munich-Arsenal game as Bayern hold a two-goal lead and will be home in their match. The match that I think will be the biggest this week is the AC Milan-Barcelona clash on Tuesday.

The games being played this week and last are the second legs of the round of 16. The winners of this round will advance on to the quarterfinals in the first week of April. As bad as I am at picking almost every other sport, I'm currently ranked 27th on ESPN's Champions League pick'em so I'm hoping my picks continue to go in that direction.

Tuesday's Games:

AC Milan @ Barcelona (Aggregate: Milan 2-0)

In this first leg between the two AC Milan came out and shocked most of the world by defeating Barcelona 2-0. Without Mario Balotelli for the Champions League they were still able to score two goals against arguably the best team in the world at this point. Milan's goals came from Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari who have given Milan the two-goal lead going in to the second leg.

Barcelona will be playing a very offensive game today as they are already trailing two goals due to the aggregate. They will likely need to score at least three goals if they are going to win today due to them not scoring any goals as the away side in the first leg. I'm expecting Milan to play a very defensive game which scares me. They will likely be playing with two defensive midfielders in hopes of keeping Lionel Messi and the rest of the Barcelona attack from getting a lot of looks today.

I think it is inevitable that Barcelona will come out scoring. Milan was able to stop them from scoring in the first game and I just don't see them being able to do that again. Whether or not Milan is able to add a goal of their own today will be what decides everything. If Milan can score at least one goal that would mean that Barcelona would need to score four for the win. My guess is Milan get at least one today and keep Barcelona from scoring more than three and advancing due to the away goal rule.

My prediction: Barcelona win 3-1 (Aggregate:Draw 3-3) (Milan advance on away goals)

Galatasaray @ Schalke 04 (Aggregate: Draw 1-1)

The first match ended in a draw between the two with Jermaine Jones scoring for Schalke and Burak Yilmaz scoring for Galatasaray. This game isn't getting as much coverage as the other game of the day due to the other two clubs being two of the biggest in the world, but each of these teams can be a real threat due to their guys up front.

Schalke's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Galatasaray's Didier Drogba both didn't score a goal during the first leg and I'm guessing both of them will be giving each other's defense some trouble in this game. The addition of Drogba and Wesley Sneijder in the recent transfer window has greatly strengthened the Turkish side and this is a time where their added leadership and play need to be high if they are going to advance.

I'm expecting a couple of goals to be scored in this game. I think both teams will be playing offensively due to the aggregate being tied at ones. Whether or not Galatasaray will be able to score multiple goals is what will decide this game because of the away goal rule. I'm guessing Schalke will return home though and outplay Galatasaray on their field today.

My prediction: Schalke win 2-1 (Aggregate: Schalke win 3-2)

Wednesday's Games:

Arsenal @ Bayern Munich (Aggregate: Bayern 3-1)

The first game saw Bayern come to London and completely outplay Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Bayern had two goals in the first half from Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller with Lukas Podolski bringing it closer in the second half with a goal of his own for Arsenal. It was when Mario Mandzukic added a third goal for Bayern that the match-up between these two teams appeared over.

Today Arsenal will have to pull off a miracle. If they are going to win this game they are going to need to score at least three goals as the away side just as Bayern did in the first leg. Manuel Neuer is in my opinion the best goalkeeper in the world at this point. I'm highly doubting that Neuer will give up any more than two goals at any point so the likelihood of Arsenal pulling that off isn't likely going to happen. Not only that but I just think Bayern are the much better team than Arsenal and I'm expecting them to win at home.

My prediction: Bayern win 2-1 (Aggregate: Bayern win 5-2)

FC Porto @ Malaga (Aggregate: Porto 1-0)

In the first game between the two sides I thought that the play of Joao Moutinho would be what would shift the game for the Portuguese side. 10 minutes into the second half and Moutinho scored the only goal of the game that will now be heading for the second leg between the two teams on Wednesday.

If Malaga is going to win this game they are going to have to play a much better game than they did the first time around. They only had two shots on goal for an entire 90 minutes and only had possession of the ball for only 37 percent of the game. The player to watch in this game will be Isco for Malaga. If they are going to advance it's going to be because of him. He's going to need to help Malaga get a goal or two if they have any hopes of making it on to the next round.

