After a terrible start against Ghana, Serbia got back on track with a surprise win against Germany in the 2nd match. At the same time Australia continued their poor form drawing 1-1 against Ghana. In reality all for teams can still reach the knock-out so there is everything to play for.

Serbia
Few people imagined that Serbia could come back in the way they did against a German team that had looked very strong and determined in the first round trashing of Australia. But they did, thanks to a goal from Jovanovic in the 38th minute after excellent play from winger Milos Krasic, who played magnificently throughout the match.

In the first game against Ghana, Serbia looked like a team without a plan. Surprised by the speed and physical strength of Ghana they made little progress on the field, constantly having to play backwards or across the field. Half way through the 2nd half they were eliminated to 10 players but still managed to create their biggest chance of the game in the 78th minute when Krasic missed an open cross from around the penalty spot. 5 minutes before the final whistle their faith was sealed when Zdravko Kuzmanovic's clearly used his hand to eliminate a cross and Ghana was awarded a penalty. 1-0 and Serbia lost in what looked like a total off day for the entire team.

On to Germany and a new game and this time it was Serbia’s turn to play 11 against 10 when Miroslav Klose was awarded his 2nd yellow card in the first half and sent off. Shortly thereafter they got in front on Jovanovics goal but they couldn’t pull away from Germany that actually managed to stay in the game all the way to the end. They even took the liberty to miss a penalty from Lukas Podolsky as Vladimir Stojkovic made a brilliant save. At the end Serbia came out winners in a game that could easily have been a high-scoring affair as both teams created a lot of chances.

When you rise to the occasion like Serbia did it will be totally ridiculous to throw it all away by loosing to Australia. This is going to be physical match that will suit Serbia just fine. The key will be to control their temper and not get into card-trouble. If the manage to stay 11 against 11 Serbia by far has the most talent. A draw may be enough for Serbia if Germany can beat Ghana by more than 2 goals.

Australia
The “Soccerroos” still have a chance to progress which is in fact quite an accomplishment in itself looking at the games they have played in this World Cup.

They got a lesson against Germany loosing “only” 4-0 in a game where they could easily have lost bigger. For that game their biggest star Harry Kewel was sidelined due to injury so the expectations towards the team was big as he returned for the 2nd game, only to be send off in the middle of the 1st half as he found himself alone on the goal-line forced to use his hand to keep the ball from going in. Ghana executed the penalty and drew level on 1-1 as Brett Holman had earlier put Australia in front. With one man down it was expected that it was just a matter of time before Ghana would go ahead but Australia fought courageously and secured the 1 point that still keep a glimmer of hope alive.

Australia has to win this match and at the same time hope that Ghana beats Germany. This will secure them the 2nd place in the group. If Germany beats Ghana, Australia can still make it with a win in this game but then it will be a matter of goal difference and at the moment Ghana has +1 whereas Australia has -4.

Conclusion
Before the world cup, Serbia was regarded as a team to look out for. They proved that by beating Germany and if they can continue that form they will clinch this one. Australia hasn’t showed anything yet in this World Cup but remarkably is still in it. Serbia has the better players and a strong collective team spirit – expect a physical game where Serbia’s individual skills will decide the game, provided that they can keep all 11 players on the pitch. I recommend betting on Serbia to win.

Group C
Ageria vs. Slovenia
US, Slovenia and Algeria are set to battle for 2nd positin in Group C behind favourites England. Slovenia has been strong defensively in the qualifying stage and Algeria is probably the underdog in this group but their quarterfinal win against the Ivory Coast in the quarterfinal of the African Nations Cup in January proves that they are no walk over.

