– Crystal Palace have completed the signing of striker Emmanuel Adebayor on a free transfer.
– Cristian Tello has joined Fiorentina on loan until the end of the season.
– Southampton forward Gaston Ramirez has joined Middlesbrough on loan until the end of the season.
– Maccabi Tel Aviv have completed the signing of Orlando Sa from Reading.
– Chinese Hebei Fortune have completed the signing of winger Gervinho from Roma.
– Malmo have confirmed the signing of Anders Christiansen from Chievo .
– Roma have signed Stephan El Shaarawy on loan from AC Milan, with an option to buy for €13million.
Emmanuel Adebayor joins Crystal Palace
Today’s reports and rumours:
– According to reports, Aston Villa are closing in on a loan move for Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy.
– Leeds United want to take Aiden McGeady on loan from Everton, according to report.
– Newcastle United have reportedly agreed a £12million deal to sign Andros Townsend from Tottenham
Luis Enrique, credit fcbarcelona.com
– Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique has revealed Neymar will renew his contract at the Camp Nou.
– Real Madrid will not make any signings this month despite the fact that they could be subject to a transfer ban in the near future, according to president Florentino Perez.
– Shola Ameobi has offered to play for Bolton for free until the end of the season, but the Championship club cannot take the striker up on the offer, according to reports.
– Roberto Martinez says there is currently no movement involving players leaving or joining Everton.
– Aston Villa are in talks with Hajduk Split over the signing of their goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, according to reports.
– Fenerbahce are interested in Roma forward Seydou Doumbia, according to reports.
– Real Betis are reportedly ready to sign Inter Milan defender Martin Montoya.
– Napoli are reportedly very close to reaching an agreement with Empoli for the transfer of defender Federico Barba.
– Eder’s agents are reportedly in England for Leicester City talks, but Inter could match the offer for the Sampdoria striker.
– Lazio midfielder Eddy Onazi is a target for Newcastle, Swansea and Werder Bremen, according to reports.
– Leicester have had a £15.1m bid rejected by CSKA Moscow for midfielder Ahmed Musa, according to BBC.
– ESTAC Troyes President Daniel Masoni has confirmed that he has rejected a €1.6m offer for winger Jimmy Cabot.
– Napoli have turned down a bid worth more than €25m from Wolfsburg for Manolo Gabbiadini, according to reports.
– Chelsea expect the £25m sale of Ramires to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning to be completed before the end of Wednesday.
– Alexandre Pato is on his way to west London after it emerged Chelsea had struck a loan deal with Corinthians.
– Sunderland have submitted a new formal transfer offer for Lorient defender Lamine Koné, according to reports.
– According to reports, Newcastle United are in pole position to sign Chelsea striker Loïc Rémy on loan until the end of the season.
– Liverpool and Shakhtar Donetsk remain far apart in their valuations of Alex Teixeira, according to reports.
– West Ham have a deal in place is to sign Fenebahce striker Emmanuel Emenike on loan with an option to buy in the summer, according to Sky Sports.
– Celta Vigo have rejected an approach for Nolito from Barcelona, according to reports in Spain.
Nwakali
– Kelechi Nwakali’s brother has said that the midfielder is close to joining Arsenal but he is still waiting to be granted a visa.
– Adriano Galliani insists AC Milan have finished their January transfer activity.
Football tit bits:
Louis Van Gaal
– Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal did not offer to resign following Saturday’s defeat to Southampton, sources at the club have told Sky Sports News .
– Manuel Pellegrini has revealed Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany should be back in action in
two weeks.
– Chelsea and West Brom have been fined after being found guilty of failing to control their players during their Stamford Bridge meeting on January 13.
– Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen faces up to eight weeks out of action after scans revealed that he suffered medial knee-ligament damage during Saturday’s 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.
– Qatar’s football association is suing the former German FA president Theo Zwanziger for calling the Gulf nation a
“cancer on world football” following its successful World Cup bid, Düsseldorf’s regional court has said.
– Genoa have completed a loan deal for midfielder Alessio Cerci from AC Milan until the end of the season.
– Leicester have signed Daniel Amartey from Copenhagen on a four-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– Sunderland have completed the signing of goalkeeper Steve Harper until the end of the season.
– Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi has signed for Levante on loan for the rest of the season.
– Udinese have signed midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic on loan from Basel for the rest of the season.
– Gaziantepspor have confirmed the loan signing of striker Habib Habibou from Rennes until the end of the season.
– Fiorentina has completed the signing of Cristian Tello from Barcelona on loan.
Christian Tello, photo credit MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.
Today’s reports and rumours:
– Liverpool have contacted FC Lorient about left-back Raphael Guerreiro, according to reports.
– Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted he is now more open to bringing in new players this month.
– Sampdoria are targeting Twente FC’s Moroccan talent Hakim Ziyech, according to reports.
– FC Nantes President Waldemar Kita has confirmed that Colombian defender Oswaldo Vicarrondo is on the transfer market
– Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed that Thomas Tuchel is the reason he stayed with the Bundesliga club this season.
– Toulouse striker Wissam Ben Yedder has announced via his official Twitter account that he will be remaining at the club until the end of the season, amid intense speculation linking the player with Tottenham, Lyon and Marseille.
– Roberto Martinez has assured Everton fans that none of the team’s key players will be sold in the January window.
– West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Pulis believes the Saido Berahino transfer saga could extend right into the final hours of the January transfer window.
– Swansea have failed with a fresh offer for Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini, according to reports in Italy.
– Fernando Torres has an offer to become the highest-paid player in world football, his agent José Antonio Martín has said.
– Manuel Neuer has not ruled out leaving Bayern Munich in the future amid the increasing wages on offer in the Premier League,
– Chinese outfit Jiangsu Suning FC have lodged a formal bid for AS Roma striker Seydou Doumbia, according to reports.
– Roberto Martínez has claimed Sam Byram was not the right player for Everton despite bidding an initial £3.7m for the Leeds United defender before he chose West Ham United.
– Manchester United are ready to spend up to £20million to secure a deal for Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand, according to reports.
Football tit bits:
– UEFA have officially agreed to use goal-line technology at Euro 2016 and next season’s Champions League.
– Manchester United’s Ashley Young has suffered a ‘severe’ groin injury and is to undergo surgery, Louis van Gaal has revealed.
– Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are fit and will be available for selection for Sunday’s showdown with Arsenal at the Emirates.
– Bahraini pro-democracy campaigners have written to FIFA’s top sponsors to raise concerns over Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa’s attempt to become the president of world football’s governing body.
Mitchel Platini
– UEFA executive committee have decided to delay presidential election until Michel Platini’s appeal is heard
– Roberto Mancini and Internazionale have accepted Maurizio Sarri’s apologies after the Napoli coach used “highly
insulting” language during a Coppa Italia match.
– ADO Den Haag has slapped stadium bans on 22 fans it says were involved in racist chants during Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Ajax.
– Spain’s anti-violence committee for sports has asked the Spanish FA (RFEF) to take action over abusive chants from Espanyol fans towards Gerard Pique’s wife Shakira during the recent Copa del Rey game against Barcelona.
The Return of the January Transfer window also means Our man Paul is back on the football transfer beat, tracking down the latest stories for you, here are the latest football transfer stories for the 4th of January 2016.
you can follow Paul on twitter @El_Pauletta and also follow @NewFanzone for an instant follow back, lets keep the conversation going.
Done deals:
– Derby County have signed Abdoul Camara from Angers for a fee of £1.25million.
– Leicester City have completed the signing of Demarai Gray from Birmingham City for £3.75million.
– Artem Kravets has joined VfB Stuttgart on a six-month loan deal from Dinamo Kiev.
– Hellas Verona have completed the signing of former AC Milan midfielder Urby Emanuelson on a free transfer.
– Hannover have completed the signing of Adam Szalai from Hoffenheim on a six-month loan deal with an option to buy.
– AC Milan have completed the signing of former Schalke 04 midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng.
– Charlton have confirmed the loan signing of Diego Poyet from West Ham until the end of the season.
– Sampdoria have completed the signing of former Inter Milan midfielder Ricky Alvarez on a free transfer.
– Charlton Athletic have confirmed the signing of Roger Johnson on a 18-month contract.
– Former Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones has joined Dutch club NEC Nijmegen on a short-term deal.
– Watford are reportedly interested in former Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor.
– Leicester are to hold talks with Sampdoria over a deal for 18-year-old right-back Pedro Pereira, according to Skysports Italia.
– Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly keen on signing Locomotiv Moscow striker Oumar Niasse.
– Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has played down rumours that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on his way to Arsenal. He said: “He’s under contract until 2020. But those situations are not new for us. It’s just normal that our players attract attention.”
– West Brom are being linked with a move for Angers defender Romain Thomas, according to reports.
