Boca travel to Asunción for the second leg of Copa Libertadores 1/4 final after a disapointing 1:1 draw in Buenos Aires. Will Los Xeneizes archieve their first away win in the tournament in what is probably their most important game of the year? I believe so...

Having watched the first game, I must say that this 1:1 doesnt reflect the showed on the pitch. Boca was by far the better team, for most part of the game they were all over the paragyans, but they missed many good chances, including a penalty by Riquelme, and to top it all there was a wrongly disallowed goal for them. As for Libertad, they played their own game - well organized at the back and trying on counters in the few chances they had. Then in the 80' they scored a lucky goal from free kick after Boca's goalie mistake and from this moment it was all defence for them. Overall it's their keeper Bava to be thanked for the good result they got at Bombonera.

The paraguyans will look to eliminate another argentinian giant, after they managed this with River Plate last year. So far Libertad have done quite well, losing just once in the tournament. However there are IMO some question marks about their performance, as actually they haven't faced a really strong opponent, only Boca, but I already wrote about this game. No injury problems for coach Markarian and most probably he will field the same line-up from the first game.

As for Boca, the five-time Libertadores champions are facing a difficult task here. They managed only a draw in the first game and now it's do or die situation for them. Coach Russo said, that the players have drawn a lesson from the first game and now they are fully concentrated on this one. In the last game of the local championship he rested almost all key players and tonight he will field the best possible line-up. It's true that Boca are still winless on the road in the tournament, but considering the facts that they were playing with almost second team in each of these 4 games and 3 of them were at high attitude, its not surprising at all. Tonight 5000 Boca fans are expected at the stadium and this could be a big boost for them.

This is a tricky game and it could go either way, however I fancy Boca here. The argentinians were tipped as main contenders for the trophy this year and it will be a big disapointment if they fail at this stage. Boca are no doubt the better team here and if they play like they can, they have all the chances to overcome Libertad. Odds are good enough for a medium stake. At least better than to get screwed with 1.50ish odds...

Libertad: Jorge Bava; Carlos Bonet, Ricardo Martínez, Pedro Sarabia; Edgar Balbuena, Sergio Aquino, Víctor Cáceres, Cristian Riveros, Pablo Guiñazú; Vladimir Marín u Osvaldo Martinez y Rodrigo López. DT: Sergio Markarián.

Boca: Maurico Caranta; Hugo Ibarra, Daníel Díaz, Claudio Morel, Clemente Rodríguez; Pablo Ledesma, Ever Banega, Neri Cardozo; Juan Román Riquelme; Rodrigo Palacio y Martín Palermo. DT: Miguel Russo.

Saint Etienne host Marseille in this fixture of French Ligue 1. A really exciting game expected at Stade Gouffroy Guichard, as two of the biggest rivals in French Football history meet each other.

Saint Etienne are currently in 8th position and practically the season is over for them. However the motivation is always high enough when Les Verts play in front of their hot fans and they will try to get a good result against one of the in-form teams in Ligue 1. Important striker Ilan is back in action and should be once again threat for the opposite defenders. The defence on the other hand has been very shaky lately and this is their main problem this year, thanks God there was GK Janot to save their arses in many occasions...

Last week Marseille lost the final in Coupe de France to Sochaux on penalties and the club remain for yet another year without a trophy. But they have a great chance to finish the season in the best possible way, earning the coveted place in the Champions League. A run of 4 consecutive wins have fired them in the 2nd place and they need 4 points in the remaining two fixtures to secure it. The team managed to hit form just in time and with outstanding Ribery in the squad they are playing some world class footie lately. Coach Emon can count on almost full strenght squad, with only defender Zubar out due to injury.

All in all this is a very hard game to call. OM are the team, that have something to fight for, but they have always had big problems at this stadium, losing 15 consecutive games. But I see some value in the OVER here, I expect aggressive rather than defensive tactics from both teams here and with players like Ilan, Gomis, Cisse, Niang and etc goals should come.