My prediction: Draw 1-1 (Aggregate: Porto win 2-1)

Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg Preview Part 2

The first week of the Round of 16 is over and the second week begins Tuesday afternoon. There will be four games in the next two days between eight of the best teams in all of Europe. Each of the games being played this week are the first legs of two and the second legs will be played later on in March.

All games will start at approximately 2:45 EST either on Tuesday or Wednesday with one game each day being featured on Fox Soccer Channel live.

This week's games include Bayern Munich at Arsenal and Malaga at FC Porto on Tuesday with Barcelona at AC Milan and Schalke 04 at Galatasaray on Wednesday.

Last Week's Results:

Juventus defeated Celtic 3-0
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Valencia 2-1
Real Madrid drew Manchester United 1-1
Shakhtar Donetsk drew Borussia Dortmund 2-2

Tuesday's Games:

Bayern Munich @ Arsenal

Arsenal are welcoming Bayern Munich to the Emirates Stadium in this Tuesday matchup. The Gunners haven't been having as good a season as the team had expected and losing Robin van Persie to rival Manchester United definitely did not help out the team. Bayern have been on an absolute roll this season and have been almost untouchable in the Bundesliga. They currently have a 15 point lead over second place Borussia Dortmund and should now be able to put all of their focus on winning the Champions League.

While I do believe that Arsenal has a chance at winning this game I just think the Gunners are going to be out-gunned in this one. Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott will probably help Arsenal get a goal or two, but I just don't think two goals will be enough to beat Bayern. I'm expecting Bayern to score multiple goals because they just might have the most firepower in this entire tournament right now. With forwards Mario Mandzukic, Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez each of those guys will get their chances, but I'm thinking the midfield will be the key for them. Franck Ribery, Toni Kroos, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben will be too much for Arsenal to deal with.

My prediction: Bayern Munich win 3-2

Malaga @ FC Porto

Neither of these teams really have a shot at winning the Champions league this year so whichever team manages to get to the next round should be happy with that result. Malaga are currently fourth in Spain's La Liga and FC Porto currently are tied at the top of the Portuguese Liga.

Malaga have been a team on the rise the last couple of years in Spain, but Porto has been THE team when it comes to soccer in their country. There isn't a large discrepancy between the teams talent levels, but I think the homefield advantage Porto will be having should be enough to aid them to victory. My players to watch in this game are Joao Moutinho of Porto and Isco of Malaga.

My prediction: Porto win 2-1

Wednesday's Games:

Barcelona @ AC Milan "Game of the Week"

That guy in the picture above happens to be the best player in the world right now. As someone that isn't a fan of his or his team it is very hard for me to say this. He's the LeBron James of soccer right now and as much as people might argue that Cristiano Ronaldo is better, I just can't pick anyone over Messi at this point.

Now AC Milan is my favorite team in Italy and with the recent addition of "Super" Mario Balotelli they will have a chance in this game. Do I think they can beat this team??? Probably not. Barcelona have to be the favorite to win every time they step on the pitch. With Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas behind Messi it's gotten to a point where you can almost expect Messi to score at least once every game with one of those three guys behind him setting him up.

What this game is going to come down to is whether or not the scoring duo of Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy will be able to score in this game. It's not a matter of whether or not Barca will score because they will, it's just a matter of will Milan be able to match them goal for goal in this one. I'm predicting that the home team will be able to get on the board and match them with two goals but if Barca scores any more than that I think they will win this game.

My prediction: Draw 2-2

Schalke 04 @ Galatasaray

In what will likely be the least watched game of the week one of the three German teams left, Schalke 04 will be traveling to Turkey to play Galatasaray. There are two key players in this game that I would really like to see play and they both play together for their native Netherlands during international play. Those two are Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Galatasaray's recently purchased midfielder Wesley Sneijder. Huntelaar has been a goal machine since coming to Germany to play for Schalke and I wouldn't be shocked if he put up a couple goals on the Turkish giants in this one.

I think a key to this game will be experience. Schalke played in a much harder league in the Bundesliga and due to Sneijder only recently joining Galatasaray I'm not sure how much of an impact he might actually have in this game. I was originally going to say this game was going to end in a draw, but the more I think about it Schalke will have the better team on the pitch and should walk out the winners on the road.