– Lazio are close to signing Lyon defender Milan Bisevac, according to L’Equipe.
– RB Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff says attacker Emil Forsberg, who has been linked with Liverpool “is not on sale”
– Bayern Munich fringe player Jan Kirchhoff is set to join Sunderland, according to reports in Germany.
– Schalke are reportedly keen on signing Leicester City midfielder Gokhan Inler.
– Tottenham target Ezequiel Lavezzi would prefer a move back to Italy. According to his agent, Alejandro Mazzoni.
– Manchester City are preparing a €55million bid for Schalke’s attacking midfielder Leroy Sane, according to reports in Germany.
– Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has “put the block” on Sadio Mane and Victor Wanyama being sold this month.
– Boca Juniors President Daniel Angelici confirms Jonathan Calleri’s move to Inter will be finalised “later this week”.
– Crystal Palace are set to offer Jonjo Shelvey a way out of Swansea, according to reports.
– Sevilla President Jose Castro confirms “many offers from Italy” for Ciro Immobile but “we have no plans to let him leave”.
– Norwich City have made a £7m bid for Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia, according to Sky Sports Italy.
– Sampdoria President Massimo Ferrero insists Napoli “don’t want” Roberto Soriano, or they would have signed him in the summer.
– Mark Hughes says talk of a £10m clause in Bojan Krkic’s Stoke City contract is “mischief making, there is no such clause, and he won’t be sold.”
– Norberto Neto is reportedly set to leave Juventus before June, with Lazio’s Federico Marchetti a possible replacement.
– Bournemouth will find out this week whether their loan deal for Roma forward Juan Iturbe will receive international clearance.
– Liverpool are interested in signing Schalke centre-back Joel Matip in the January transfer window, according to Sky Sports sources.
– Marquinhos is flattered by Manchester United’s reported interest, and the defender has suggested he could leave PSG in the summer.
– Derby County are readying a club-record bid to sign Wolves forward Benik Afobe this month.
– Cardiff City have put a £10m asking price on goalkeeper David Marshall following links to Premier League side Everton, according to reports in Wales.
– Ronaldinho’s brother claims the former Barcelona star has had “more than one” offer from England.
– According to reports in France, Nantes are interested in acquiring the services of Newcastle’s winger Gabriel Obertan.
– Rafa Benitez has been sacked as manager of Real Madrid. Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as his successor.
– Guus Hiddink has revealed that John Obi Mikel is the “ideal player” to bring balance to Chelsea’s midfield after
the Nigeria international shone in Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
– According to French media outlet RMC, the judge in the Mathieu Valbuena blackmail sextape case has blocked Real
Madrid striker Karim Benzema request to see Lyon midfielder Valbuena.
– Genoa are set to appoint Sean Sogliano as their new sporting director, after receiving clearance from the Lega Serie A.
– Jamie Vardy is set to undergo minor groin surgery but the Leicester City striker is expected to miss just one match
rather than endure a two-week lay-off that had previously been feared.
– Geoff Cameron is free to face Liverpool in Stoke’s Capital One Cup semi-final first leg on Tuesday after the club were successful in their appeal against the red card the midfielder received in the defeat by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Bookies Corner returns this weekend after an eventful week that has seen the sack of an influential Gaffer in England. We bring to you tips for your betting accumulators which our Punters have carefully picked 10 games all from the top 5 leagues in Europe.
Tobi Olubiyi’s (@tobipreety) predictions:
French Ligue 1
TROYES VS MONACO: MONACO WIN- 3rd place Monaco are playing against 20th Troyes who haven’t won a game all season and have lost 11 games from 18 matches played so far. Monaco are level on points with 2nd placed Angers and would like to keep pressure on their pursuit of the 2nd spot. I don’t expect this to be a tough game for Leandro Jardim’s men who will want to bounce back after a shock 3-0 defeat at Bordeaux in the French Cup. Monaco are undefeated in their last 5 league games so I see them getting a win at Troyes.
ST ETIENNE VS ANGERS – ANGERS WIN OR DRAW: Angers have been the surprise package of the league this season and very few would have envisaged their incredible performance this season which has taken them up to 2nd place only bettered by power house PSG. Saint-Etienne have not won in their last 5 games in all competitions and thier poor form would affect them against high flying Angers. Moulin’s men are in form and are yet to be defeated in their last 5 games in all competitions which included games against Lille, PSG, Lyon and Bordeaux. I expect Angers to get at least a draw in this game.
MANCHESTER UNITED VS NORWICH CITY- MAN UTD WIN: The Red Devils will be hosting Norwich who have been on a bad run all season with 7 losses from their last 11 matches winning just once during that time. LVG’s men haven’t been fantastic of late themselves without a single win in their last 5 matches in all competitions. This is their chance to end their bad run and they can do that infront of their home fans against 18th placed Norwich. This should be an easy victory for Manchester United and I don’t expect any upsets.
ARSENAL VS MAN CITY – ARSENAL WIN OR DRAW : This has always been an exciting fixture in recent years and it is also a top of the table clash as the 2nd and 3rd placed teams face off at the Emirates. Both teams are in form and neither will want to drop points at this stage, and Arsenal are unbeaten in the last 5 games. I expect Arsene Wenger’s men to get a result at the Emirates.
INTER MILAN VS LAZIO – INTER MILAN WIN : Mancini’s revolution continues at Inter Milan as their form of just 1 defeat in 11 games has seen them leap to the top of the table. Lazio will have a mountain to climb when they travel to the San Siro as they have won only once in 7 games in all competition. I expect Inter Milan to continue their fine form with a win against Lazio.
ATLANTA VS NAPOLI – NAPOLI WIN OR DRAW: Napoli are 4 points behind league leaders Inter Milan and a trip to 8th placed Atlanta could hinder chase for top spot. Napoli have only lost one of their last 5 games in all competition but their only defeat in that time was away from home. It was also their first defeat in 10 away matches. With the form of Higuain and Insigne, I expect Napoli to get something out of this game at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia
Spanish La Liga
ATHLETIC BILBAO VS LEVANTE – ATHLETIC BILBAO WIN : Bilbao will be hosting 20th placed Levante after a run of just 2 defeats in their last 15 matches has seen them rise to 9th place. They will be heading into this game in high spirit while Levante have not won in their last 5 matches. I see Bilbao getting a win in this game against relegation threatened Levante.
REAL SOCEIDAD VS VILLARREAL – BOTH TEAMS SCORE: Although Real Sociedad have not been so fantastic this season with just 4 wins from 15matches, they do score in matches. They have scored at least a goal in 5 of their last 6 matches and only failed to score against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. 5th placed Villarreal have scored 19 goals so far, 2 points more than their opponents. I expect both teams to get at least a goal each in this match.
German Bundesliga
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH VS DARMSTADT – MONCHENGLADBACH WIN – Monchengladbach are currently having a slight dip in form after a run of 3 straight defeats in all competitions albeit against Manchester City in the Champions league, a 5-0 demolition from Bayern Leverkusen and a close 4-3 defeat against Werder Bremen. They will aim to bounce back against newly promoted Darmstadt who have surpassed all expectations as they lie in 12th place after 16 games . I see the home side getting a much needed victory as they look to push for a place in Europe next season.
HAMBURGER VS AUGSBURG – BOTH TEAMS SCORE – 13th placed AUGSBURG will face a tricky tie at 9th placed Hamburg who have only 1 defeat in their last 5 matches. It’s difficult to separate both teams going into this encounter but I believe both teams would get onto the score sheet. Both teams have already scored at least 19 goals this season so it’s safe to say they are not shy infront of goal.
This is Game week 16 of our Bookies corner where we help Punters forecast on the best matches to put their money on.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@el_pauleta) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Udinese V Inter Milan- Double chance on Inter Milan:
After winning three matches on a trot, Udinese lost last weekend against high-flying Fiorentina while Inter Milan got a slim victory against Genoa. I expect this match to be tough for Mancini’s men,so i tip Inter Milan to get at least a point away from home on Saturday night.
Juventus V Fiorentina- Both teams to score (BTTS):
Juventus continued their resurgence defeating Lazio at Stadio Olympico in Game week 15 while Fiorentina thrashed Udinese 3-0 last weekend. This match promises to be a cracker and I expect it to be entertaining and full of goals. I am tipping both teams to score at the Juventus stadium on Sunday night.
English Premier League
Norwich V Everton- Double Chance on Everton:
Norwich lost against Watford in Game week 15 while Everton got a draw at home against Crystal Palace. I tip Everton to get at least a point at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon.
Manchester City V Swansea- Man City win:
Manchester City were outplayed in their 2-0 loss to Stoke City in Game week 15 while Swansea’s defeat to Leicester last weekend cost Garry Monk his job. Manchester City will be looking to get back to winning ways when they play Swansea who has just one win in their last 11 matches. I tip Manchester City to win at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.