Algeria
Algeria won their qualification group C in the third round of the African World Cup qualifier. It didn’t come without a struggle however as they finished level with Egypt on 13 points and exactly the same goal difference. This meant one knock out game to settle the score and Algeria came out on top, beating Egypt 1-0. However this was revenged at the African Nations Cup, where Egypt beat Algeria 4-0 in the semi-finals and Algeria is not regarded amongst the best African nations.
The Algerian style of play is positive forward going football, combined with a sound tactical understanding and approach. They are able to adjust their game to the opponents and I reckon that they will come out a little hesitant and wait for just the right opportunity to turn the ball around and bring a lot of players on the opponents half.
Their squad is not filled with well known star players but rising star Ryad BOUDEBOUZ could be the upcoming player to watch. Positioned as offensive midfielder, he is technically stroung with the ball and has a set of well developed football skills, gained from his past where he has played on numerous French youth teams before deciding to play for Algeria. He plays for Sochaux in the French league and much is expected from him if Algeria is to progress from the group stage.
Their 2 recent friendly matches has resulted in a loss to Serbia 0-3 and a loss to Ireland 0-3


Slovenia
Slovenia was not considered amongst the favourites to progress from their World Cup qualifying group. Instead the focus was on Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic to qualify. At the end Slovenia finished 2nd behind Slovakia which meant to knock out games against Russia and with an impressive 2-1 win in Russia they sealed their quest for South Africa.
Slovenia has a more defensive approach than Algeria but player for player they have the better team. The big leader is midfielder Robert Koren, which plays for West Bromwich Albion in England. Besides him players like Milivoje Novakovic from FC Cologne is the teams leading scorer with 14 goals in 37 matches and was a major factor in the qualifying stage. The Slovenian squad is like to Algerian not packed with well known names but they have a solid foundation build on teamwork and hard work. In central defence they have Bostan Cesar and Bojan Jokic which knows each other very well from playing together in Chievo so they take a lot of experience with them.
Slovenia beat Qatar 4-1 in a friendly match

Conclusion
An open match between two teams that honestly didn’t expect to be here. This being said though they will fight to the end to prove their justification at this World Cup. I favour Slovenia in this match as they have just a sledge edge in talent and tactical understanding.

Chelsea faces Liverpool away in a must-win match that could send the Premiership title to Chelsea, provided that they win and Manchester United doesn’t.

Liverpool
Leauge position: 7th on 62points
Doubt full: Dirk Kuyt, Javier Mascherano, David Ngog,
Home game record: 13-3-2

A nightmare season for Liverpool took a step for the worse this Thursday when they were elimated from the Euro League on the rule of away goals. The game ended 1-0 and had to go to extra time as the 1st game against Atletico Madrid ended with that score also. In the extra time Liverpool got to smell the final as they went 2-0 up but Dego Forlan wiped that away with his decider and highlighted that Liverpool are no more than an ordinary team at the moment. Stranded in 7th position they will be lucky to qualify for European football next season and this could mean the demise of the once so proud club. Coach Benitez has required money to buy new players from if Liverpool is to improve for next season but with the clubs current financial troubles this seem unlikely. As rivals, Manchester City, Tottenham and Aston Villa all have money to spend, Liverpool as we know it could be history. With 120minutes in their legs and a huge disappointment it will require a massive effort if they are to resurrect and be mentally and physically prepared for this game. Their last 5 home games has resulted in 4-1-0 but that was when they had something to play for (4th position) which they do not have anymore.

Chelsea
League position: 1st on 80 points
Ruled out: Michael Essien (knee), Jose Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho (ankle)
Away game record: 9-4-5

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has no fresh injury worries as all of the above mentioned players are long-term absentees. Captain John Terry and John Obi Mikel will return after being sidelined in the recent 7-0 win at Stoke. A win that saw them produce chance after chance and the win could easily have been bigger. Strangely enough Didier Drogba didn’t score in that game so he will be hungry for this game. Instead the goals came at the feet of Kalou (3), Lampard (2), Daniel Sturride (1) and Malouda (1). With Terry returning for this game and defensive midfielder Mikel also back, their defence should be tightened further. Chelsea’s last 5 away games are 3-1-1 with one of the wins coming at Manchester United and their lonely defeat coming at red hot Tottenham.