My prediction: Schalke win 2-1

Saturday Soccer Results & Sunday Preview

English Premier League:

Sunday Preview:

Liverpool (7th - 35 Pts) @ Manchester City (2nd - 52 Pts) - Prediction: Draw 2-2

Both of these teams really need wins at this point in the season. Manchester City are currently 10 points behind league leading Manchester United and a loss or draw will probably kill their chances of repeating as Premier League Champions. Liverpool are coming into this game seven points behind Tottenham who would receive the fourth spot in the Champion's League and also seven points behind Everton who would receive the Europa League spot. A loss here would mean they would probably have to win the Europa League Title this year if they have any hope of playing outside of England next year.

As a Liverpool fan it's hard to see them winning this game, but I do think they will be able to compete the entire game and keep this one even. Without Vincent Kompany in the back four for City I expect Liverpool to be able to score easier than they usually would against this team. The many striking options that City possess including Edin Dzeko, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero will also score some goals as well. This should be an exciting game from a scoring standpoint.

This game could mark the debut of recent signing Philippe Coutinho for Liverpool. He was Liverpool's second biggest signing of the transfer window after they also brought in Daniel Sturridge who is already leaving his mark for this Liverpool squad. Manchester City stayed surprisingly quiet over the last transfer window and only brought in one rather unknown player in Godsway Donyoh so don't expect to see any new faces for their squad.

Tottenham Hotspur (4th - 42 Pts) @ West Bromwich Albion (9th - 34 Pts) - Prediction: Draw 1-1

In the only other game between English teams tomorrow the Spurs are visiting West Brom. If the Spurs were at home I'd say they would get the win, but on the road I expect this 1 to stay even. 


Saturday's Results:

Manchester United (1st - 62 Pts) @ Fulham (13th - 28 Pts) - Man United won 1-0

Manchester United win again as Wayne Rooney scores the only goal of the game. With the win Man U now takes a 10 point lead over Man City who will be playing Liverpool tomorrow.

Stoke City (10th - 30 Pts) @ Arsenal (6th - 41 Pts) - Arsenal won 1-0

Lukas Podolski scored the game winner off of a deflected free kick in the 78th minute in a game Arsenal really dominated throughout.

Chelsea (3rd - 46 Pts) @ Newcastle United (15th - 27 Pts) - Newcastle won 3-2

Chelsea could have used a win in this game to move closer to 2nd place Manchester City and push them further away from 4th place Tottenham, however they ended the game with a loss. Moussa Sissoko's late brace is what gave the Magpies the win after Chelsea had a 2-1 lead.

Aston Villa (19th - 21 Pts) @ Everton (5th - 42 Pts) - Draw 3-3

Aston Villa had a two-goal lead erased when they were up 3-1 after Marouane Fellaini scored a brace within the last 25 minutes of the game to give Everton a draw and saved them a point in the standings. A draw here is like a loss for Villa who currently sit in the relegation zone.

Swansea City (8th - Pts) @ West Ham United (11 - Pts) - West Ham won 1-0

West Ham wins the game behind a goal from Andy Carroll, who has now scored only his second goal of the season on loan from Liverpool. Reports from ESPN are stating that Carroll will be joining the Hammers for good at the end of the season with them purchasing Carroll from Liverpool.

Sunderland (12th - Pts) @ Reading (17th - Pts) - Reading won 2-1

Reading's Jimmy Kebe led the team to victory by adding a brace to help defeat the Black Cats. The win helps Reading avoid the relegation zone for now.

Norwich City (14th - Pts) @ Queens Park Rangers (20th - Pts) - Draw 0-0

Scoreless game that saw QPR's Adel Taarabt miss a penalty shot that could have won them the game. QPR will likely be relegated at the end of the season.

Southampton (16th - Pts) @ Wigan Athletic (18th - Pts) - Draw 2-2

In a 2-2 draw that saw four different players do the scoring for their teams. Both teams are currently flirting with the possibility of relegation so the one point definitely helps both teams. Both could have used the win but they will take whatever they can get at this point.

Spanish La Liga:

Sunday Preview:

Barcelona (1st - 58 Pts) @ Valencia (7th - 33 Pts) - Prediction: Barca win 3-1

Every time Barcelona suits up most people expect them to win. In La Liga this season they have only drawn once and lost once. With 19 wins so far on the season expect them to make this game number 20.