Aston Villa V Arsenal- Arsenal win:
Aston Villa got a morale boosting draw at St Mary’s in Game week 15 while Arsenal defeated Sunderland 3-1 at the Emirates. Aston Villa manager Remi Garde will face his former manager Arsene Wenger in a match that promises to be entertaining. I expect Arsenal’s attack to be too strong for a week Aston Villa defence. I tip Arsenal to win convincingly at Villa park.
Spanish Liga BBVA
Eibar V Valencia- Double chance on Valencia:
Eibar lost 1-2 against Real Sociedad in Game week 14 while Valencia got a draw against defending champions Barcelona at the Mestalla. This will be Gary Neville’s first La Liga game as Valencia’s coach and i expect his side to put up a good peformance. I tip Valencia to get at least a draw at Estadio Municipal de Ipurúa on Sunday afternoon.
Villarreal V Real Madrid- Both teams to score (BTTS): Villarreal got a 2-1 win against Rayo Vallecano last weekend while Real Madrid defeated Getafe 4-1 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. Both sides play attacking football,so am expecting an entertaining match with lots of goals. I tip Both teams to score at Estadio El Madrigal on Sunday night.
German Bundesliga
Mainz V Stuttgart-Double Chance on Mainz:
Mainz defeated Hamburg 3-1 away from home last weekend while Stuttgart got a 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen. I tip Mainz to get at least a point at home on Friday night.
Borussia Dortmund V Eintracht Frankfurt- Dortmund win:
Dortmund got a massive result last weekend when they defeated Wolfsburg 2-1 away from home while Eintracht Frankfurt lost at home against Darmstadt.
I expect Thomas Tuchel’s men to be too strong for Frankfurt,so i tip Borussia Dortmund to win at home on Sunday.
French Ligue 1
Angers V Bordeaux- Double chance on Angers:
Angers continued their fairy tale season when they defeated Olympique Lyon away from home 2-0 last weekend while Bordeaux defeated Guingamp 1-0. I tip Angers to get at least a point at home on Sunday afternoon.
Ademola Adejuwon’s (@demydemo) predictions:
French Ligue 1
PSG vs Lyon- Over 1.5 goals:
Lyon has been disappointing so far in the league as they see themselves lying in 5th position behind the likes of Caen & Angers. Top scorer last season, Alexander Lacazette has been struggling to get goals this season as they also bowed out of the UCL during the week. PSG have been in fantastic form in the league this season and are yet to lose a game in the league. With the firepower of Zlatan,Cavani & Di Maria the Parisians have it in them to score goals when Lyon come visiting.
German Bundesliga
Bayern Munich vs Ingolstadt- Bayern win:
Bayern will look to bounce back from their defeat to Borussia Moenchengladbach last week with a win over newcomers Ingolstadt. Ingolstadt have won more games away from home this season than when playing at home and they might hope to shock the Bavarians at the Allianz Arena. Bayern are at their imperious best and they’ve also welcomed back Frank Ribery to the squad which will further boost their attacking prowess. The only surprise I see in this game is Bayern Munich not scoring more than 4 goals past Ingolstadt.
Bayern Leverkusen vs Borrusia Moenchengladbach- Over 1.5 goals:
In form Moenchengladbach travel to face Bayern Leverkusen this weekend on the back of their famous win against defending champions Bayern Munich last weekend. Bayern Leverkusen have been relatively poor this season with 6 wins out of 15 games. The two sides got eliminated from the UCL this week and will now look to divert all their attention to the Bundesliga to see if they can also get back to the UCL next season. This game would be a very tricky one but both sides would definitely get goals.
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY – SEPTEMBER 27: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Dortmund celebrates his team’s first goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund at Veltins Arena on September 27, 2014 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Sascha Steinbach/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Borussia Dortmund vs Eintracht Frankfurt- Dortmund Double Chance:
Dortmund seem to be closing the gap on league leaders Bayern Munich and they know that they need to be consistently racking up the 3 Points if they want to challenge for the Bundesliga title this season. Frankfurt have conceded 10 goals away from home this season,and also the form of Meier and Seferovic have dwindled a bit which have left them in 13th place on the log. Dortmund can be very erratic,but playing at the home,the least they would get is a draw.
Italian Serie A
AC Milan vs Verona- Milan Win:
Milan welcome bottom place Hellas Verona to the San Siro. Verona have not won any game this season as their form continue to dwindle. Milan haven’t been too convincing also this season even though they bought the likes of Bacca and Luiz Adriano. They drew last time out away to 19th place Carpi, but this time I think Milan knows all the three points is essential if they have to compete with the big boys in the league, knowing most of them have tricky fixtures this weekend.
Napoli vs Roma- Over 2.5 goals:
Two free scoring sides go head to head this weekend. Napoli are 3rd in the league and they surprisingly lost last time out against Bologna. The two teams are through to the next round of the various competitions they are in Europe this season. Roma and Napoli are two free scoring sides that hardly play the typical Italian way. We would expect to see goals in this mouth watering fixture come this weekend.
Luis Suarez
Spanish LA Liga
Barcelona vs Deportivo- Barcelona Win:
It’s a surprise knowing Barcelona have not won in their last two games. The Catalan giants would like to get back to winning ways this weekend as Deportivo comes to the Camp Nou . The MSN will once again bail Barcelona out even if Deportivo tries to be dogged as possible.
Villarreal vs Real Madrid- Madrid Double Chance:
The yellow submarines were once on the top of the LA Liga table but they now find themselves in 5th position after they had a couple of bad results. Villarreal won’t want to meet Madrid at this moment because of the form of Ronaldo and Benzema,but Madrid can also become a very conservative side in a tricky game like this, so Real Madrid might settle for a point.
Arsenal travel to the Villa park to take on Aston Villa who are still struggling to get out of the relegation waters this season.
Arsenal got a victory on their last visit to Villa Park and have won their last 3 meetings against Aston Villa in all competitions. The EPL is very unpredictable this season as even the big boys falter almost every weekend. Arsenal shouldn’t have problem getting past Aston Villa and with the form of Giroud and Ozil in attack for the Gunners,a draw should be the least expectation.
Leicester vs Chelsea- over 1.5 goals:
Table Toppers Leicester City host Chelsea this weekend. It’s been contrasting fortunes for both teams this season. Leicester City have found it easy to score goals in the league unlike their visitors. In Jamie Vardy and Algerian Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City are guaranteed of getting a goal against Chelsea this weekend. Leicester run of fixtures this month are tough and a win against the defending champions will give them more confidence to prosecute their remaining fixtures. Chelsea on the other hand,also need a victory against Leicester at the Kingpower Stadium knowing a victory might as well put their season right back on track. So,goals are guaranteed in this pulsating fixture come Monday night.
The bookies corner returns with match forecasts on league games after the UEFA fixtures at mid-week. Some teams had their fine form dented, some regained their scoring ability while some teams picked up wins that could turn around their season.
Manchester United Vs West Brom – Manchester United win:
Manchester United have been on a “yoyo run” recently, with their first win in 5 games coming on Tuesday night against Russian club CSKA Moscow. They drew the other 4 games including a shocking goalless draw against 2nd tier Middlesbrough in the league cup where they were eventually knocked out on penalties. I see them turning their fortunes around after this recent win and Tony Pulis’ West Brom would not be able to stop the Red Devils at old Trafford especially on a run of 3 defeats from their last 5 games.
Liverpool Vs Crystal Palace – Liverpool win:
New manager Jurgen Klopp has brought in the attitude and effectiveness of a German team into this Liverpool side and it has been obvious in all his games in charge. His philosophy of gegen pressing (counter-pressing) was also evident as he made a statement with a rousing win at Stamford Bridge against a troubled Chelsea side where they haven’t won in 6 previous attempts. I see the Reds following up their good run with another win against Crystal Palace under manager Jurgen Klopp who is yet to taste defeat after 5 games.
Italian Serie A
Sampdoria Vs Fiorentina – Both teams to score:
The viola have been in impressive form this season currently topping the Serie A table scoring 22 goals in 11 games. It would be a difficult game travelling to 9th placed Sampdoria who have only lost 3 league games so far this season. I believe both teams would get on the score sheet in this match.
AC Milan Vs Atalanta – AC Milan win :
Milan coach Mihajlovic still has a lot to prove at the San Siro in his first season, but it’s safe to say he isn’t far from the summit, currently 6th placed on the table and 5 points away from the top spot. The San Siro is without doubt a fortress and will be an advantage for the Rossoneri against Atalanta who have failed to win in their last 3 away games. Milan are also on a good run of form winning their last three matches ,they will come out with maximum points in this game.