Conclusion
A tired, mentally drained Liverpool against a well-rested highly motivated Chelsea team which theoretically can take the title if they win today… No further explanations are needed – I recommend betting on Chelsea to win.

After playing ultra defensive in the first game in Münich, Lyon now stands at the edge of a Champions League final. With the first match ending in a 1-0 win for Bayern both teams are confident going into this return leg as nothing is decided yet. Looking at the latest team news and their recent games, a high scoring affair could be in the making.

Lyon
Ruled out: Toulalan, Lovren, Clerc,
Doubtful: Chris, Boumsong, Bodmer
Home game record: Champions league 4-1-0

The French defence looks injury hit before the biggest game in the Clubs history. In the first game, both Bodmer and Boumsong were out. Instead midfielder Toulalan played defence which he did with success until he got hit by 2 yellow cards within 3 minutes of the 2nd half and got dismissed. So he will be banned for this game. Boumsong is doubtful and will be tested before the match which is the same for Chris, their defensive captain. I’m sure at least one of them will start (if not both) but in what state will they be in? probably not 100% fit which could turn out to be a disaster. On the other hand, they do not have any real alternatives. In light of this it seems wise that coach Puel has admitted that he maybe played a little too defensive in the first leg and will go for a more offensive approach for this game. It is expected that Lisandro will be the front attacker, with Pranjic right behind him and 2 wingers to spread out their offence. Lyon didn’t play this weekend in the league as their game was postponed by the French football association so it is a totally rested team that will go onto the pitch on Tuesday.

Bayern Münich
Ruled out: Pranjic, Tymoshchuk, Ribery
Doubtful: Demichelis, Van Buyten
Away game record: Champions League 2-0-3

Bayern didn’t have the privilege of not playing this weekend and they in fact started with most of their best players in their 1-1 draw at Gladbach. They are still leading the German Bundesliga on better goaldifference with 2 games to play. Ribery who saw red in the first game is suspended which will be a set back offensively. Coach Van Gaal believes that the best way of defending their 1-0 advantage is by attacking and hence it will be an opportunistic Bayern team that takes on the challenge. Their most recent away games in the Champions League has been high-scoring affairs with a 4-1 win at Juventus and two 2-3 looses at Firenze and Manchester. Despite loosing Ribery in the first game Bayern still controlled the match and actually should have won bigger. Müller managed to miss a huge opportunity in the game, beautifully setup by winger Philipp Lahm who has been magnificent lately. Credit must also be given to Olic who has grabbed the opportunity, scoring in each of the matches against Manchester. Defensively Bayern has been struggling a bit but will see Van Bommel returning on the defensive midfield.

Conclusion
A weary Lyon defence against an opportunistic Bayern team lead by Robben. Adding to that the fact that Bayern have conceded goals in 15 of 18 games this season you have the recipe for a high scoring event. My gut feeling tells med that Lyon will win it but overall I will put my money on Bayern to progress. If these predictions are to go through it will require a Lyon win by 2-1, 3-2 or similar and hence more than 2.5 goals in the match.

This mid-week Aab won 1-0 at home against 2nd placed OB which moved them up to 3rd position in the league. Esbjerg on the other hand lost 3-2 at FC Copenhagen and their hopes of defending the 3rd place that they started the 2nd half of the season on seems to crumble away.

Aab
League standings: 4th on 43 points
Ruled out: Squad not revealed yet
Home game record: 7-3-3

Aab started this round on 3rd position but with FC Midtjylland getting an inury time win yesterday against FC Copenhagen, they have overtaken the 3rd position by one point before this game. The battle for 3rd position is close, with 5 teams being within 5 points. Looking at the recent form however it becomes evident that Aab is going to be a serious contender to take it as they haven’t lost in their last 7 games. As stipulated in the mid-week analysis against OB they are a strong organised team that gives away very little to the opponents. This was proved in that game, where OB was dominated throughout the game and never really managed to break through Aab’s organisation. Judging from the performance in the mid-week there are no injuries to my knowledge but the squad has not yet been revealed. For further information on Aab, go through the mid-week analysis Aab vs. OB – less than 2.5 goals, which by the way was spot on..