This should be a decent pick. After a great run of 4 wins in a row now Dortmund II are just one point away from the safety. Three rounds left in Regionalliga North and every point will be vital for them, especially at home. As for Union, they are in 10th position, 5 points away from the danger zone, but I think they should be enough for their survival. Lately they are struggling big time on the road, with 4 defeats in a row.
The only reinforcement for Dortmund II today will be Lars Ricken, as the senior team also has a match today, but anyway they are in good shape and have all the chances of winning today.

With two rounds left in Ligue 2, Caen will travel to Istres looking to secure their promotion. A tricky mission though, as they face a team, desperately fighting against relegation.

Istres is on a run of 5 games without defeat, collecting 9 points. However its a bit too late for this and the team keep struggling at the bottom of the table, with their chances for survival being fairly short. To archieve this, they must win their last two games and hope for wrong steps of the other teams, involved in the relegation battle. Even if they defeat Caen today, in the last day of the season they have to win in Corsica against Bastia, almost mission impossilbe IMO, considering their poor away form.

As for Caen, the win over Reims moved them just few points away from the desired promotion. Therefor they need 4 points in the remaining two fixtures. Only two months ago their place in Ligue 1 looked almost guaranteed, but after some sloppy results they found themselvs in a tricky situation. The Normans surely remember the last season, where they let the promotion to escape in the last round and to avoid this to happen again, they must fully concentrate on the decisive last two games. Compan, Proment, Leca are all out for the clash against Istres, on the other hand important figures Mazure, Deroin and Thiam are back in action, so overall the squad is in good condition.

A tought match expected in Istres and my preference is for Caen here. Of course its gonna be far from easy for the them tonight, but they have the needed quality to get the vital three points. Istres are IMO closer to Division National rather to the survival.

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Boca Juniors host Libertad in the first 1/4 final of Copa Libertadores. The five-time champion from Argentina are considered as main contenders for the trophy. And It can't be otherwise, as they have maybe the best squad in the tournament. Riquelme became the key man in the team, controlling the midfield and scoring some crucial goals. Coach Russo can count on almost full strenght squad, as Daniel Díaz is back after injury and will take his place in the defence. The only absent is suspended Pablo Ledesma, who will be replaced by Nicolás Bertolo. Boca possess a perfect home record, with 4/4 wins and 14:0 goal difference.

Libertad managed to get to this stage after eliminating brazilian Parana. The paraguyan team is in the 1/4 finals for second year in a row, and yet again against argentinian rival. Last year they eliminated River Plate after a draw in Buenos Aires and 3:1 win in the returning leg in Asuncion. So far Libertad showed decent performance in the tournament and they are yet to be beaten on the road. But IMO neither of their opponents was of Boca's class and I can't see them avoiding the defeat tonight at La Bombonera. Coach Markarian will field and defensive minded XI, trying to hold the attacking power of their opponents.

Considering the class difference and the home advantage, Boca are clear favorites in this one. They will surely try to get a decent lead before the second leg, as they realize their problems when playing on the road. Full stakes on Boca.

Boca Juniors: Mauricio Caranta; Hugo Ibarra, Daniel Díaz, Claudio Morel Rodríguez, Clemente Rodríguez; Nicolás Bertolo, Ever Banega, Neri Cardozo; Juan Román Riquelme; Rodrigo Palacio y Martín Palermo.
Director técnico: Miguel Angel Russo.

Libertad: Jorge Bava; Carlos Bonet, Ricardo Martínez, Pedro Sarabia, Edgar Balbuena; Víctor Cáceres, Sergio Aquino, Cristian Riveros, Pablo Guiñazú; Vladimir Marín; y Hernán Rodrigo López.
Director técnico: Sergio Markarián.

America welcome Santos at mythical Azteca in what is probably the most interesting game in the 1/4 finals in Libertadores.

America will have a very tough task against one of the best teams in South America atm. Moreover (typically for SA) they are facing some problems with their schedule, as they have to play two games within 24 hours - this game and tomorrow against rivals Chivas in the semis of La liguilla. Therefor coach Tena will rest some of the key players, or at least they won't play full 90 minutes. However the starting XI will be a decent one and they still have the power to overcome the brasilians, taking advantage of their shaky of late defence. According to latest news, on loan forward Navia is be unavalaible due to FIFA laws and it looks like team topscorer Cabañas will have to start as regular.

