– Striker Moussa Dembele’s move from Fulham to Tottenham is off, according to Sky Sports sources.
– Manchester United have reportedly bid £22million for Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches, according to reports in Portugal.
– According to reports, West Brom are set to sign Spurs midfielder Alex Pritchard on loan.
– LA Galaxy have signed former Manchester City midfielder Nigel De Jong, according to the Los Angeles Times.
– According to reports, Watford are negotiating with Rennes over the transfer of midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.
– According to reports, Roma striker Seydou Doumbia is set to undergo a medical at Newcastle ahead of a loan deal until the end of the season.
– Norwich forward Kyle Lafferty will not be going to Sion on loan after talks over the switch broke down.
– Tottenham defender Milos Veljkovic is close to joining Werder Bremen, according to reports.
– Aston Villa manager Remi Garde is confident of wrapping up a deal to bring a striker to Villa Park before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
– Independiente vice-president Noray Nakis says his club rejected Real Madrid’s offer for Martin Benitez because they planned to loan the young striker out after signing him.
– Liverpool are ready to launch a bid for Real Madrid winger Denis Cheryshev, according to report.
– LA Galaxy are keen on signing Aston Villa defender Joleon Lescott, according to reports.
– Paris Saint-Germain boss Laurent Blanc has suggested that Ezequiel Lavezzi will remain at the club until his contract expires in the summer.
– According to reports, Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink has blocked the loan exit of Bertrand Traore.
– AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani confirmed “negotiations” with LA Galaxy for Nigel de Jong.
– According to reports, Marseille have made a loan offer with an option to buy for striker Maxi Lopez.
– Roma reportedly have a deal in place for Inter full-back Davide Santon.
– Bordeaux midfielder Clément Chantôme has confirmed that he will remain with the Ligue 1 side until the end of the season, despite an offer on the table from Premier League outfit Leicester City.
– Genoa forward Diego Perotti will reportedly have his Roma medical tomorrow morning.
– According to reports, Caen are interested in signing Christian Kouakou from Ligue 2 side Tours.
– According to reports, AC Milan will not sign Mario Balotelli permanently this summer.
– According to report, Lille have made an enquiry for 35 year old striker Amauri.
– Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said the club will not sign Celta Vigo forward Nolito in the winter window.
Football tit bits:
– A Greek second-tier league match was delayed on Friday when players staged a sit-down protest against the death toll
of migrants trying to reach the Aegean islands.
– John Terry has confirmed he is to leave Chelsea at the end of the season.
– Atletico Madrid midfielder Augusto Fernández has partially torn the interior ligament in his left knee and is expected to be sidelined for about eight weeks.
– The Brazilian Public Prosecutor’s Office has decided to press charges against Neymar, the current Barcelona president
Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell for alleged tax evasion and document tampering, ‘Veja’ magazine has revealed.
– FA Cup fifth round draw
Chelsea v Manchester City
Reading v West Brom/Peterborough
Watford v Leeds United
Shrewsbury Town v Manchester United
Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool/West Ham United
Tottenham v Crystal Palace
Arsenal v Hull City
Bournemouth v Everton
* The fifth round matches will take place between 19-22 February.
Finally our 10-game accumulator series returns this week for the first time since December when most Leagues observed the winter break. This weekend will be the first time all top five leagues in Europe will be playing concurrently in 2016 and football fans will be treated to some scintillating displays in the various matches played. Punters alike have various options of matches and outcomes to select from this time.
We at Newfanzone have done our best to select 10 possible outcomes in our accumulators.
Good luck with your bets.
Tobi Olubiyi’s (@tobipreety) predictions:
English Premier league
Arsenal Vs Chelsea – Arsenal win or draw : The gooners have had an impressive campaign so far and going into this match in week 22 as league leaders, they will undoubtedly be the favourites. Though the Arsene Wenger led side have failed to get a Premier League win against the Blues since 29th October 2011 which was a 3-5 away win at Stamford Bridge. 14th placed Chelsea have already got one over Arsenal this season when they won the reverse fixture earlier in the season under former Manager Jose Mourinho. I believe this is an in form arsenal and going against an uninspired Chelsea who have been shown no respect by the smaller teams this season, Arsenal should get at least a point from this game.
Arsenal Vs Chelsea photo credit: CFC Unofficial (Debs) https///creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode
Everton Vs Swansea – Everton win : Everton Manager Roberto Martinez would still have the 3-3 draw of last match on his mind after what looked like a win against the defending Champions Chelsea ended in a draw after a last minute equaliser. The toffees must build on such a wonderful performance and this is the best time to face a relegation threatened Swansea who are bereft of ideas lately. A new head coach has since been brought in from Italy to assist the manager and this match will be his first time in the Dug out. The swans will have an uphill task travelling to Goodison Park on the back of just 1 win in their last 5 games. Everton will get a win to complement their fine form as they are unbeaten in their last 5 matches.