Real Betis (5th - 35 Pts) @ Atletico Madrid (2nd - 47 Pts) - Prediction: Atletico wins 2-1

Real Betis are currently sitting fifth in La Liga and are certainly overachieving this season. Last year they finished 13th and will more than likely finish several spots ahead of that if they keep up the way that they are playing.  Atletico is currently ahead of Real Madrid which is an achievement in itself. If you can manage to finish in the top two ahead of either Barca or Real in any season, any team in La Liga has to consider that to be a good season.

Rayo Vallecano (6th - 34 Pts) @ Sevilla FC (13th - 26 Pts) - Prediction: Sevilla win 2-1

When I first thought of this match between Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano I thought that Sevilla would be the team favored. I haven't followed La Liga as much this season due to Madrid's poor season so I hadn't noticed how well Rayo was playing and how poor Sevilla was playing. While Sevilla isn't having as good a season as they usually do and are currently lower in the table than Rayo Vallecano I expect them to win at home in this one.


Saturday's Result:

Real Madrid (3rd - 43 Pts) @ Granada (14th - 26 Pts) - Granada won 1-0

90 minutes of soccer and the only goal of the game was by Cristiano Ronaldo. No, not that kind of goal. Ronaldo aided Granada in getting the win when he scored an own goal in the 22nd minute. This is the kind of season Real Madrid has had all year. In a game where they should have won or at worst got the draw they lost to a team in the bottom half of the table once again.

Real Madrid is only concerned with finishing in the top three at this point to assure themselves a spot in the Champion's League as well as possibly winning the Copa Del Rey and this year's Champion's League. Barcelona is now 15 points ahead of Real Madrid and has played two games less than them. 

What changes Real Madrid will make come this summer will have to be seen. Whether or not Jose Mourinho will be coaching the team when the season ends is the big story as of right now. Bringing in another striker to replace either Higuain or Benzema is likely as is the arrival of Tottenham star Gareth Bale. This could finally be the time they possibly lure Neymar from Brazil as well. All I know is there will be some kind of change once this season is over.

Serie A:

Sunday Preview:

Udinese (9th - ) @ AC Milan (5th - 37 Pts) - Prediction - AC Milan wins 2-1

This game could mark the debut of Milan's newest signing Mario Balotelli. Balotelli has been a headache for every team that he has played for, but when his head is on straight and he's performing at his best he can be one of the best strikers in the world. I'm guessing he will come on as a substitute in the second half and see him possibly scoring the winning goal late in the game.

Juventus (2nd - 49 Pts) @ Chievo Verona (12th - 28 Pts) - Prediction: Juventus wins 2-0

Juventus has now lost their hold on first place in the table and will be coming into this game trying to regain that lead. They sit three points behind Napoli so a win here will give them the tie. Even a draw here and a win in their next game would give them a 1-point lead over Napoli as they have played two games less than the current 1st place leaders. Expect Gianluigi Buffon to not let anything get by him in this one.

Inter Milan (4th - 40 Pts) @ Siena (20th - 14 Pts) - Prediction: Inter wins 3-0

Inter are currently struggling this season and have actually been sellers instead of buyers during the latest winter transfer window. The team has offloaded two of their key midfielders in Philippe Coutinho to Liverpool and Wesley Sneijder to Galatasary. They aren't as strong as they were when they won the Champion's League a couple of years ago, but they are playing the worst team in Serie A so they should win this game pretty easily.


Saturday's Result:

Catania (7th - 35 Pts) @ Napoli (1st - 52 Pts) - Napoli won 2-0

Coming in to the season most would probably guess that either one of the Milan teams or Juventus would be leading the Serie A table at this point in the season, but after today's win Napoli has taken control of the top spot. While they have played two more games than Juventus they currently lead them by only three points so this could change once Juventus has played the same amount.

German Bundesliga:

Sunday Preview:

Borussia Dortmund (4th - 36 Pts) @ Bayer Leverkusen (3rd - 37 Pts) - Prediction: Draw 2-2

These two teams will likely finish second and third in the table as Eintracht Frankfurt is likely to drop down. The winner of this game will move into second place in the table. Both of these teams don't have much of a chance to catch Bayern at this point so this game will likely help decide who gets to be the runner-up at the end of the season.