As for Santos, they will be looking for a good result before the returning leg. The brasilians are yet to be beaten, winning massive 9 out of 10 games, and they are by far the best team in the tournament. The performance has been really superb, maybe except for the defence, that looks very shaky lately. Coach Luxembourgo stated, that Libertadores is their main priority and therefore he rested many of the key players in the opening game of the local championship. The players are in Mexico City since Sunday morning and they seem to be 100% focused on this game.

A hard game to predict, America will try to take control right from the start, while Santos will look to obtain a good results. Maybe the best bet here is OVER 2.5, both teams are pretty offensively minded and with players like Cabañas, Cuevas, Cleber, Ze Roberto, Tabata goals are always to be expected.

América: Guillermo Ochoa, José Antonio Castro, Ricardo Rojas, Felipe Baloy, Rodrigo Iñigo, Carlos Infante, Alejandro Argüello, Luis Ernesto Pérez, Juan Carlos Mosqueda, Daniel Rubén Bilos y Salvador Cabañas. D.T. Luis Fernando Tena.

Santos: Fábio Costa, Alessandro Mori, Cristiano Ávalos, Marcelo Guedes, Kléber de Carvalho, Rodrigo Souto, Cléber Santana, Claudio Andrés Maldonado, Zé Roberto, Marcos Aurélio y Jonas Goncalves. D.T. Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

Good old scandinavian soccer . Tough round in Norway Tippeligaen, the only game that caught my eye is Stabæk at home against struggling Odd.

Stabæk with a good start to the season, unbeaten in five games. Attacking duo Nannskog - Gunnarsson working very well for another season, scoring 6 from all 7 goals for the team. Overall the performance has been good, the defensive line looks stronger than last year and if they continue like this, they can attack a position in top 4. For this game coach Jonsson cant count on defenders Kjolo and Olsen.

Last year Odd won the playout against Bryne and managed to avoid the relegation. This season they started with 5 defeats in 6 games and the things looks much more difficult for them. Team stars Svindal Larsen and Nillson arent happy with the current situation in the club, they don't give their best and they are already looking for new teams. Midfielder Ruud is suspended, while forward de Ornelas is questionable.

I expect another good game for Stabæk and a win here. The price isn't bad, despite the absents of Kjolo and Olsen in the back, I just cant see Odd taking advantage of it, not to mention stoping Nannskog and Gunnarsson.

A derby game at Olympia Stadium, as Helsingborg hosts Malmö in the last game of this round in Allsvenskan.

Helsingborg is a team with big ambitions and after two disappointing season, they are yet again aiming for a place in the top. And with decent coach like Stuart Baxter and a fairly good squad they are surely capable of, but they need to be more constant in their performance. Important striker Shelton was sold in England, but they brought a good replacement in the beninese Omotoyossi. Famous Henrik Larsson is back after a boosting “pre season” with Manchester United and he is ready to lead the team back on the winning way, just like the second half of the last season. However the start to the new campaing wasn’t any good, they lost 3 of their first 5 games, but last week against AIK they finally played like they can and won 1:0 away from home. Many times last season they made a good game and then some bad ones in a row, but I believe they can keep their momentum against Malmö. Striker Olivier Karekezi is out for this match.

As for the guest, just look at Helsingborg and change the name to Malmö. They have maybe the best squad in Allsvenskan, but disappointed big time in the last couple of. Now there are big investments in the team and therefor big expectation, so the pressure on the players and the coach is big. After five games they are at the 7th position with 8 points and expect for the game against AIK, they still haven’t showed a good performance. For the game against HIF they will have to do without some important players like Junior, Nillson, Skoog and long term injured Litmanen, and this could be a problem.

This is a hard game to predict, but I see Helsingborg as slighty favorites here. The DNB options seems a good bet and worth a shot imo, medium stakes.