French Ligue 1
Olympique Lyon Vs Olympique Marsielle -Both Teams To Score: This battle is between the 8th placed and 9th placed on the table with both teams on 29points after 21 matches. In their last 6 matches against each other there has been 3 draws with 16 goals scored by both teams and both teams scored in 4 of those matches. It promises to be an interesting encounter as both teams are expected to be chasing runaway league leaders PSG who are currently leading both teams with 28 points although they are both 7 points behind 2nd place.
It is difficult to tilt towards a winner but I believe both teams would get on the score sheet
Monaco Vs Toulouse : MONACO win – Monaco have recently hit form and are unbeaten in their last 5 matches winning 3 of them. This form has shot them straight into 2nd place while Toulouse have lost their last 2 matches. Although both were against PSG with one being the French Cup. Toulouse face a difficult trip to the Stade Louis on the back of 2 straight defeats when their next 2 matches are against Monaco and PSG for another cup game. Monaco will tear apart 19th placed Toulouse who have won only 4 games all season.
Italian Serie A
Inter Milan Vs Carpi : Inter Milan Win – Both teams have already met twice this season one in the Cup and the other in the league and Inter won on both occasion. Inter Milan will be hosting Serie A new comers Carpi who are sitting at 18th spot. Mancini’s Nerrazurri are hungry for success and also desperate to bring back the glory days to the San Siro and with just 4 points behing 1st place they will keep up the pressure if the get a win at home in this match.
I expect 3rd placed Inter who are overwhelming favourites to do enough to get maximum points. Coming into this game on the back of an impressive 2-0 away win over Napoli in the Coppa Italia.
Juventus Vs Roma : Juventus win or Draw – Defending Champions and Serie A Favourites Juventus will be involved in a tricky tie against arch rivals AS Roma. Though Roma have been on the decline lately ,languishing in 5th place after a poor run of results which led to the sack of Rudi Garcia , we have learnt over time that in games like this form is thrown out of the window. Juventus have only lost once in the last 15 matches as their form has seen them the most inform team in Europe’s top 5 leagues . Roma’s new gaffer Luciano Spaletti is familiar with the Serie A and matches of this nature so this could be a potential banana skin for Juventus. This also promises to be a fiercy clash as usual, there has been 7 red cards in the last 6 matches between these two teams. It could be tough but Juventus will get something out of this game.
German Bundesliga
Borussia Monchengladbach Vs Borussia Dortmund : Both teams to score : Dortmund have been deadly infront of goal this season scoring 47 goals in as little as 17 matches which is more than league leaders Bayern Munich. Dortmund attack is led by African Player of the year Aubumeyang who has scored 18 goals so far which is more than the number of goals Bundesliga clubs Ingolstadt ,Darmstadt , Werder bremen and hoffenheim have scored this season. His goal scoring prowess makes him the deadliest attacker in Europe’s top 5 league on basis of conversion rate and goal/game Ratio. Fourth placed Monchengladbach are also an attacking side having scored 34 goals this season making them the 3rd highest scoring side in the Bundesliga so far. There will be goals in this game as both teams are known to attack, I expect both teams to get at least a goal each.
Schalke 04 Vs Werder Bremen – Schalke 04 win : In the last 6 matches between the two, Bremen are yet to win while Schalke has won 4 drawing the other 2. Schalke are favourites and playing at the Veltings Arena infront of their home fans , it will be an added advantage against the visitors who have not won in their last 5 Bundesliga matches and are currently 16th on the league table.
I expect Schalke to get a win with their attacking trio of Choupo Moting, Huntelaar and Franco Di Santo.
Spanish La Liga
Atletico Madrid Vs Sevilla – Atletico Madrid win : League Leaders Atletico Madrid are clear favourites going into this clash. They have only lost one of their last 23 matches in all competitions. After 6 Previous meetings with Sevilla, Athletico Madrid have won 4 and drawn 2. Diego Simeone’s men will look to extend that fantastic record when Sevilla come visiting on sunday. Sevilla have also picked form as they have won their last 4 matches but a trip to the Vicente Calderón will be too much ask for Unai Emery and his team. I see Atletico extending their lead at the summit with a victory against Sevilla
Real Betis Vs Real Madrid – Real Madrid win : Spanish power house Real Madrid have experienced a resurgence since club Legend Zidane has been brought in to replace Rafa Benitez. Madrid have not lost to Real Betis in the last 6 meetings against each other. With just 3 points between 3rd placed Real Madrid and 1st place Atletico Madrid, a win against Betis will be the least result expected to put pressure on the leaders. Poor Real Betis are currently 15th on the table and are yet to win in 15 matches in all competitions.
I expect nothing less than a Real Madrid win against minnows Real Betis as they look to push for the La Liga title this season.