Saturday's Result:

Bayern Munich (1st - 51 Pts) @ Mainz (5th - 30 Pts) - Bayern won 3-0

Bayern Munich have been on a roll as of late and are looking to reclaim their Bundesliga title. After today's win they now hold a 12 point lead over any other team in the table and it might get larger before it gets smaller. As good as they are playing currently they will more than likely get better next year due to the team bringing in coach Pep Guardiola who will be allowed to spend plenty of money.

French Ligue 1:

Sunday Preview:

Lyon (2nd - 45 Pts) @ AC Ajaccio (16th - 22 Pts) - Prediction: Lyon wins 2-0

Lyon are currently second in the table and with a win could tie Paris Saint-Germain at the top. They are on the road against an Ajaccio team that is in the bottom half of the table that they should beat. Expect OL to come out victorious.

Marseille (3rd - 42 Pts) @ AS Nancy (20th - 15 Pts) - Prediction: Marseille wins 3-0

Marseille are on the road against Nancy and need to win this game if they want to possibly catch PSG and OL. OM are six points behind PSG and three behind OL so a win here will definitely help them. Nancy are currently sitting at the bottom of the table in 20th so I don't think this will be close.

1/30 & 1/31 Soccer Results

Spanish Copa Del Rey Semifinals:

Yesterday's Result:

Barcelona @ Real Madrid (1st Leg) - Draw 1-1

Only two goals scored in a game between the best two teams in the world, who were each playing with their backup goalkeepers. If you thought that was the most shocking part of the game, the fact that neither of those goals scored were by either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the most telling part of the game.

The first half of El Clasico remained scoreless but during the 50th minute Cesc Fabregas gave Barcelona the lead and the game was starting to appear as if the game would end in a 1-0 win for the away side. It wasn't until the 81st minute of the game when Real Madrid's Raphael Varane scored a header to tie the game up. Varane is the teams fourth best center back  and he is the main reason Real Madrid has any chance of possibly continuing on to the championship. If it wasn't for injuries and suspensions to starting center backs Pepe and Sergio Ramos, the young Varane never would have gotten the chance to prove how helpful he could be.

(Original prediction: 2-2 Draw)

Today's Result:

Sevilla FC @ Atletico Madrid (1st Leg) - Atletico Madrid won 2-1
(Original prediction: Atletico win 2-1)

English Premier League:

Yesterday's Results:

Liverpool (7th - 35 Pts) @ Arsenal (6th - 38 Pts) - Draw 2-2

Both teams came into this game really needing a win so that they could move up in the league table. Instead both only left with one point in a game that was really entertaining from the beginning. In a game with very little defense this game could have ended up with 4 goals a piece. Both teams continued to get shots off throughout the game, but neither finished enough of their shots to end the game with a win.

When Luis Suarez got the game started in the fifth minute with a quick goal for Liverpool the game looked like Liverpool would be able to keep it up all game but that was the only goal of the first half. After fifteen minutes went by in the second half the game really picked up for the next 10 minutes.

In the 60th minute of the game Jordan Henderson scored a goal that then gave Liverpool a 2-0 edge over the Gunners and at the time it was looking like Liverpool would walk away with the win. However four minutes later Olivier Giroud scored off of a header and three minutes after that Theo Walcott scored to tie the game up 2-2.

Both teams had opportunities after all four goals had been scored, but neither team was able to finish one home. Was very impressed with the pair of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez as I believe the two of them will form a very good striking pair at the top of the formation for the Reds.

(Original prediction: Liverpool win 2-1)

West Bromwich Albion (9th - 34 Pts) @ Everton (5th - 41 Pts) - Everton won 2-1
(Original prediction: Everton win 3-2)

Tottenham Hotspur (4th - 42 Pts) @ Norwich City (14th - 27 Pts) - Draw 1-1
(Original prediction: 1-1 Draw)

West Ham United (13th - 27 Pts) @ Fulham (12th - 28 Pts) - Fulham won 3-1
(Original prediction: Fulham win 1-0)

Southampton (16th - 23 Pts) @ Manchester United (1st - 59 Pts) - Manchester United won 2-1
(Original prediction: Manchester United win 3-0)

Chelsea (3rd - 46 Pts) @ Reading (17th - 20 Pts) - Draw 2-2
(Original prediction: Chelsea win 2-0)

Wednesday Soccer: El Clasico & More

Today's Games:

Spanish Copa Del Rey:

Barcelona @ Real Madrid (1st Leg)

For those of you that love the big names and love seeing the best teams playing against each other, it doesn't get any bigger than this game. The two best teams in the world and the two best players in the world are featured in this one.