Helsingborg IF: 1 Daniel Andersson; 23 Erik Wahlstedt, 18 Samir Belouta, 24 Fredrik Björck, 3 Adama Tamboura; 9 Andreas Dahl, 10 McDonald Mariga, 5 Andreas Jakobsson, 19 Babis Stefanidis; 11 Razak Omotoyossi, 17 Henrik Larsson

Malmö FF: 35 Jonas Sandqvist; 2 Ulrich Vinzents, 4 Jimmy Dixon, 7 Anders Andersson, 25 Behrang Safari; 14 John Inge Höiland, 20 Ola Toivonen, 30 Daniel Andersson, 11 Yksel Osmanovski; 31 Jonatan Johansson, 18 Edward Ofere

Norrköping hosts Häcken in this fixture of Sweden Superettan.

After 4 games Norrköping are 1st placed with 3 wins and 1 draw. Overall they have been one of the decent sides in Superettan in the recent years, finishing always near the top 4. In 2006 they were very close to gain promotion and for this season it will be their aim. Virtually an unchanged squad, that is topped with the signing of experienced midfielder Mikel Blomberg from Kalmar FF. The team looks strong in every line - decent defence and also pretty good offensive power with Gunnlaugsson, Thordarson and Santos, well supported by Blomberg and Bamberg from the back lines. Except for suspended Whass, full squad available for Norrköping.

Häcken were relegated from Allsvenskan. They managed to keep almost the same squad from last year and they are tipped as main contender for promotion. They started well with two wins, but then came two defeats in a row and they are now at 8th position with 6 points. Overall they haven't showed anything special and if they want to gain promotion, they will need to improve their performance.

Norrköping lost just once to this opponent at Idrottspark in the last years and I can see them getting at least a point today. This kind of games against direct rivals for promotions will be very important. As for Häcken, as I said they have a quality squad and I expect them to get back on the winning way, but somehow I can't see this happeng against strong NIFK side. The DNB option seems a good choise here, medium stakes.


IFK Norrköping: 27 N. Bakiu; 10 V. Rönneklev, 8 K. Arvhage, 21 T. Magnusson, 5 M. Roth (C); 14 D. Bamberg, 9 P. Racu, 7 M. Blomberg, 13 E. Dybendal; 12 G. Gunnlaugsson, 18 S. Thordarson

BK Häcken : 20 A. Hysén; 6 D. Marek, 4 T. Lucic (C), 22 D. Forsell, 3 M. Hedén; 21 J. Henriksson, 8 J. Antуnio Pereira, 11 R. Mambo Mumba, 19 A. Skúlason; 9 D. Williams, 15 D. Larsson

Read the preview about these games.

Another opportunity for Boca to close the gap to San Lorenzo to 1 point, as the Clausura leaders couldnt beat River earlier today. After the disapointing 3:3 draw last week to Argentinos JR I doubt Boca will waste their chance again. No injury problems for the team and coach Russo will field the best possible XI. Their game for Copa Libertadores against Libertad is after 5 days and Boca can afford to focus on the local championship.
Arsenal on the other hand are enjoying a good season till now, they are currently in 5th position with 24 points and they can even dream for a participation in the next edition of Copa Libertadores. Especially on the road they showed decent performance, with three wins, three draws and just one loss.
All in all I can see only one outcome in the game at Bombonera tonight, not that Arsenal are a bad team, but high-flying Boca should be too much for the to handle.

Boca: Mauricio Caranta; Hugo Benjamín Ibarra (Clemente Rodríguez), Matías Silvestre, Claudio Morel Rodríguez, Rodríguez (Matías Cahais); Pablo Ledesma, Ever Banega (Sergio Orteman), Neri Cardozo; Juan Román Riquelme; Rodrigo Palacio y Martín Palermo. DT: Miguel Angel Russo.

Arsenal: Mario Cuenca; Javier Gandolfi, Carlos Ruiz, Carlos Casteglione, Ibrahim Sekagya; Luis Figueroa, Jorge Ortiz, Andrés San Martín, Javier Yacuzzi; Santiago Raymonda; y Mauro Obolo. DT: Gustavo Alfaro.