Arsenal Vs Chelsea photo credit: CFC Unofficial (Debs) https///creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode
Paul Ayorinde’s (@el_pauleta) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Hellas Verona V Genoa- Double chance on Genoa:
Hellas Verona are one of the few sides in Europe without a win to their name and don’t expect that to change against an in-form Genoa side. I tip Gasperini’s men to get at least a point away from home on Sunday.
Sassuolo V Bologna- Double chance on Sassuolo:
Sassuolo were held to 1-1 draw against Torino on Wednesday night while Bologna played a 2-2 draw against Lazio last weekend. I expect Sassuolo to get at least a point at home on Sunday.
Jonjo Shelvey
English Premier League
Everton V Swansea- Both team to score (BTTS):
Everton played out a thrilling 3-3 draw against Chelsea on Saturday afternoon while Swansea got a rare win when they defeated Watford on Monday night. The match promises to be entertaining with a couple of goals. So i am tipping both teams to score at Goodison park on Sunday afternoon.
Crystal Palace V Tottenham- Double chance on Tottenham:
Crystal Palace were defeated 4-0 when
they visited Manchester City on last weekend while Tottenham “hammered” Sunderland 4-1 at White Hart Lane. Alan Pardew’s men are without a win in five Premier League matches and have lost
three straight fixtures, so i tip Tottenham to get at least a draw at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Leicester City V Stoke City- Double chance on Leicester:
Leicester played a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa last weekend while Stoke City played an entertaining goalless draw with league leaders Arsenal. This match should be a cracker between two teams on a good run of form. I tip Leicester City to get at least a point at home.
Spanish Liga BBVA
Real Betis V Real Madrid- Real Madrid win and Over 2.5 goals:
Real Betis played a goalless draw against Villarreal last weekend while Real Madrid mauled Sporting Gijon 5-1 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Betis are without a win in their last five matches and I don’t expect that to change against Zinedine Zidane’s men on Sunday. I tip Real Madrid to win in an high scoring match at the Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera.
Deportivo La Coruna V Valencia- Double chance on Valencia:
Deportivo played a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad last weekend while Gary Neville’s men continued their poor league form playing a 2-2 draw at Rayo Vallecano at the Mestalla. Both teams have not won in their last four league matches. I tip Valencia to get a draw away from home on Sunday.
French Ligue 1
AS Monaco V Toulouse- Double chance on Monaco:
Monaco defeated Lorient 2-0 away from home last weekend while Toulouse lost 0-1 at home to league champions PSG. I tip Monaco to get at least a point at home on Sunday.
German Bundesliga
Cologne V Stuttgart- Double chance on Cologne:
Cologne will be looking to improve on their form as the second round of matches kick off this weekend while Stuttgart will be hoping they can continue from where they stopped last year when they defeated Wolfsburg 3-1 at home. I tip Cologne to get a least a point at home on Saturday.
Borussia Monchengladbach V Borussia Dortmund- Both teams to score (BTTS):
This is definitely the match of the week in the Bundesliga and it promises to be an entertaining match between second and fourth on the league standing. I tip both teams to score in a thrilling encounter at Borussia-Park on Saturday evening.
– According to reports, Barcelona are considering a £50 million summer move for Aaron Ramsey.
– According to reports in Italy, Newcastle United are interested in Sassuolo striker Gregoire Defrel.
– Liverpool have reached an agreement to bring Alexandre Pato to Anfield, according to reports.
– Manchester United are closing in on a £12million January deal for the “Japanese Messi” Yoshinori Muto, according to reports.
– According to reports in England , Jurgen Klopp has become “increasingly frustrated” Daniel Sturridge repeated fitness problems and would consider offers in the region of £25million for the 26-year-old forward.
– Chelsea striker Radamel Falcao looks set to stay at Stamford Bridge for the rest of the season after Monaco ruled out taking him back early.
– According to reports in England, Everton will make a £21million January move for Dynamo Kiev winger Andriy Yarmolenko, as the Toffees are worried the 26-year-old will attract big suitors if he impresses with Ukraine at Euro 2016.
– Swansea are poised to make a £4million bid for AC Milan midfielder Nigel de Jong, according to reports.
– Newcastle will make a club-record £18m bid for West Brom striker Saido Berahino this month,according to reports.
– Aston Villa defender Philippe Senderos hopes he can return to Switzerland in the January transfer window, as he looks for regular football again.
– Genoa are lining up a move for out-of-favour Aston Villa striker Libor Kozak, according to reports.
– Swansea City want to bring Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony back to the club, according to reports.
Louis Van Gaal
– Louis van Gaal says Manchester United are unlikely to be active in the January transfer window, and would not be drawn on speculation linking the club with Lazio’s Felipe Anderson.
– According to reports, Premier League side Aston Villa, Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen and Italian club AS Roma are all lining up to sign Arsenal right-back Mathieu Debuchy this month.