Esbjerg
League standings: 5th on 41 points
Ruled out: Squad not revealed yet
Away game record: 4-5-5

Esbjerg started the 2nd half of the season in 3rd place but hasn’t been able to find their game so far. They have only won against relegated HB Køge and FC Midtjylland but given the lead they had from the beginning, they can still finish in 3rd position which will be a major achievement for the club. Esbjerg went down 3-2 to FC Copenhagen in the mid-week game. After trailing 3-0 they managed to come back and actually had a few chances to get away with a draw. Esbjerg’s biggest problem has been their organisation. They are having difficulties in controlling the ball and creating chances. In the 1st half they played fluent offensive football but with the temperatures in Denmark being around 0 degrees and the pitches being in a dismal state, their passing game has suffered tremendously and they have not been able to adjust to that yet. Top Scorer Tim Jannsen has been one big excuse for himself playing terrible and World Cup contender Soren Rieks has also struggled to show the form that has put him in the spot light of several European clubs.

Conclusion
On paper it looks to be a close game but it is 2 teams in different forms and with different confidence that will meet for this game. Aab knowing that they have performed excellent whereas Esbjerg will know that they have led a 3rd place finish slip away. With the current shape of Esbjergs offence and defence for that matter, I can not see them breaking through Aab’s organisation and recommend betting on Aab to win. Their first head-to head this season at Esbjerg ended 1-1 but that was in the 1st half of the season when Esbjerg was at the top of their game.

Atlético is the only Spanish side still left in three competitions this season, but after a poor run recently, La Liga now looks to be the least of their priorities behind a Copa Del Rey final and a Euro league semi-final against Liverpool. On the other hand Villarreal is fighting hard to reach a top six finish.

Villarreal
League standing: 8th on 46 points
Ruled out: Marcos Senna and Gonzalo Rodriguez
Home game record: 11-3-2

While Atletico go from one poor performance after the other in the league,  Villarreal is making a late charge for a place in next season's Europa League and now find themselves within 2 points of the 6th and qualifying position with 6 matches to play. Coming off a 3-0 defeat at Getafe this midweek, Villarreal are set to return home where they have been constant this season. They have won the last 5 home games and seem to have found their form at exactly the right time of the season. They will miss Marcos Senna and Gonzalo Rodriguez for this game which instead will be replaced by young players Jose Manuel Catala and Mateo Musacchio in the squad. Whether they are intended a starting role is doubtful though. Attacker Nilmar is their top-scorer with goals but really their strength is their strong organisation and strong defence. They seldom let in many goals and are strong with the ball which they also displayed recently when they trashed Sevilla 3-0 at home. 

Atlético Madrid
League standings: 10th on 40 points
Ruled out: Raul Garcia
Away game record: 2-4-10

Atlético were hammered 3-0 by Espanyol in Barcelona on Sunday and were arguably even worse as they went down 2-1 at home to bottom club Xerez on Wednesday night. This has left them 8 points behind European football next season and it seems unlikely that the can close that gap which will be a huge disappointment for a team that has qualified for the Champions League in each of the last two campaigns. Even thought coach Sanchez Flores won’t admit it, chances are that they are already now focusing on the Euro League semi-final against Liverpool coming up this mid-week. Returning for this game is Tomas Ujfalusi and Ignacio Camacho but their return can not change the fact that Atletico has been terrible away from home this season. Only 2 wins speaks for itself and with more important games coming up I seriously doubt that the players can perform at their best in this game. Atletico topscorer Diego Forlan has done his best to keep them in contention but he has been somewhat left alone in-front with little support. Jose Antonio Reyes has been very unstable throughout the season which just adds to the perception of him as huge talent, that never was capable of transferring that onto the pitch.