Spanish La Liga
Celta Vs Valencia – Both teams to score:
Celta have been the surprise package of the season currently 3rd on the table behind Real Madrid and Barcelona with just 3 points separating them from 1st position. They have had a good season with surprise wins against Barcelona and their only defeat in the last 5 games was against league leaders Real Madrid. Celta have scored 21 goals in 10 games while host Valencia have scored 11 goals, with Valencia’s attacking threat of Rodrigo, Negredo and Alcacer. I believe both teams will get on the score sheet in this game.
Luis Enrique’s men have easily survived life without injured super star Messi. Neymar, Suarez and wonder kid Sergio Roberto have led the team to superb form with 4 wins in their last 5 games. Villarreal have been impressive so far this season as well but a trip to Camp Nou at a time when Barcelona are trying to displace Real Madrid from the top of the table before the El Classico would be too much to handle for the Yellow Submarines. I expect Barcelona to keep up their winning form as the El Classico draws closer.
German Bundesliga
Bayern Munich Vs Stuttgart – Bayern Munich Win both Halves:
Bayern suffered a shocking goalless draw away at Frankfurt in their last league match which ended their perfect run into the new season. The result however didn’t loosen their tight grasp on the Bundesliga as they are still on top of the log with 5 points ahead of 2nd placed Dortmund. Pep Guardiola and his men showed signs of their strength and dominance with a resounding 5-1 victory over Arsenal. I believe Stuttgart who are just above the relegation zone on goal difference stands no chance of stopping a barrage from the Bavarians as I expect Bayern to win the first half and the second half.
Bayern Leverkusen Vs Cologne – Bayern Leverkusen win :
Schmidt’s Leverkusen have showed so much resilience in the last 5 games scoring a lot of goals but conceding too, they have scored 17 goals in the last 5 games in all competitions conceding 12 goals. A 4-4 draw and 3-2 defeat to Roma, a 4-3 win against Stuttgart and a 6-0 win against second-tier Viktoria Koln in the DFP Pokal were among the games. The addition of Mexican striker Chicharito has been a bargain so far this season and Leverkusen would be better off if they can just shut it at the back. I see Bayern Leverkusen winning against Koln who have only won 4 games so far this season.
French Ligue 1
Caen Vs Guingamp – Under 2.5 goals: Guingamp have only scored 2 goals or more in only two of their last 5 games. While Caen have not scored more than 1 goal in any of their last 5 games. This stat isn’t uncommon in the French league as the fans are used to lack of goals when the smaller teams play each other. I expcect this to be a cagey game with less than 3 goals from both teams but the result can swing either way.
Lyon Vs St Etienne – Lyon win or draw(Double chance):
Lyon were treated to a lacklustre home defeat in the Champions league when they played Russian Champions Zenit. They can keep up the push for the Ligue Un with a win against top 4 contender St Etienne. Lyon currently sit in 2nd place and 10 points behind run away leaders PSG and they need to prove their title challenging credentials against an highly rated opponent. I give Lyon win or draw at home on Sunday.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@el_pauleta) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Roma V Lazio- Double chance on Roma:
Both sides were involved in shock results last weekend as Roma were unable to unlock a stubborn Inter Milan defence, while Lazio were humiliated in front
of their home fans by AC Milan. I expect the Rome Derby to be an open and entertaining match,but I tip Roma to get at least a point at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
Napoli V Udinese- Napoli win:
Napoli were held when they visited Genoa on Sunday afternoon, while Udinese also held an in-form Sassuolo side to a goalless draw. I am tipping Napoli to get back to winning ways this weekend.
English Premier League
Leicester City V Watford- Double chance on Leicester:
Leicester City continued their Blistering form when they defeated West Brom at the Hawthorns in Gameweek 11. Watford also got a win against high-flying West Ham last weekend. Both sides are in
excellent form and i expect this match to be exciting all through. I am tipping Leicester City to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
Arsenal V Tottenham- Both teams to score(BTTS):
Arsenal picked up an excellent win away at Swansea in Gameweek 11 while Spurs
picked up a comfortable win against Aston Villa on Monday night. Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin and Laurent Koscielny are both doubtful for the North London Derby,so i expect Arsenal to struggle defensively and Tottenham are unbeaten in the league since Game Week 1. I am tipping both teams to score in an entertaining derby at the Emirates on Sunday.
Aston Villa lost 3-1 against Tottenham on Monday night while Manchester City defeated Norwich last weekend. It will be Remi Garde’s first match as Aston Villa manager but I expect the attacking prowess of Pellegrini’s men to be too much for the the Villians. I am tipping Manchester City to get an away win on Sunday.
German Bundesliga
Borussia Monchengladbach V Ingolstadt- Monchengladbach win:
Monchengladbach continue their excellent form when they defeated Hertha Berlin away from home last week while Ingolstadt held Schalke 04 to a 1-1 draw away from home. Ingolstadt are very strong defensively but I expect Monchengladbach’s attack to be too strong for them. I am tipping Borussia Monchengladbach to win convincingly on Saturday.
Bayern Munich V Stuttgart- Bayern Munich win and Over 2.5 goals:
Bayern Munich’s 100% winning run in the league ended last week against Eintracht Frankfurt while Stuttgart picked up an home win against Darmstadt. I am tipping Bayern Munich to win convincingly at Allianz Arena on Saturday.
French Ligue 1
Lille V Bastia- Under 2.5 goals:
Lille played a goalless draw against Nice last weekend while Bastia won at home against Caen 1-0. Lille has scored 4 goals at home this season while Bastia have scored just 3 goals away from home. I expect this match to be a low-scoring encounter. I tip both sides to score less than 3 goals in this match.
Spanish Liga BBVA
Atletico Madrid V Sporting Gijon- Atletico Madrid win:
Diego Simeone’s men played a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruna last weekend while Sporting Gijon defeated Malaga 1-0 at home. I expect Atletico Madrid to get back to winning ways this weekend, so i am tipping them to get a slim home win on Sunday.
Barcelona defeated Getafe 2-0 last weekend while Villarreal defeated Sevilla 2-1 at home. This match promises to be an entertaining encounter with lots of goals but i tip Barcelona to get a slim home win at Camp Nou on Sunday.
AC Milan goalkeeper Diego Lopez is ‘calm’ about being dropped for 16-year-old Gianluigi Donnarumma, according to his agent.
According to various reports yesterday in Italy,the Spanish goalkeeper was said to be angry about the decision and he is considering quitting the Rossoneri in January as a result.
Diego Lopez’s agent Manuel Garcia Quillon has refuted such reports and has made efforts to underline his client’s attitude.
Diego Lopez Ac Milan photo credit AC Milan
“We’re calm about the situation, Diego is calm. He just wants to work, train and win his place back. There’s no problem with the club or with Mihajlovic.” Quillon said
Finally the International break is over and football lovers can get back to enjoying the exciting club football that we love so much. Some key players have returned to their clubs with injuries, some with a low morale from their country’s poor performance or bad treatment from the coach during the series of fixtures. Some players have ended their goal droughts and some have travelled thousands of kilometres to represent their various countries which could result in fatigue. We have to be mindful of these factors as it could affect them and their teams either positively or negatively which will influence the outcome of the matches.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@El_pauleta) predictions:
English Premier League
Tottenham V Liverpool– Both teams to score(BTTS): Spurs sit 8th in the Premier League heading into their clash with Liverpool hoping to give Jurgen Klopp a debut to forget as Liverpool manager. I expect a tight match with both teams scoring a least goal at White Hart Lane.
Watford V Arsenal– Arsenal win with over 2.5 goals: Quique Sánchez Flores’ side host Arsenal on Saturday evening hoping to upset their more fancied opponent. Arsenal are in great form and brimming with confidence following their 3-0 win over Manchester United in Game Week 8. I expect Arsenal to get an easy win at Vicarage Road on Saturday.
Manchester City V Bournemouth- Man City wins: Manchester City come back from the international break with what i will term an “injury crises”. Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Yaya Toure are all doubtful for Saturday’s game against injury ravaged Bournemouth. The Cherries have lost their last two Premier League games on the road and away trips don’t get much tougher than The Etihad. I tip Manchester City to win at home on Saturday.
Spanish BBVA Liga
Real Madrid V Levante- Real Madrid win with Under 4.5 goals: Real Madrid will be looking to get back to winning ways after their 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in Game Week 7. Levante will be brimming with confidence after defeating table topping Villarreal in Game Week 7. I expect Real Madrid to get a low-scoring win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday afternoon.
Villarreal V Celta Vigo- Both teams to score(BTTS): it is the battle between first and second on the league table at the El Madrigal on Sunday. I expect the match to be an entertaining and tight match between two good sides. I tip both teams to score.