– Lille are closing in on the signing of left-sided player Julian Palmieri,according to reports.
– Wolves have submitted an offer for Rennes’s full-back Cheikh M’Bengué, according to L’Équipe.
– Hellas Verona are keen on signing Lyon defender Lindsay Rose, according to reports.
– Bournemouth have bid for Norwich City striker Lewis Grabban, according to Sky Sports sources.
– Fiorentina are considering a swoop for central defender Luis Neto from Zenit St Petersburg, according to reports.
Romelu Lukaku signs for Everton Fc- photo credit evertonfc
– Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, 22, wants to join Paris St-Germain or Real Madrid in the summer rather than Manchester United.
– According to reports, Debreceni forward Norbert Balogh is expected to fly in today for a Palermo medical.
– Sampdoria striker Eder has reportedly turned down a huge offer from Chinese club Jiangsu Suning FC.
– Mauricio Pochettino would not be drawn on speculation linking Andros Townsend with a move away from Tottenham in January.
– Manchester United forward Adnan Januzaj failed to show the necessary desire during his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, coach Thomas Tuchel has said.
– Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure’s agent has questioned the credentials of Pep Guardiola and claimed his grandfather could win the league in Spain and Germany.
– Carles Puyol believes it would be a “huge injustice” if Lionel Messi did not win an unprecedented fifth Ballon d’Or on Monday.
– Real Madrid’s midfielder Luka Modric believes Saturday’s 5-0 drubbing of Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga in Zinedine Zidane’s debut as the club’s manager shows the former Real and France great is the right man for the job.
– Gonzalo Higuain insists Napoli must not get too excited about being Winter Champions. “Being there in May is what counts.”
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 15 of our Bookies corner where we help Punters forecast on the best matches to put their money on.
Tobi Olubiyi’s (@tobipreety) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Bologna Vs Napoli – Napoli win:
Napoli have been impressive this season with just 1 defeat in 14games and currently the table toppers after their latest feat which was a win against Scudetto favourites Inter Milan at the Stadio San Paolo to extend their run of straight wins to 5 in all competition.
Bologna will have it tough albeit on their home turf against high flying Napoli who have not lost in 18 matches. Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is in the form of his life scoring 12goals in 14 games.
I see Napoli getting the victory in this game against 18th placed Bologna.
Inter Milan Vs Genoa – Inter Milan win :
Genoa will be travelling to the San Siro stadium where they have not been able to get a victory since 1994 and on the back of just one win from their last 5 games. It’s also worth noting Mancini’s Inter are wounded lions at the moment after loosing their last game to League Leaders Napoli which was their first defeat in 8 matches.
The Nerazzurri will be looking to get inspiration up front from Mauro Icardi and Jovetic to get them the victory.
French Ligue 1
Bastia Vs Monaco – Monaco Win or draw:
Monaco have not been as dominating as they have been in recent years in the Ligue Un. With a fringe squad and a bunch of average players they would be lucky to make the Champions league place at the end of the season. A trip to Bastia could prove tricky as they have won only 1 of their last 5 games which included a hard-fought 3-all draw at the Stade Velodrome against Marseille.
I expect Monaco to get something out of this game and put a dent to Bastia’s current run of only defeat in their last 5 games.
St Etienne Vs Rennes – St Etienne Win:
The perennial Dark horses of the Ligue Un in recent years, St Etienne will host 9th placed Rennes who are 3 points behind them. St Etienne have recently been on a bad run with just a win in 5 matches in all competitions but to be fair to them they have come against relatively tough opposition facing Lyon, Marseille, Rosenborg, and Lille during this period. I expect Christophe Galtier’s men to get back to winning ways and get all 3 points at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
English Premier League
Arsenal Vs Sunderland – Arsenal win :
The Gunners are having their usual mid- season injury crisis with key players picking up injuries at the same time. Sanchez, Koscienly,Carzola, Walcott, Rosicky, Coquelin, Welbeck and a couple more players are injured for arsenal. There has been very few good news coming from the arsenal medical department and the Physio’s treatment table of late but there has been indications Koscienly and Walcott could play a part in this fixture against Sunderland. Arsenal will depend on the fine form of their assist-master Ozil who has been linking up well with their attackers and creating goals therby creating a new premier League record of assists in consecutive games.
The Black cats have currently jumped out of relegation waters with an impressive back to back wins under new manager Sam Allardyce. I see Arsenal getting the win at the Emirates staking their claim for their title push.
West Brom Vs Tottenham – Tottenham win :
Tony Pulis would be fired up for this one after back to back games against London clubs, winning against Arsenal and getting a point at West Ham. He will be looking on to spur his team to a victory against Spurs another London club,Pochettino’s men haven’t lost in 13 league games since the opening day and made Chelsea labour for a goalless draw last game. I believe this new look Tottenham with Harry Kane back in form will be too strong for West Brom and they will get the victory against the baggies.