Barcelona are currently having the much better season up to this point and Real Madrid are dealing with a lot of injuries as well as suspensions for this game. Barcelona are coming into this game with a very healthy squad that has been on a tear. Madrid is going to need which ever goalkeeper is starting today to fill the void that will be missing without captain Iker Casillas along with a very depleted back four without Pepe and Sergio Ramos.

What this game will more than likely come down to is the productivity of Cristiano Ronaldo. If Ronaldo can score a goal or two this will likely be the decider in the game. If he is held scoreless I think this game will end poorly for Los Blancos. While Messi has been on a tear as of late and will more than likely break even more goal records, he has had a lot more help this season than Ronaldo has.

Due to all of the guys out for Real Madrid in this game they might just be hoping for a draw at best. Even though they are at home they are going to need a miracle to win this one.

My prediction: 2-2 Draw

English Premier League:

Liverpool (7th - 34 Pts) @ Arsenal (6th - 37 Pts)

If it wasn't for the Madrid-Barcelona game today, this would easily be the biggest game on tap. Liverpool and Arsenal are both fighting for the possibility of making the Champions League and both are currently sitting outside of the top four. Liverpool are currently 3 points behind Arsenal, so with a win today they would be able to tie them for the sixth spot in the league table.

Both teams have played very similarly up to this point in the season and are both looking for more consistency out of their clubs. They don't have the big names that they might have had five years ago due to some teams spending a lot more money than they have in the past, but both of these teams remain very competitive within the league.

The player to watch in this game is Luis Suarez. If it wasn't for Robin van Persie this year, he would be the best forward in the Premier League. His 16 goals are leading a Liverpool team that has been without any other real striker help for the majority of the season and he will likely have to come up big for a Liverpool win today. Behind recent signings of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, this Liverpool team is looking to improve on it's scoring and whether or not either of these players play today could have an effect on the game.

My prediction: Liverpool win 2-1

West Bromwich Albion (8th - 34 Pts) @ Everton (5th - 38 Pts)

My prediction: Everton win 3-2

Tottenham Hotspur (4th - 41 Pts) @ Norwich City (13th - 26 Pts)

My prediction: 1-1 Draw

West Ham United (12th - 27 Pts) @ Fulham (14th - 25 Pts)

My prediction: Fulham win 1-0

Southampton (15th - 23 Pts) @ Manchester United (1st - 56 Pts)

My prediction: Manchester United win 3-0

Chelsea (3rd - 45 Pts) @ Reading (18th - 19 Pts)

My prediction: Chelsea win 2-0


Yesterday's Results:

Italian Coppa Italia Semifinal:

Juventus @ Lazio (2nd Leg) - Lazio won 2-1 (3-2 Aggregate)
(Originally predicted Juventus would win 2-1 (3:2 on aggregate)

English Premier League:

Newcastle United @ Aston Villa - Newcastle won 2-1
(Originally predicted a 2-2 Draw)

Manchester City @ Queens Park Rangers - Draw 0-0
(Originally predicted Man City would win 3-0)

Wigan Athletic @ Stoke City - Draw 2-2
(Originally predicted Stoke City would win 2-1)

Swansea City @ Sunderland - Draw 0-0
(Originally predicted a 1-1 Draw)

Sunday Soccer Results

Yesterday, I did my first version of soccer predictions and I didn't do all that bad: 1/27 Soccer Predictions. Of the 12 games that I picked I went 7-5 on the day and took a real beating in England.

English FA Cup Fourth Round:

I got all three of my FA Cup game predictions wrong. In these three games where I thought the bigger clubs would easily win games against lesser opponents without breaking a sweat two of those teams were eliminated and Chelsea has a chance at redemption against Brentford due to the draw.

The main problem for why Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea are in the predicaments that they are is that they completely overlooked their opponents for these games and were more worried about their Premier League games that are going on later in the week. While winning trophies is important for most teams, some teams are so focused on winning their league titles that they under-perform year after year in their domestic cups.