German Bundesliga
Werder Bremen V Bayern Munich– Bayern win with over 2.5 goals: Bayern Munich will be looking to continue their blistering form against Anthony Ujah’s Werder Bremen on Saturday. Bayern’s Mario Gotze is injured and Kingsley Coman is doubtful for the weekend game but I expect the Bavarians to be too strong for their opponent. I tip Bayern Munich to win convincingly at the Weserstadion.
Eintracht Frankfurt V Borussia Monchengladbach– Double chance on Monchengladbach: Borussia Monchengladbach will be hoping they can continue their recent progress in the Bundesliga against Frankfurt on Saturday. Monchengladbach have won their last three matches in the league and I expect them to get at least a draw away from home on Saturday evening.
French Ligue 1
Bastia V Paris Saint-Germain- PSG win: PSG will be looking to tighten their grip on first position as they travel to Stade Armand-Cesari-Furiani on Saturday. Paris Saint-Germain have won the last 3 ligue 1 at Bastia’s staduim, so i tip PSG to get a win on Saturday afternoon.
Italian Serie A
Inter V Juventus- Both teams to score(BTTS): it will be another installment of the Derby della Madonnina, as Inter Milan welcomes rivals Juventus to the San Siro on sunday. In the last six meetings between these sides, both teams have registered at least a goal against each other, so i don’t see that trend ending on Sunday. I expect both teams to score at Stadio Guiseppe Meazza on Sunday night.
Torino V AC Milan- Double chance on Torino: After a fantastic run Torino lost their second game of the season to new boys Carpi while AC Milan were humilated at home by Napoli. I expect Torino to bounce back from the defeat against Carpi and get at least a poiny at home on Saturday night.
Top 5 performers in Europe’s top 5 football leagues (2015/2016) the story so far…,
We have put together a list of Europe’s top 5 leagues top 5 performers, our focus is on a few highlights of the game, mainly goals, assist and discipline for individuals and for teams it’s got to do with their positions on the Log, comments are welcome and hope you find this useful.
Please note that this is based on results as at the 1st of October 2015 and the Leagues are arranged in no particular other.
Our pick of the weekend has returned after the mid-week games in Europe and some teams have turned their fortunes around and will hope to transfer the form into their league matches. Players who have been rested will also make a return after a deserved rest and also look to make immediate impact for their club.
Tobi Olubiyi’s (@tobipreety) predictions:
SPANISH LA LIGA
Sevilla Vs Celta – Both teams to score (BTTS): Sevilla had a fantastic game in the Champions League at home against German club Borussia Monchengladbach scoring 3 goals. Unai Emery’s men have not won a league game this season but I believe they will score at least a goal against high flying Celta Vigo who are yet to loose this season and have scored 8 goals. I expect both teams to get a get at least a goal each in this game.
Real Madrid Vs Granada – Real Madrid win: Real Madrid have been in fine form this season scoring goals without remorse. They scored 4 against Ukraine giants Shaktar Donesk with Attacker Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 8 goals in his last 2 games and is close to setting a new goal scoring record in Real Madrid. Granada have lost twice this season conceding 7 goals. Los Blancos would be too strong for Granada especially at the Bernabau.
Chelsea Vs Arsenal – Arsenal win/draw : Chelsea and Jose Mourinho are having their worst possible start to a League campaign in decades and they are currently in 17th place , winning just once in 5 league games but the Blues had an emphatic 4-nil victory mid week against a poor Maccabi Tel Aviv at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal rested a few players in their Champions league game and lost to Dynamo Zagreb who have not tasted defeat in their last 47 matches.
Arsenal have been the in-form team compared to Chelsea so far this season and I believe arsenal will do enough to get at least a point from Chelsea.
Swansea Vs Everton – Both teams to score (BTTS): Ayew and Gomis have made Swansea an overly attacking team this season contributing to the lot of the teams’s goals so far this campaign. Swansea have scored in 4 of the 5 games they have played this season. Roberto Martinez got a well deserved victory against Chelsea last match day scoring 3 goals against the defending Champions.
I expect both teams to go all out for maximum points, this will be an interesting game with both teams getting on the score sheet.
ITALIAN SERIE A
Roma Vs Sassuolo – Roma win : Stadio Olympico is a fortress for Roma and their form this season has seen them undefeated so far including a victory against defending champions Juventus. Sassuolo will have to show something special to get anything in this game.
Chievo Vs Inter milan – Under 2.5: Second placed Chievo have had a dream start to the season so far winning 2 games and conceding just 2 goals and are having a uphill task against Inter Milan who have an 100% record this season. Inter have not scored much and the also do not give away a lot of goals, this will be a cagey game and both teams would want to avoid a defeat and concede few or none. I see this as a tight game between the top 2 teams and there will be less than 3 goals scored by both teams.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
Wolfsburg Vs Hertha BSC – Wolfsburg win : Wolfsburg have invested wisely in the summer after the departure of star player De Bruyne. They have started life without him positively by remaining unbeaten in 4 league games. Dardai’s Hertha have also been impressive with just 1 defeat in 4 league matches, but the firepower of Schurlle, Verinha, Draxler behind Bas Dost will be too ferocious for the Hertha defense line lead by Plattenhardt. Wolfsburg will do enough to get the victory at the Volkswagen arena
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund Vs Bayern Leverkusen – Both teams to Score (BTTS) : Dortmund are one of only 2 teams in Bundesliga with a 100% record this season and a tie against Leverkusen could be tricky especially after the visitors scored 4 goals against BATE Borisov in the Champions League. Both teams would get goals in this game as they are both good attacking sides.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
Monaco Vs Lorient – Monaco win : Leandro Jardim’s men have started the season slowly with 2 wins from 5 games. They lost their last home match against high flying Champions PSG in a 3 nil white-wash. I see them returning the smiles to the grim faces of the Stade Louis Faithfull with a victory against Lorient who have won just once this season.
Marseille Vs Lyon – Over 2.5 goals : This is the biggest fixture in the French Ligue Un this weekend and I expect it to live up to expectations with both teams giving us an exciting match with lots of goals. Marseille have scored 10 goals which is the highest in the league so far this season while Lyon have scored 6 goals.
Ademola Adejuwon’s (@demydemo) predictions:
English Premier League
Barclays Premier League
Chelsea vs Arsenal- Double Chance on Chelsea: Chelsea are not in good form in the league at the moment where they have lost 3 games in 5. The defending Champions got back to winning ways against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the UCL on Wednesday and they would hope they can bring that sort of form to the table when they play against their London neighbours Arsenal who are not in Scintillating form themselves. Jose Mourinho has never lost to Arsene Wenger in the league and I think this will continue this weekend when the Gunners visit the Bridge.
Liverpool vs Norwich- Liverpool win:
Liverpool would want to put the woes of their last two games behind them when they welcome the Canaries. Norwich would be happy that Suarez no longer plays for Liverpool. Coutinho is back for this one after serving his suspension and in him they have someone that could lead the team going forward. Benteke has two goals so far this season with a wonder against Manchester united and if he wants to get plenty of goals for Liverpool he needs to start scoring against smaller teams like Norwich.
Manchester City vs WestHam- Over 1.5goals:
Giant killing West-Ham United visit league leaders Manchester City. The Citizens have yet to concede a goal in the league this season with a sturdy defence made up of Kompany, Kolarov,Sagna and Mangala. West Ham have defeated Arsenal and Liverpool away from home this season and they won’t be scared facing City at the Etihad. An over 1.5 is a safe bet knowing both sides are capable of getting a goal or two in this fixture.
Real Madrid vs Granada- Real Madrid win and over 2.5 goals: Real Madrid are in red hot form at the moment especially their talismanic winger Cristiano Ronaldo who has banged in 8 goals in two games. Rafael Benitez side have yet to concede a goal which means they have found a way to balance attack and defence. Trust Ronaldo to get a goal or two in this one at the Bernabeu.
German Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen- Both teams to score(BTTS):
Dortmund have been doing fine in the league this season with an 100% record so far. This weekend they welcome a very tricky side in Leverkusen who are basking in the euphoria of their 4-1 victory in the Champions league. Dortmund have scored a lot of goals this season but they’ve also manage to ship in a little which means Leverkusen will have joy going forward especially with the kind of quality they possess offensively in Chicharito, Bellarabi, Hakan and Kiessling. Both team to score will be a safe bet here and trust this game not to disappoint.
Wolfsburg vs Hertha Berlin- Wolfsburg win:
Wolfsburg are in good form at the moment which sees them sit in 3rd position in the Bundesliga at the moment. They lost De Bruyne to Manchester City but in Draxler they have found a perfect replacement for the young Belgian. Hertha has not been bad themselves losing just one games so far but I don’t think they have the squad to push Wolfsburg all the way.