Spanish La Liga
Gary Neville photo credit, pixgood.com
Valencia Vs Barcelona – Barcelona win:
This would be the first game after the Neville brothers re-United at Valencia since after their playing days together at Manchester United. They couldn’t have wished for a tougher opposition to kickstart thier la liga campaign as the catalans will come visiting at the Mestalla. Barcelona have been scoring goals without remorse and even put 6 past their King’s Cup opponents without needing the services of Neymar, Messi or Suarez who are the most inform trio in Europe’s top 5 leagues. Valencia would have their work cut out against Luis Enrique’s team who they have managed to defeat only once in their last 6 games together. I expect Barcelona to get maximum points away from home.
Athletic Bilbao Vs Malaga – Athletic Bilbao Win:
In form Bilbao will finally return to play infront of their home fans at the San Mames after playing 4 consecutive away games in all competitions and winning their last 3 consecutively. They would need goal scoring veteran Aduriz to kill off Malaga after his run of 10goals in 13 matches this season.
18th place Malaga are still wallowing in relegation waters after a bad run of 4 consecutive defeats in their last 5 matches. The Lions of San Mames led by coach Ernesto Valverde should be able to get a win in front of their home fans.
German Bundesliga
Wolfsburg Vs Dortmund – Both Teams score (BTTS):
An exciting game at the Volkswagen arena as the 2nd placed Dortmund will be battling 3rd placed Wolfsburg. The home team would be hoping to close the wide gap of 7points in between them. There has been goals from both teams in 5 of their last 6 games against each other and I expect that to continue on saturday. Wolfsburg have been scoring a lot of goals this season, finding the net 40 times in 13 Bundesliga matches. Especially with the form of Gabonese Striker Aubameyang who has 17goals in 14games and the best shot conversion ratio in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
These two teams are difficult to separate but I expect a lot of goals and I see both teams getting on the score sheet.
Borussia Dortmund
Ingolstadt Vs Hoffenheim – Under 2.5goal:
It’s been a dream start to life in Bundesliga for newly-promoted Ingolstadt who are currently 11th on the log after an impressive 5 wins and 4 draws in their 14games so far. Hoffenheim are rooted to the bottom of the table after picking up 1 win all season. These 2 teams are not fond of scoring a lot of goals as the home team have scored a dire 10 goals in 14 games, the lowest in the league while the visitors have scored 15 goals in 14 games. I don’t expect an explosive end to end game with lots of goals, I believe both teams will score less than a total of 3 goals in this game.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@el_pauleta) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Lazio V Juventus- Double chance on Juventus:
Lazio continued their bad form last weekend when they lost to by a lone goal to Empoli while Juventus continue their resurgent as they trashed Palermo 3-0 away from home. I expect Lazio to be fired up for this match but I tip Juventus to get at least a point at Stadio Olimpico on Friday night.
Inter Milan V Genoa- Inter win:
10-man Inter Milan lost 2-1 against Napoli on Monday night in an unlucky fashion while Genoa snatched a draw at home against newcomers Carpi. I am expect Mancini’s men to get back to winning ways this weekend. I tip Inter Milan to win at the San Siro on Saturday night.
English Premier League
Swansea City V Leicester City- Double chance on Leicester:
Swansea continued their poor form last weekend losing by a lone goal against Liverpool while Leicester got a well-deserved draw against Manchester United. Swansea have picked up just 1 point in their last four premier league games, so I don’t expect them to be much of a threat against Leicester on Saturday. I tip Leicester City to get at least a point at the Liberty stadium.
West Bromwich Albion V Tottenham- Double chance on Tottenham:
West Brom picked up a point at West Ham on Sunday while Tottenham played out a goalless draw against Chelsea at the weekend to extend their unbeaten run to 13 Premier League matches. West Brom are on a good run of form, so i expect this match to tough for Tottenham. I tip Tottenham to get a point at the Hawthorns on Saturday.
Newcastle V Liverpool- Liverpool win:
Newcastle continued their abysmal form losing 5-1 against Crystal Palace in Game week 14 while Liverpool defeated Swansea 1-0 at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s men are in rich-vein of form after defeating Southampton 6-1 in the League Cup. I tip Liverpool to win convincingly at St James’ park on Sunday.
Spanish LIGA BBVA
Valencia V Barcelona- Barcelona win:
Valencia lost away from home last weekend to struggling Sevilla in a match that ended the reign of Nuno Espirito Santo while Barcelona continue their winning run defeating Real Sociedad 4-0 at Camp Nou. I expect Barcelona to be too strong for Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday. I tip Barcelona to win in an entertaining match.