Results: 

Chelsea @ Brentford - Draw 2-2
Tottenham Hotspur @ Leeds United - Leeds wins 2-1
Liverpool @ Oldham Athletic - Oldham wins 3-2

Spanish La Liga:

In La Liga my predictions were much better than in the FA Cup as I went 2-1. While I got the Real Madrid and Barcelona games right I didn't give those two teams enough credit as they went on to win by scores much larger than I predicted. The game that I got wrong was choosing Atletico Madrid to hold Athletic to a draw. Athletic proved to be too much for Atletico in this game as they easily won their game in shutout fashion.

While Real Madrid aren't having their best season right now this game just shows that in any game they could come out and drop multiple goals on teams. Barcelona is arguably the best team in the world right now and all signs are pointing to them winning La Liga along with the Champions League this year. It helps when Real Madrid and Barca have the two best forwards in the world right now as Cristiano Ronaldo of Real scored three goals and Lionel Messi of Barca outdoing him in his game by netting four.

Results:

Getafe @ Real Madrid - Real Madrid win 4-0
Osasuna @ Barcelona - Barca win 5-1
Atletico Madrid @ Athletic Bilbao - Bilbao win 3-0

Italian Serie A:

Finished 2-1 on the day with picks in the Serie A with the only game I got wrong being Torino at Inter Milan. Both the Roma-Bologna and AC Milan-Atalanta games played out very similar to that of what I guessed except the goal totals being a little off. Very shocked to see Inter not be able to grab the three points over a lesser team in Torino.

Results:

AS Roma @ Bologna - Draw 3-3
AC Milan @ Atalanta - AC Milan win 2-1
Torino @ Inter Milan - Draw 2-2

Other Games in Europe:

I don't follow the German Bundesliga or the French Ligue 1 as much as the leagues in England, Spain and Italy, however I thought I'd add a few games coming from some of the other big clubs around Europe. I'm starting to think these leagues are the ones that I need to keep picking as I went a perfect 3-0 with my picks in these games. Both Bayern and PSG seem destined to win their respective leagues and will more than likely be making noise come the Round of 16 in the Champions League in a couple of weeks.

Results:

Werder Bremen @ Hamburg SV - Hamburg win 3-2
Bayern Munich @ VFB Stuttgart - Bayern win 2-0
LOSC Lille @ Paris Saint-Germain - PSG win 1-0

Sunday Soccer Predictions

Today there are many important soccer games going on and some of the biggest clubs are in action. These are my predictions for some select games that will be going on later today.

English FA Cup Fourth Round:

Chelsea @ Brentford

While Brentford is the home team they have no chance at winning this game. Chelsea is the defending Champions League champions and one of the best teams in the Premier League. Brentford is in the third tier of English soccer currently and just getting to this point is probably a success for their team.

Prediction: Chelsea win 3-0

Tottenham Hotspur @ Leeds United

This will more than likely be the closest of any of the three FA Cup games today. While Leeds United isn't the same team they once were back in the 1990's they are still a team that tends to be competitive come cup time and is usually at the top of their league year after year. That being said Tottenham is definitely still better than the home team so I see them being too much for this team.

Prediction: Tottenham win 2-1

Liverpool @ Oldham Athletic

Liverpool is currently going through one of their roughest patches in the history of the club. However, there aren't many teams that Liverpool would have been happier to see this round than Oldham Athletic. Oldham is currently in the third tier of English football and are facing the possibility of relegation. I see Liverpool pulling out an easy victory over a team that they are much better than on paper.

Prediction: Liverpool win 2-0

Quick Picks:

La Liga:
Getafe @ Real Madrid - Real Madrid win 3-2
Osasuna @ Barcelona - Barcelona win 2-0
Atletico Madrid @ Athletic Bilbao - Draw 2-2

Italian Serie A:
AS Roma @ Bologna - Draw 1-1
AC Milan @ Atalanta - AC Milan win 2-1
Torino @ Inter Milan - Inter win 2-0

Other Games in Europe:
Werder Bremen @ Hamburg SV - Hamburg win 2-1
Bayern Munich @ VFB Stuttgart - Bayern win 3-0
LOSC Lille @ Paris Saint-Germain - PSG win 2-0