Darmstadt vs Bayern Munich- over 1.5 goals:
Unbeaten Darmstadt welcome defending Champions Bayern to their home. Bayern thus season have found goals easy to come by with Muller,Lewandowski and Costa doing the damage upfront for the Bavarians. Darmstadt have scored 4 and Conceded 3 goals this season which means they might not be given Guardiola’s men too many chances.
French Ligue 1
Monaco vs Lorient (Monaco double chance)
Monaco are in good form in the league at the moment and this weekend they welcome 17th place Lorient who win their first game last week at home to newly promoted Angers. Monaco’s team play has helped them a lot so far this season after losing key players like Abdennour,Kondogbia Carassco and Martial. They may suffer from fatigue due to their Europa league engagement on Thursday but trust them to at least get a point from this game.
League leaders PSG travel to 3rd place Reims. PSG form is good at the moment with Di Maria and Cavani doing the needful for them. Reims are no pushovers themselves being in third place but trust the Paris Landlords to get something from this game . It’s going to be tough but with the quality PSG possess they should at least get a draw in the encounter.
Italian Serie A
Roma vs Sassuolo- Roma win:
Roma hosts Unbeaten Sassuolo who were held to a draw last time out against Atalanta. Roma held Barcelona to a draw in Rome during the week and their attack of Dzeko, Salah Gervinho is strong enough to defeat any Italian team especially when they play at home.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@El_pauleta) predictions
French Ligue 1
Reims V PSG- PSG win: Paris Saint-Germain will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s draw against Bordeaux. Reims are a very compact and disciplined side, PSG have won once in the last three meetings at the Stade Auguste Delaune II. I tip PSG to dig deep and get a slim away win.
Rennes V Lille- Double chance(Win or draw) on Rennes: Rennes are in top form in the Ligue 1 this season losing just one game while Lille has been struggling in the league with just one win in the last 5 matches. I expect Lille to be defensive and Rennes might find it hard to break them down. I am predicting a win or draw for Rennes on Friday night.
Italian Serie A
Chievo V Inter Milan- Double chance(win or draw) on Inter: Chievo were denied a 100% start to their season because of a number of poor refereeing decisions at the Juventus arena. Inter maintained their winning run with an important win over city rivals AC Milan. Chievo and Inter are in good form, so i expect the match to be tight. I tip Inter Milan to get a least a draw away from home.
Napoli V Lazio- Both teams to score(BTTS): Napoli continue to struggle in the league while Lazio got their second win of the season last weekend. Both teams are blessed with attacking talents,so i expect a great game of football. I tip both teams to score at Stadio San Paolo on Sunday.
German Bundesliga
Darmstadt 98 V Bayern Munich- Bayern Munich win with over 2.5 goals: Darmstadt have been impressive this season getting good results away from home but I expect Bayern Munich “fire power” to be too much for them. I tip Bayern to win with lots of goals.
Cologne V Borussia Monchengladbach- Double chance(Win or draw) on Cologne: Monchengladbach can’t seem to get a good result this season and i don’t expect them to get a win at the RheinEnergie stadion on Saturday. I am tipping Cologne to get at least a draw at home.
Borussia Dortmund V Bayer Leverkusen- Dortmund win with over 2.5 goals: Dortmund are in top form while Leverkusen are yet to hit top-gear in the league. I expect Dortmund to dominate the match and get a win in an high-scoring game.
Spanish BBVA Liga
Real Madrid V Granada- Real Madrid win with over 3.5 goals: Real Madrid and 2014 Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo are scoring goals with ease. I expect the game at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to be a goal fest. I tip Real Madrid to win with over 3.5 goals.
Barcelona V Levante- Barcelona win with over 2.5 goals: Barcelona got an important win away from home last weekend and i expect them to continue their La Liga winning run against Levante on Sunday. I tip Barcelona to win convincingly at the Camp Nou.
English Premier League
Manchester City V West Ham: Man City win: Manchester City have got off to a perfect start to the season winning all 5 of their opening fixtures without conceding a single goal. I expect them to defeat an high-flying West Ham United in a tight match at the Etihad on Saturday.
Finally the International break is over and football lovers can get back to enjoy the exciting club football that we love so much. Some key players have returned to their clubs with injuries, some with a low morale from their country’s poor performance or bad treatment from the coach during the series of fixtures. Some players have ended their goal droughts and some have traveled thousands of kilometers to represent their various countries which could result in fatigue. We have to be mindful of these factors as it could affect them and their teams either positively or negatively which will influence the matches. As usual we have picked from the top 5 Leagues in Europe i.e England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.
Tobi Olubiyi’s (@tobipretty) predictions:
English Premier League
Everton Vs Chelsea – Both teams score (BTTS) : Everton played out a bore goalless draw last time against Tottenham in a game with very few chances for both teams. I see both teams scoring in this game as this is a wounded Chelsea who are coming off a home defeat against Crystal Palace in the London Derby. Chelsea look vulnerable especially at the back and Mourinho has responded by signing 2 defenders on transfer deadline day. Chelsea have conceded 9 goals already this season and old boy Lukaku would want to pile up the misery.
Manchester United Vs Liverpool (English Classico) – Draw : Both teams are going into this fixture at the back of a defeat. Manchester United lost at Swansea while Liverpool had a shocker at home losing by 3 goals to a rampant West Ham. These two teams would seek to avoid back to back defeats and they would most likely be content with a sharing a point and I see this as a draw.
Spanish La Liga
Atletico Madrid Vs Barcelona – Under 2.5 : In recent years Diego Simeoni’s Atletico Madrid have been a very good match for the Catalans. Simeone’s high pressing and high work rate is usually evident against Barcelona who like to pass and keep the ball a lot, this strategy if used perfectly would help them hold off Barcelona and ultimately reduce the amount of goals they concede if they concede at all. I see Atletico Madrid stopping Barcelona’s 100% record in the league and there will be less than 3 goals in this match.
Celta Vigo Vs Las Palmas – Celta win/draw : Celta have started the Campaign really well with 2 wins from 2 and Eduardo Berizzo will be glad to keep the run going or at least avoid defeat away at newly Promoted Las Palmas who haven’t won this season getting 1 point from 2 games. I see Celta avoiding defeat here.
Italian Serie A
Inter Milan Vs AC Milan (Milan Derby)– Under 2.5 : Roberto Mancini’s Inter Milan have started the season well with two wins and a 100% record with their new signings particularly impressive. AC Milan have struggled this season winning one and losing the other. This is a huge derby in Italy and I see both teams going for it as a lot of pride is at stake, I believe there will be less than 3 goals scored in this game.
Palermo Vs Carpi – Palermo win: Palermo is the only team in Italy not to have conceded in both fixtures so far. They have won both games albeit by lone goals. Carpi are bottom of the Log and have conceded 7 goals in 2 games, I see Palermo getting a win.
German Bundesliga
Bayern Munich Vs Augsburg – Bayern Munich win : Bayern Munich have won all 3 games this season scoring 10 goals and conceding just one goal. Pep’s Bavarians look to continue their dominance from last season and retaining the Bundesliga title with another win at home against Augsburg who are yet to win this season. Bayern will be unstopable and will score a couple of goals.
Frankfurt Vs Cologne – Both score : Both teams have done reasonably well so far this season with Cologne particular taking 7 points from an available 9 points and scoring 6 goals in the process. Frankfurt how ever have also scored 6 goals. I see both teams getting on the score sheet in this game.
French Ligue Un
Lyon Vs Lille – Lyon win or draw: Lyon have been hot and cold this season losing one and drawing another in 4 games played. Lille have been the draw specialists this season with 2 goalless draws from 4 games and scoring just one goal conceding once. Herve Renard’s boys haven’t scored a lot and they also don’t give away goals especially with Enyeama in goal. This would be dicey but I will give Olympique Lyon a double chance to either win or draw.
Rennes Vs Nantes – Rennes Win : Rennes have been the surprise package in Ligue Un this season with their signings and also match performances getting 9 points from a possible 12.
I will stick out my neck for a Rennes win away from home.
Everton vs Chelsea- BTTS (Both team to score):
Everton are in relatively good form which sees them a point ahead of the Champions. It is going to be a feisty game as usual and this fixture last season saw Chelsea outscore the Toffees at home. Am going to go for both team to score due to Chelsea’s lack of defensive solidity at the back.
Leicester City vs Aston Villa – Leicester win:
Leicester have been in amazing form this season whilst their opponents this weekend are still trying to gel with the number of player they’ve acquired. Trust Leicester with Mahrez and co to put Aston Villa to the sword.
Inter vs AC Milan -Inter win:
Inter Milan have found form easy to come buy and new kid on the block Stefan Jovetic has already announced his return to the Serie A with goals. I expect a win from Inter .
Frosinone vs AS Roma – Roma Win:
Roma are Unbeaten in two games while newcomers Frosinone have not won a game in two. The fire power of Dzeko,Salah and Gervinho might be too hot for the newcomers to handle.