Conclusion
It’s 2 teams that normally play close games. The first head-to-head this season was won by Villarreal 2-1 at Atletico in December and we could easily be in for a repeat of the score again. The Atletico players will undoubtedly have the Liverpool semi-final in the back of their head and if you are not 100% focused against Villarreal, you will get punished. Focus and motivation will be decisive and I recommend betting on Villarreal to win.

Earlier this season I predicted that OB would go all the way an win the Danish Superliga and that attacker Peter Utaka would be crowned league topscorer but much has changed since with OB struggling to score goals and AaB having found their organisation and having put themselves in contention for the 3rd position.

Aab
League position: 5th on 40 points
Ruled out: Kjetil Wæhler, Jeppe Curth, Daniel Fredheim Holm, Daniel Christensen and Marcus Tracy,
Home game record: 6-3-3

Aab hasn’t lost in their last 6 games and coach Magnus Persson is confident that his team can snatch a win against OB but also realises that it is a tough opponent despite OB’s recent collapse in form. Aab are coming straight from a 2-0 away win at AGF and it seems like they are finding their winning ways again, mainly from a strong defensive organisation. Their last 5 games has resulted in less than 2.5 goals. They have a long injury list at the moment where especially striker Jeppe Curth and substitute strikers, Daniel Friedheim Holm and Marcus Tracy are missed. This has left them with limited offensive fireworks and to a large extent they are relying on the likes of Andreas Johansson and winger Anders Due. Their 2 goals this weekend came at free/corner kicks and this resembles the approach that Aab are taking to the games at the moment – a controlled defence with focus on ball possession and not taking any chances. Returning for this game will be offensive back Kasper Bogelund which could prove a slight improvement of the offense but with limited quality in front of goal to put the ball over the line, I do not see him making a huge offensive impact on the result. Aab’s overall goal score this season is 31-21 in 26 games, giving an average of 2 goals per game.

OB
League position: 2nd on 47 points
Ruled out: Njogu Demba-Nyrén (suspended), Eric Djemba-Djemba (longterm) and Anders K. Jacobsen
Away game record: 6-4-2

The 2nd half of the season is developing into a nightmare for OB. Early they lost Eric Djemba-Djemba to an injury and with him being sidelined they haven’t been able to put together a collective effort this 2nd part of the season. As a former Manchester United player, Djemba-Djemba has flourished in his time at OB and is by far their most important player so loosing him at such a crucial stage has been heartbreaking. He may return at the end of the season but the chances are that they will no longer be in contention by then unless they pick up their game. OB seem somewhat frustrated at the moment, not being able to create the wide open chances they were capable of before the break. Peter Utaka has only shined on occasions and this has not been enough to keep them in the title race having lost 3 of their last 4 games. Their last 3 games have resulted in less than 2.5 goals. Overall their goal score is 37-26 in 26 games resulting in an average of 2.4 goals per game.

Conclusion
There is no doubt that OB is still a high quality team, capable of beating any team in the league on the right day. However nothing in their recent outings is pointing in that direction and with Aab’s strong defence I predict a close low scoring game that will be decided on standard situations such as a corner or free kick. OB can not afford any more blunders but on the other hand are struggling to score. This compared to Aab’s strong organisation and their offensive injury problems, leads me to recommend betting on less than 2.5 goals.

One of the most traditional and prestigious London derby’s will add another chapter when Tottenham welcomes Arsenal to White Hard Lane. Arsenal are on a massive unbeaten streak against Tottenham, having won or drawn in the last 20 matches against each other but there are some signs that this could be the end of it.
 