Deportivo La Coruna V Sevilla- Double chance on Deportivo:
Deportivo defeated Las Palmas away from home in Game week 13 while Sevilla got a lone goal victory against Valencia. Deportivo have lost just one game in their last five Liga BBVA matches, so i tip them to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
German Bundesliga
Cologne V Augsburg- Double chance on Cologne:
Cologne played a goalless draw against Darmstadt last weekend while Augsburg also played a goalless draw against Wolfsburg. I expect the match to be tight because both teams give extra details to defending. I tip Cologne to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
Wolfsburg V Borussia Dortmund- Both teams to score(BTTS):
Wolfsburg played a goalless draw with Augsburg last weekend while Dortmund defeated Stuttgart 4-1. In the last 3 Bundesliga meetings between Wolfsburg and Dortmund at the Volkswagen Arena both teams got on the score sheet, so I expect the trend to continue this weekend. I tip Both teams to score at Volkswagen Arena on Saturday night.
French Ligue 1
Ajaccio V Nantes- Double chance on Ajaccio:
Ajaccio continued their impressive form with an away win at Montpellier on Wednesday while Nantes held Olympique Lyon to a goalless draw on Tuesday night. I tip Ajaccio to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
The full suspension of ARAF and the formation of an IAAF Integrity Unit were confirmed today at the 202nd IAAF Council Meeting in Monaco.
The meeting was chaired by IAAF President Sebastian Coe. Two members were absent: individual member Mikhail Butov (RUS) and African Area Association representative David Okeyo (KEN).
In his opening address Sebastian Coe said: “We must work hard to restore trust and to show the real values and potential of Athletics. We have a unique opportunity now to face the future with optimism. Let us make sure that we have the right people, in the right places and the right structure to take the sport to a better place.”
ARAF SUSPENSION
Council was informed that written confirmation had been received from ARAF accepting their full suspension without requesting a hearing as was their constitutional right.
ARAF confirmed they understood that Council would only accept their reinstatement as an IAAF Member Federation following the recommendation of the IAAF Inspection Team who will decide if the verification criteria have been fulfilled. ARAF also confirmed they will cooperate fully and actively with the team.
Council discussed the process which over the next three weeks will lead to a final set of criteria and the verification process. The plan is to present a detailed list of verification criteria to ARAF by the end of the year.
REALLOCATION OF 2016 COMPETITIONS
Council agreed a process for the reallocation of the two IAAF World Athletics Series competitions – 2016 World Race Walking Team Championships (Cheboksary, RUS) and 2016 World Junior Championships (Kazan, RUS) – which have been removed from Russia due to ARAF’s suspension.
A number of countries have already expressed interest in staging these events. An accelerated bidding process will open next week with a decision in early January.
OTHER MATTERS
Council agreed to the formation of an Integrity Unit to keep Athletics clean and to safeguard the integrity of the IAAF.
Reports were presented to Council from all the IAAF departments.
Sebastian Coe also briefed his colleagues about changes which have taken place in Monaco since he took office as president on 31 August.
The annual contract which provided a permanent serviced apartment in the five star Fairmont Hotel for the President’s use had been cancelled immediately on his taking office.
The IAAF President’s office ‘Villa Miraflores’ has also been closed and handed back to the Principality of Monaco. All IAAF staff personnel formerly based there have now transferred to the IAAF HQ Office on Quai Antoine.
Sebastian Coe encouraged all his Council colleagues to complete their declarations of interest and, as he said he would do, announced the following changes to his registration of interests:
– He has stepped down from his ambassador role with Nike as the current noise level around this ambassadorial role was not good for the IAAF nor Nike.
– He is Chairman of CSM, one of the world’s largest sports marketing agencies operating in 19 countries. Although CSM’s revenue from athletics is negligible, the company has agreed that it will not tender for, nor directly work for the IAAF, nor any city in relation to their tender to the IAAF while he is President of the IAAF.
– He will step down as Chairman of the British Olympic Association at the conclusion of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
DETERMINED TO REPAIR FAILURES AND REBUILD TRUST
Commenting on behalf of the Council, new Council Member Stephanie Hightower said: “We know we need to re build trust with our fans and this will be a long journey.”
“But we also need to show our athletes that we are serious about supporting clean athletes and will not tolerate cheating at any level.”
“The whole system has failed the athletes. We need to better understand the triggers and flags that will enable us to identify problems early and fix them sooner.”
“All my council colleagues are determined to repair the failures and rebuild trust amongst athletes and fans.”
In coordination with the International Athletics Foundation (IAF), the IAAF has today cancelled this year’s IAF World Athletics Gala which was due to take place in Monaco on Saturday 28 November.
“Given the cloud that hangs over our association this is clearly not the time for the global athletics family to be gathering in celebration of our sport,” confirmed Sebastian Coe. “However we will rightly still honour the outstanding achievements of the sport’s athletes. Therefore the Athlete of the Year and other annual honours will still be awarded and will be promoted and announced on the internet and social media. The IAAF will seek a suitable occasion in the future for the presentation of these awards to be made to the winners.”