Espanyol vs Real Madrid- Real Madrid win:
It is going to be tricky going to Espanyol but with the form Madrid showed in their last fixture they might just manage to nick a win in a very tricky place.
Celta Vigo vs Las Palmas – Celta win and over 2.5:
Celta are top of the La liga and with new boys Las Palmas coming around trust Nolito and co to get plenty of goals.
Luis Suarez
Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona- Over 1.5goals :
Atletico Madrid host Champions Barcelona. The winner might be hard to pick but one sure fact is that there will be goals due to the attacking prowess of both teams.
German Bundesliga
Bayern vs Augsburg – Bayern win and over 2.5:
Bayern are in blistering form at the moment while their opponent have just one point in as many games. Trust Muller,Lewandowski and Costa to shine for the Bavarians at the Allainz Arena.
Hannover vs Dortmund – over 1.5goals:
Dortmund are in superb form at the moment but the loss of Reus due to injury might affect them a bit but this fixture guarantee goals.
French Ligue 1
GFC Ajaccio vs Monaco – Monaco Double Chance (Win or draw):
Monaco are away to bottom side Ajaccio. They lost striker Anthony Martial in the transfer window but they still have what it takes to get at least a draw from the bottom place side.
While So much as been said about the amount of money that as been spent during the 2015 Summer transfer window, our man Paul Ayorinde Who kept on filling daily Football transfer reports for your pleasure has now now compiled a full list of all the major and even not so major transfer deals that happened during the summer transfer window.
Remember that you can Follow Paul on twitter @El_pauleta and also follow @Newfanzonwe for instant follow back, you can also like our Newfanzone Facebook page
Done Deals:
– Everton have completed the signing of David Henen from Olympiakos on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee
– Hoffenheim have completed the signing of striker Mark Uth from Heerenveen
– QPR have announced the signing of Sebastian Polter from Mainz 05
– AC Milan completed the signing of Carlos Bacca from Sevilla on a four-year contract.
– Marseille have completed the signing of Lucas Ocampos from Monaco
– Lyon have announced the signing of Claudio Beauvue from Guingamp on a four-year deal
– UAE side Al-Ain have completed the signing of former Ajax forward Ryan Babel.
– Cameroonian international Stephane M’Bia has signed for Turkish club Trabzonspor on a three-year deal after leaving Sevilla on a free.
– Olympique Marseille have announced the signing of Karim Rekik from Manchester city
– Real Madrid have announce they have taken up the option to re-sign Lucas Vazquez from Espanyol on a five-year deal
– Nantes have completed the signing of Kolbeinn Sigthorsson from Ajax on a five-year deal for €3million
– AC Milan have completed the signing of Luiz Adriano from Shakhtar Donetsk on a five-year contract
– Torino have announced the signing of Joel Obi from Inter Milan on a four-year contract
– Inter Milan have announced the signing of Geoffrey Kondogbia from Monaco
– Eintracht Frankfurt have completed the signing of defender David Abraham from Hoffenheim on a three-year deal
– Lille have announced the signing of attacker Sehrou Guirassy from Stade Lavallois on a four-year contrac
– Celtic have completed the signing of Saidy Janko from Manchester United on a four-year deal.
– Valencia defender Victor Ruiz has joined Villarreal on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee
– Sunderland have signed defender Sebastian Coates from Liverpool on a four-year contract.
– Roma have announced the signing of Iago Falque from Genoa.
– Inter Milan have completed the signing of defender Joao Miranda from Atletico Madrid.
– Swansea City have completed the signing of Eder from Sporting Braga for an undisclosed fee
– Hamburg have completed the signing of Lewis Holtby from Tottenham Hotspur
– Watford have signed Matej Vydra on a permanent basis from Udinese on a five-year deal.
– FC Porto have completed the signing of Giannelli Imbula from Marseille on a five-year deal for €20million
– Bournemouth have announced the signing of defender Sylvain Distin on a one-year contract.
– Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has joined Roma on a season-long loan deal with a view to a £14m permanent move.
– Southampton completes the signing of Oriol Romeu from Chelsea on a three-year contract.
– FC Zurich have completed the signing of Vinicius Freitas from Lazio on a season-long loan deal.
– Benfica have signed Raul Jimenez from Atletico Madrid on a five-year deal.
– Everton have signed defender Mason Holgate from Barnsley on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– Chile midifielder Charles Aranguiz has completed his move to Bayer Leverkusen from Internacional on a five-year contract.
– Augsburg have completed the signing of free-agent Daniel Opare on a three-year deal.
– Watford sign Nathan Ake on a season long loan from Chelsea.
– Villarreal have signed Spanish striker Roberto Soldado from Tottenham Hotspur on a three-year deal.
– Middlesbrough have signed striker David Nugent from Leicester City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
– Adama Traore joins Aston Villa from Barcelona on a five-year deal
– Fiorentina have confirmed the signing of Dnipro striker Nikola Kalinic on a four-year deal.
– Lyon have announced the signing of Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa from Roma on a five-year contract.
– Tottenham have signed Clinton Njie from Lyon on a five-year deal subject to a work permit.
– Celtic have signed Scott Allan from Hibernian on a four-year deal.
– PSV have completed the signing of Espanyol defender Hector Moreno on a four-year deal.
– Eibar have signed midfielder Simone Verdi from AC Milan on a season-long loan deal.
– Norwegian side Rosenborg BK have completed the signing of midfielder Andres Konradsen from Rennes.
– Chelsea have completed the signing of Baba Rahman from Augsburg for an undisclosed fee.
– Watford sign Alessandro Diamanti on a season-long loan from Guangzhou Evergrande.
– Swansea City have completed the signing of Botti Biabi from Falkirk for an undisclosed fee.
– Udinese have completed the signing of midfielder Marquinho from Roma on a four-year contract.
– Real Madrid have announced the signing of Mateo Kovacic from Inter Milan on a six-year contract.
– Belgian midfielder Christian Bruls has joined Standard Liège on a season-long loan from Rennes.
– Genoa have completed the signing of Diego Capel from Sporting Lisbon on a two-year deal.
– Borussia Monchengladbach have completed the signing of midfielder Nico Schulz from Hertha Berlin on a four-year deal.
– Torino have announced the signing of Andrea Belotti from Palermo.
– Palermo have completed the signing of Uros Djurdjevic from Vitesse.
– Bastia have completed the signing of goalkeeper Jesper Hansen from Evian.
– Bologna have signed Filippo Falco from Lecce.
– Roma have announced the signing of Antonio Rudiger on a season-long loan from Stuttgart.
– Newcastle forward Remy Cabella has joined Marseille on a season-long loan.
– Leicester have signed midfielder Gokhan Inler from Napoli on a three-year deal.
– Newcastle United have completed the signing of Florian Thauvin from Marseille on a five-year deal.
– Villarreal have completed the signing of Cedric Bakambu from Bursaspor.
– Juventus have completed the signing of Alex Sandro from Porto on a five-year contract.
– Espanyol have signed Marco Asensio from Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal.
– Roma have signed Norbert Gyomber on a season-long loan deal from Catania, with an option to make the transfer permanent.
New Chelsea signing Pedro photo credit chelseafc.com
– Chelsea have completed the signing of Pedro from Barcelona on a four-year contract.
– Manchester City have announced the signing of defender Nicolas Otamendi from Valencia on a five-year contract.
– Costa Rican attacker John Jairo Ruiz has completed a loan move to Ukrainian side Dnipro from Lille.
– Bologna have completed the signing of Mattia Destro from Roma.
– Lazio have re-signed Stefano Mauri on a two-year contract.
– Cagliari have signed Alberto Cerri on a season-long loan deal from Juventus with an option to buy.
– Sporting Gijon have signed Barcelona midfielder Alen Halilovic on a one-year loan.
– Panathinaikos have completed the signing of midfielder Mehdi Abeid from Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee.
– Chelsea have completed the signing of Brazilian youngster Kenedy from Fluminense.
– Hoffenheim have completed the signing of Eduardo Vargas from Napoli on a four-year contract.
– Glasgow Rangers have signed midfielder Gedion Zelalem from Arsenal on a season-long loan deal.
– Bologna have signed Godfred Donsah from Cagliari, on loan with mandatory option to buy.
– Marko Marin has joined Trabzonspor on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the season.
– Juventus have confirmed the signing of winger Juan Cuadrado from Chelsea on season-long loan deal.
– AS Monaco has completed the signing of Fabio Coentrao on a season-long loan deal from Real Madrid.
– Roma have signed Lucas Digne from PSG on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.
– Atalanta have completed the signing of defender Rafael Toloi from Sao Paulo.
– Real Sociedad have completed the signing of Asier Illarramendi from Real Madrid on a six-year deal.
– Burnley have signed Joey Barton on a one-year deal.