Tottenham Hotspurs
League position: 5th on 58 points
Ruled out: Niko Kranjcar (doubtful),  Wilson Palacios (suspended), Aaron Lennon, 
Jermaine Jenas, Jonathan Woodgate and Carlo Gudicini are all longterm injured.                
Home game record: 11-2-3

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will make a late decision on the availability of Ledley King ahead of the north London derby against Arsenal. The centre-back has been out since February with a thigh injury but trained on Tuesday and could start tomorrow. Tottenham are in hot pursuit of the 4th spot, currently being held by Manchester City with a 4 point deficit to Tottenham. But they have this game in hand and if they can manage to win it, they will close the gap to 12 point with 5 games to play. Spurs have shown magnificent form at home recently with 6 wins and 2 draws in their last 8 matches. Overall they actually have the best defensive record at home, having conceded only 10 goals in 16 matches and actually only 2 goals in the last 8 home games. This weekend saw Tottenham being robbed in the FA Cup semi-final against Portsmouth where a goal in the extra time finished their hopes of making it to the final. They dominated the game and only an unfortunate slip on the wet pitch from Michael Dawson resulted in a breakthrough that sealed the game for Portsmouth. This however leaves Spurs with only one mission now – to secure the 4th spot and qualify for the Champions League’s last qualification stage.

Arsenal
League position: 3rd on 71 points
Ruled out: Alexandre Song (knee), Cesc Fabregas, Andrei Arshavin, William Gallas, Aaron Ramsey, Johan Djourou and Kieran Gibbs are all longterm injured.
Away game record: 8-4-4

Gunners have been struggling a bit lately, having won only one of the last 4 games in all tournaments and this was in fact an overtime win from Nicklas Bendtner who secured a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton. The other games was a draw against Birmingham and their 2 games against Barcelona in the Champions League which really displayed that Arsenal, with their current availability of players, are just a little below the European elite at the moment. Striker Robin Van Persie will return after a 5 month injury spell for this game but he is not likely to start as his return is a little ahead of planning. Arsene Wenger has off course guaranteed his fitness but also realises that he can not afford to take any chances with him. The Championship is still within reach as they are “only” trailing Chelsea by 3 points but will have to perform beyond capabilities in their final games if they are to clinch it. Their form away from home hasn’t been impressive and from the last 5 away games they have 2-2-1 with their 2 wins being decided in the very last minutes at Stoke and Hull. The draws has come against Aston Villa and Birmingham whereas their loss was to Chelsea.

Conclusion
Both teams are forced to win this game as neither can use a draw in the standings. Spurs strong defence compared to the missing offensive power from Arsenal (Arshavin, Fabregas) is leading me to believe that Tottenham will come out on top. Arsenal has been lucky in their latest away games and they can not continue to rely on last minute heroics. Spurs haven’t won in 20 games against Arsenal which is close to ridiculous but all things come to an end and this could be it for Tottenham and I recommend betting on a Tottenham win.

Crowd disturbances in last months last minute defeat to Nurnberg mean only 25,000 fans will be led in as much of the stadium has been closed down. Hertha Berlin are desperately trying to get away from the bottom position in the Bundesliga while Stuttgart are fighting for access to Europe at the top of the standings.

Hertha Berlin
League position: 18th (last) on 22 points
Ruled out: none
Home game record: 1-6-7

Coach Friedhelm Funkel will  see the return of Florian Kringe, Patrick Ebert and Rasmus Bengtsson to his squad and this will be a welcomed boost as Hertha are looking to make a Houdini escape from the relegation zone if they are to save themselves. Currently they are last with 7 points to salvation and with only 5 games to play they need a miracle. With the leagues worst home game record it looks like an uneven matchup in a “half empty” stadium. Their last 5 home games spells no optimism as they are 0-3-2 with especially the game against Nürnberg leaving them gutted. In that game they were in front but ended up loosing 2 minutes into extra time. A result that trigged the crowd which went onto the pitch to display their frustration. Their last home game resulted in a goalless draw with Borrusia Dortmund but time is running out and the question remains if the players really believe in it. They are however coming off a fresh win at 1.FC Köln in the last round.