The votes from the first round of the 2015 IAAF World Athlete of the Year selection process are in.
Last month the IAAF Family* was asked to select nine men and nine women from each of the following categories: sprints, hurdles, middle and long distance, road running, race walking, jumps, throws, combined events and multi-terrain.
The longlist will be composed of the top-voted athletes in each category, the names of whom will be announced over the coming days, starting today (2). The nine men and nine women will appear on the Gala section of the IAAF website.
An international panel of 10 experts** will then select the finalists – three men and three women – the names of whom will be announced on 17 and 18 November.
From those finalists, the Council of the International Athletics Foundation (IAF) will select the male and female World Athletes of the Year.
The announcement of the winners will take place live on stage during a special ceremony in Monaco at the IAF World Athletics Gala on Saturday 28 November.
This is Game week 10 of our Bookies corner where we help Punters forecast on the best matches to put their money on.
Ademola Adejuwon’s (@demydemo) predictions:
Arsenal vs Everton- Arsenal Win:
The Gunners have been in fine form of late and have not conceded a goal in their last 3 games. Alexis,Walcott and Ozil have been fantastic for the Gunners this season as they unlock any defence with their trickery,pace and Intelligence. The Toffees lost at home last time out scandalously to Manchester united and they will look to at least get a point away to Arsenal to show that they can compete for a place in Europe this season. The Gunners might be too good for Everton as I see them taking all three points in this encounter.
Manchester United vs Manchester City-Both teams to score (BTTS):
The Manchester derby would be fierce this weekend as all three points is important for both teams in the title race. The two teams have a mixture of youth and experience; Sterling, De Bruyne, Yaya Toure & Wilfred Bony for City while Martial, Schweinstieger, Mata & Rooney for the Red Devils. Manchester City have scored 11 goals in their last two EPL Fixtures which shows how deadly they are offensively and with Mata and Martial Manchester too will definitely get a goal or two in this game.
Spanish La Liga
Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid- Both teams to score(BTTS):
Celta Vigo are giant killers and they’ve been doing excellently in the league. The last big side they hosted (Barcelona) were walloped 4-1. Rafael Benitez’s side have been shrewd at the back with good and dogged defending. Nolito have been a handful this season but the firepower of Ronaldo & co might be too for the Celta Vigo side. A safe pick is that Both teams will surely get Goals.
Barcelona vs Eibar- Barcelona win:
Barcelona welcome Eibar to the camp Nou. The Catalans have struggled to get goals after the injury to their talismanic forward Messi. The defending Champions now look to Suarez and Neymar for goals. Neymar was immense last time out in the league and the Brazilian alongside Rakitc and Suarez would definitely ensure Barcelona get all three points against Eibar at the Camp Nou.
Atletico Madrid vs Valencia: Atletico Madrid double chance:
This is the biggest game in the LaLiga this weekend as Champions league campaigners Atletico Madrid and Valencia face each other at the Vincente Calderon. Atletico have not been doing too bad in the league though with the kind of squad they have they ought to be ontop of the league with the dwindling form of rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid. Diego Simeone knows how to prepare his team for big games like this and expect them to at least get a draw against a good Valencia side.
German Bundesliga
Bayern Munich vs Cologne- Bayern Win and over 2.5:
Bayern Unbeaten run finally came to a halt on Tuesday when they were humbled at the Emirates against Arsenal. In the league, Bayern have been invincible and with 7 points above second place Borussia Dortmund they looked to have wrapped up the league title. Pep will want to get back to winning ways after that blip against Arsenal so we might expect a mauling of Cologne at the Allianz Arena.
Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg– Dortmund win:
Dortmund have been on a relatively poor run after their explosive start to the season. Tuchel’s side welcome Augsburg to the Signa Iguna park and they know that a win against Augsburg will still give them a chance to go at the league title. Aubameyang will once again lead their forward line and the Gabonese have hardly disappointed so far this season.
Moenchengladbach vs Schalke- Both teams to score (BTTS):
Moenchengladbach form in the league have been poor compared to last season when they qualified for the Champions league. They host Schalke this weekend in what might probe to be the game of the week this season. Both sides are inconsistent and very unpredictable. A safe pick would be Both team to score as they would both come out to attack each other from start to finish.
Italian Serie A
Juventus vs Atlanta- Juventus Double Chance:
Juventus have not scored a goal in their last two games which will come has a worry to coach Massimilliano Allegri. The Italian Champions are in the lower end of the table and need to start winning games if they want to defend their title or qualify for the UCL. Atlanta are a bogey side for the big teams but with Dybala,Morata and Zaza Juventus should at least get a draw at home to Atlanta.