– Stuttgart have signed centre-back Toni Sunjic from Kuban Krasnodar.
– Dynamo Moscow have signed striker Pavel Pogrebnyak from Reading.
– Paris Saint-Germain have completed a deal for Monaco left-back Layvin Kurzawa on a five year contract.
– Marseille have completed the signing of Lucas Silva from Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal.
– Sevilla have completed the signing of free-agent Fernando Llorente on a three-year deal.
– Atalanta have completed the signing of Gabriel Paletta from AC Milan on a season-long loan deal.
– Granada have completed the signing of Cristiano Biraghi from Inter Milan on a season-long loan deal.
– AC Milan have announced that Mario Balotelli has joined the Rossoneri from Liverpool on a one-season loan deal.
– Stade de Reims have announced the signing of central midfielder Hassane Kamara from Chateauroux.
– Palermo have announced the signing of Alberto Gilardino from Guangzhou Evergrande.
– Everton have signed Leandro Rodriguez from River Plate Montevideo on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– Schalke 04 have completed the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Bayern Munich on a season-long loan deal.
– Monaco have completed the signing of Marcos Lopes from Manchester City.
– St Étienne have announced the signing of Kévin Malcuit from Ligue 2 side Niort on a four-year contract.
– Fiorentina have signed free agent Joan Verdu Fernandez.
Son Heung-min joins Tottenham Hotspurs.photo credit @spursofficial
– Tottenham have signed Son Heung-min from Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year contract.
– Sunderland have signed midfielder Ola Toivonen on a season-long loan from French side Rennes.
– Villarreal have signed Denis Suarez from Barcelona.
– Celtic have announced the signing of Tyler Blackett on a season long loan from Manchester United.
– Bologna have completed the signing of winger Anthony Mounier from Montpellier.
– West Brom have completed the signing of Jonny Evans from Manchester Utd on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Matias Kranevitter from River Plate on a five-year contract.
– Borussia Dortmund have signed defender Park Joo-ho from Mainz.
Kevin De Bruyne
– Manchester City have completed the signing of Kevin De Bruyne from Wolfsburg on a six-year contract.
– Bayern Munich have signed midfielder Kingsley Coman on a two-year loan deal from Juventus.
– Wolfsburg have completed the signing of Dante from Bayern Munich.
– Valencia have completed the signing of defender Aymen Abdennour from Monaco on a five-year deal.
– Las Palmas have signed Ghanaian winger Mubarak Wakaso from Rubin Kazan.
– Lyon have signed midfielder Sergi Darder from Malaga.
– Inter Milan have completed the signing of Wolfsburg winger Ivan Perisic.
– Norwich have signed Matt Jarvis on a season- long loan from West Ham
– Everton have completed the signing of Aaron Lennon from Tottenham.
– Manchester United have signed teenage defender Regan Poole from League 2 club Newport County for an undisclosed fee.
– Watford striker Matej Vydra have joined Reading on a season-long loan deal.
– Carpi have announced the signing of former Juventus and Roma striker Marco Borriello.
– Watford have completed the signing of Victor Ibarbo on a season-long loan.
– Adlene Guedioura has completed a permanent return to Watford from Crystal Palace, signing a three-year deal.
Anthony Martial has joined Man Utd for a record fee of 36 million pounds (highest for a teenager in the BPL)
– Manchester United have completed the signing of 19-year-old forward Anthony Martial from AS Monaco on a four-year contract with the option of another year.
– Sunderland have completed the signing of DeAndre Yedlin from Tottenham on loan until the end of the season.
– Watford have announced the signing of Belgian striker Obbi Oulare on a five-year deal from Club Brugge.
– West Ham have announced the signing of winger Michail Antonio from Nottingham Forest on a four-year deal.
– Aston Villa have announced the signing of West Bromwich Albion defender Joleon Lescott on a two-year deal.
– Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Papy Djilobodji from Nantes for €4million.
– Aston Villa have completed the signing of goalkeeper Matija Sarkic from Anderlecht.
– Southampton have signed Virgil van Dijk from Celtic on a five-year deal.
– Leicester City have signed Nathan Dyer from Swansea on a season long loan deal.
– Bournemouth have completed the signing of striker Glenn Murray from Crystal Palace on a three-year deal.
– West Ham have announced the signing of Nikica Jelavic from Hull City on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– West Ham have signed Chelsea winger Victor Moses on loan.
– Deportivo La Coruna have completed the signing of former Newcastle midfielder Jonas Gutierrez on a free transfer.
– Everton have completed the signing of River plate defender Ramiro Funes Mori on a five-year deal.
Alex Song, photo credit blaugrana.gr
– West Ham have announced the signing of Alex Song from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal.
– Porto have completed the signing of Miguel Layun from Watford.
– Roma have signed 18-year-old striker Ezequiel Ponce from Newell’s Old Boys for €4.2m on a five-year deal.
– Real Betis have completed the signing of Ricky van Wolfswinkel from Norwich City on a season-long loan deal
– Real Betis have completed the signing of Joaquin from Fiorentina on a three-year contract.
– Nice have announced the signing of Ricardo Pereira on a two-season long loan from FC Porto with an option to buy.
– Felipe Melo has joined Inter Milan on a permanent basis from Galatasaray
– Juventus have completed the signing of Hernanes from Inter Milan on a three-year contract.
– Lille have completed the €1m signing of Lenny Nangis on a four-year deal from Caen.
– Adem Ljajic has joined Inter Milan on loan with option to buy from Roma.
– Lyon have completed the signing of Oliver Kemen from Newcastle Utd on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– AC Milan have loaned Hachim Mastour to Spanish side Malaga for two seasons.
– Getafe have announced the signing of striker Stefan Scepovic on a season-long loan from Celtic
– Norwich have announced the signing of striker Dieumerci Mbokani from Dynamo Kiev.
– Marseille have signed Mauricio Isla from Juventus on a season long loan.
– Augsburg have signed South Korea international Koo Ja-cheol from Mainz on a two-year contract.
– Frosinone have signed Chilean Nicolas Castillo on loan from Club Brugge
– Porto have signed Jesus Corona from FC Twente on a five-year deal
– Fiorentina have completed the signing of Jakub Blaszczykowski from Borussia Dortmund.
– Sevilla have completed the signing of Marco Andreolli from Inter Milan on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy.
– Manchester City defender Jason Denayer has joined Galatasaray on a season-long loan.
– Alessandro Matri has officially moved to Lazio on loan from AC Milan.
– Granada have signed Doria from Marseille on a season-long loan deal with a €7m option to buy.
– Metz have completed the signing of Zambian striker Emmanuel Mayuka from Southampton on a three-year deal.
– Olympiacos have completed the signing of Brown Ideye from West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee.
– West Brom have signed goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard on a two-year deal from Manchester United.
– Rayo Vallecano have completed the signing of Pablo Hernandez from Al-Arabi on season-long loan deal.
– Sunderland have confirmed that Emanuele Giaccherini has joined Serie A side Bologna on a season-long loan.
– Villarreal have signed forward Adrian Lopez on loan for the season from Porto.
– Carpi have completed the singing of Cristian Zaccardo from AC Milan on a two-year deal.
– Bayer Leverkusen have completed the signing of Javier Hernandez from Manchester united on a three-year deal.
Taiwo Awoniyi celebrates with Flying Eagles after winning the Super 4 in Abuja Sunday he also joined Liverpool in the summer
– Liverpool have announced the signing of Taiwo Awoniyi. He has been loaned out to FSV Frankfurt for the 2015/2016 season
– Hamburg have completed the signing of Aaron Hunt from Wolfsburg on a three-year deal.
– Nantes have announced the signing of defender Lorik Cana on a two year deal on a free transfer.
– Wolfsburg have confirmed the signing of Dante from Bayern Munich on a three-year deal.
– Bordeaux have completed the signing of defender Pablo for an undisclosed fee from Gremio on a four-year deal.
– Wolfsburg have completed the signing of Julian Draxler from Schalke.
– Sunderland have completed the signing of Italian forward Fabio Borini from Liverpool on a four-year contract.
– Athletic Bilbao have completed the signing of Raul Garcia from Atletico Madrid on a four-year deal.
– Bologna have confirmed the signing of midfielder Saphir Taider from Inter Milan on a season-long loan deal with a mandatory buyout.
– Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has joined Schalke on a season- long loan from Bayern Munich.
– Paderborn have signed midfielder Oliver Kirch from Borussia Dortmund.
– Bosnia international winger Izet Hajrovic has moved from Werder Bremen to Eibar on a one-year loan deal.
– Club Brugge have completed the signing of striker Jelle Vossen from Burnley for an undisclosed fee.
– AS Roma have confirmed the signing of William Vainqueur from Dynamo Moscow for €3million.
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