Stuttgart
Ruled out: Alexander Hleb
League position: 7th on 44 points
Away game record: 5-4-5

At the other end of the table Stuttgart is also fighting their own battle but it is a much more promising one. However it didn’t start out like that but since new coach Gross took over in December, Stuttgart have managed to pull well into contention for the European spots, currently fighting against teams like Wolfsburg, Hamburg and Frankfurt with only one spot available. They took a deep run into the Champions League this season which undoubtedly has affected their Bundesliga performances. For this game the will welcome the return of Cacau who has been a major factor lately scoring a lot of goals. He has already stated that he will leave the club after the season so he is playing the remaining games as a sales object which should spark his performances. Their last 5 away games are 3-1-1 with their last game proving an impressive win at Bayern Munich 2-1. They will be missing Alexander Hleb for this game which will of course affect their offense as he is still a good breakthrough player.

Conclusion
Regardless of their last win at 1. FC Köln, I do not think that Hertha belives that they can create the miracle comeback needed. Only a win counts in their books and hence they will be forced into attacking. This is “sweet music” for Stuttgart as they can play a bit more defensive and rely on counter attacking. In my mind, Stuttgart is a much better team, they are playing for position against the team with the worst home game record.Stuttgart will hand Hertha the final blow and send them to the 2nd Bundesliga and recommend betting on Stuttgart to win.

A late penalty in the 77th minute gave Lyon a very advantageous starting point for this match as it secured them a 3-1 home win in a very entertaining game. The penalty decision was arguably doubtful as a shot hit the arm of a sliding Chalme who only had his arm there to keep his balance. Never the less this leaves Bordeaux forced to come out attacking from the first whistle and we could be in for another high scoring game.
 

Bordeaux
Ruled out: Gregory Sertic (foot), Fernando (fractured cheekbone)
Home game record: Champions League 4-0-0

Bordeaux is looking to extent their perfect home game record in this years Champions league where they have defeated such strong opposition as Bayern Mûnich and Juventus earlier in the tournament. In a first game that saw Chamakh score Bordeaux’s goal, they should have gotten a better result as they had plenty of opportunities in the game. Only great play from Lyon keeper Lloris kept Chamakh away from scoring more goals and all in all 3-1 is perhaps a little misleading in terms of the actual strengths of the two teams. Bordeaux go into the game on the back of three successive defeats - in addition to the Stade Gerland setback, they were beaten by the same 3-1 scoreline by Marseille in the final of the Coupe de la Ligue and lost 2-1 to Nancy in Ligue 1. Whether this was due to full focus on this game or poor form I do not know but they remain a serious contender to the French title with them being within 1 point of leading Lyon. Overall in the French League this season Bordeax is 10-3-3 and combined with their Champions League stats, there is no doubt that they are good at home.

Olympique Lyon
Ruled out: Sidney Govou (suspended), Lisandro Lopez (suspended), Cleber Anderson, Francois Clerc, Jean Makoun, Dejan Lovren, all injuried.
Away game record: Champions League 2-1-1

Claude Puel's men go to the Stade Chaban-Delmas with a 3-1 lead from the first leg, and with a semi-final against either Manchester United or Bayern Munich looking a strong possibility. They also find confidence in the fact that they have the best away game record in the French league with 7-6-3. In the Champions league they recorded an impressive 1-1 at Santiago Bernabeu to eliminate Real Madrid. This weekend they defeated Rennes away 2-1 so it wil be a Lyon team reeking of confidence that goes into this match. However coach Puel is trying to down talk their role as favourites as he knows that it isn’t over yet. Lyon will have some players missing for this game where especially Lisandro Lopez will be missed.

Conclusion
The result from the first game was, in my mind, a little misleading as I feel Bordeaux deserved better. I perceive Lyon as slight favourites to progress overall but there is no reason that Bordeaux can not win this game. With Chamakh in excellent form and hungry for revenge I recommend betting on Bordeaux to win the match. Whether or not it will be enough to move forward is another thing but I will settle for a one goal win for this bet to go through.