Fiorentina vs Roma- Fiorentina Double Chance:
In form Fiorentina hosts Roma in the Serie A this weekend. Montella’s team would want to bounce back from their defeat to rivals Napoli in the league by defeating another title contender Roma who have been inconsistent this season . Fiorentina are good as a unit and it would be difficult for Roma to break them down especially away from home.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@el_pauleta) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Fiorentina V Roma- Both teams to score(BTTS):
This match promises to be a cracker and the game of the week in Serie A. Fiorentina lost 2-1 in Naples last weekend while Roma thrashed Empoli 3-1 in Rome. I am tipping both teams to score in an entertaining match at Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday.
Palermo V Inter Milan- Double chance on Inter:
Palermo recorded their third win of the season last weekend while the Nerazzurri played out a 0-0 draw with rivals Juventus. Inter Milan has been in top form this season and i expect Mancini’s men to get at least a point at Renzo Barbera on Saturday night.
Spanish Liga BBVA
Barcelona V Eibar- Barcelona win and over 2.5 goals:
Eibar played a 1-1 draw against Sevilla last weekend while Barcelona defeated Rayo Vallecano 5-2 at the Camp Nou. Barcelona are getting their “groove” back and I expect them to get an high-scoring victory against Eibar on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid V Valencia- Double chance on Atletico Madrid:
Atletico Madrid got a vital win against Real Sociedad away from home last weekend while Valencia thrashed Malaga 3-0 at the Mestalla. Atletico Madrid are very strong at home and i expect them to get a least a point at home when they play Valencia on Sunday.
German Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen V Stuttgart– Bayer Leverkusen win:
Bayer Leverkusen’s last two games have ended in draws and expect them to step it up this weekend and get a win against struggling Stuttgart. I tip Bayer Leverkusen to get a win at the BayArena on Saturday afternoon.
Borussia Dortmund V Augsburg- Dortmund win:
Borussia Dortmund got back to winning way last weekend, Augsburg are struggling this season and have won just one match in the last 5 matches. I am tipping Borussia Dortmund to win at home on Sunday.
French Ligue 1
Reims V Monaco– Double chance on Monaco:
Reims have lost their last two matches and it will be difficult game for them when they host Monaco at home on Sunday. I tip Monaco to get at least a point at Stade Auguste Delaune II
English Premier League
Leicester City V Crystal Palace– Double chance on Leicester:
Leicester City fought back from 2-0 down to rescue a point against Southampton in Gameweek 9 while Crystal Palace lost 3-1 at home against West Ham. I expect Leicester City to continue their good form this weekend. I tip the home team to get at least a point on Saturday.
West Ham picked up an impressive win at Crystal Palace last weekend while Chelsea won at home against Aston Villa. This match promises to be an exciting one with lot of goals. I predict both teams to score at Upton park on Saturday.
Bournemouth V Tottenham– Tottenham win:
The Cherries lost 5-1 away from home last weekend while Tottenham played a 0-0 draw at home against Liverpool. Bournemouth have been struggling in the past weeks, so i expect Tottenham’s attack of Kane, Njie and Eriksen to be too strong for the BPL newcomers. I predict Tottenham to get a slim win away from home on Sunday.
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.
Newly elected IAAF President Sebastian Coe today met the entire IAAF HQ staff in Monaco. The gathering took place at the association’s new offices which are situated on Quai Antoine, Port Hercules, Monaco.
“Not only am I happy to be here, I’m relieved,” said Coe, who took office as IAAF President on Monday 31 August. “The last year has been a great test of character for all candidates for IAAF positions, whether president, council, committees and commissions. Today is one of the proudest days of my life.
“I have only had five predecessors as president, each one making an indelible mark on our sport.
“The election has been a good process. It has given the member federations the chance to decide what sport they want. I have flown 778,000km since Christmas, meeting and listening to our member federations. I’m better prepared to serve this sport having gone through that journey.
“The IAAF is here to serve its member federations. We must be a member-federation-focused organisation at all times. They are our strength.
“I see a very bright future for athletics. To deliver this future we must ensure we are open and transparent, that we are relevant and exciting to young people.
“My job is to remove all inhibitors in this organisation so that you (IAAF staff) can do the best work of your life. So that together we can deliver a world class organisation which has respect across the sporting landscape. The IAAF must be a template for best practise and most importantly athlete centred.
“This is a dream come true to be able to shape a sport. We should wake up each morning excited to serve, knowing we have the greatest job in the world. We should be very proud that we are working in this sport. It also needs to be fun. I want people to fall in love with athletics for all the reasons we did.
“The first steps are the review of the structures and resources in Monaco. We must ensure we are an organisation fit for purpose.
“Two members of our senior management team are already known, Nick Davies will be the Director of the President’s Office and Huw Roberts will serve as the IAAF’s senior counsel. Huw is leading a review of our constitution and corporate governances as part of our modernisation process.”
Seb Coe concluded his address by reminding the staff of the Council’s endorsement of his proposal to appoint Sergey Bubka as Senior Vice President, reiterating that “my object as president is to bring the athletics family together”.
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.
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