Bayern Munchen - Manchester United

Bayern  are approaching the finish of the season with hopes they can win the title and to progress as far as it is possible in CL. At Saturday will face Schalke in something like league final. In CL they turned the corner in Turin with a sensational win over Juve. But, after recent happenings in Italian club, I’m wondering in a real value of that achievement. In previous round, they knocked Fiorentina with two not so convincing performances. Boss van Gaal has serious problems with his key players. Robben (14 goals) suffered an injury at Saturday and was substituted. Many mind-games regarding his appearance, but I think we can’t expect his maximum anyway. Ribery has an ankle injury. He’ll surely appear, but I question his dedication to this game as he already “changed the club”, also he couldn’t be proud on his recent form. Key striker, Mario Gomez has just recovered from an injury and I don’t think he’s fully fit. And probably real key man, native Bavarian Schweinsteiger, is suspended. Wouldn’t write them off from tonight’s game, but those four are best players in my opinion.

 

As the season comes to end, United have been improving their performance and have noticed seven competitive wins in a row. With a return of Rio and Vidic got the iron in defence line and with Rooney in a sensational shape they can hope in a successful finish. As Bayern, they’ll also face main contender for domain title, Chelsea at Saturday. Sir Alex was gambling vs. Bolton, resting Ferdinand and Rooney and both are fit. No other injury concerns. United haven’t lost any of previous 16 away games in CL! Ferguson will probably set his favorite formation is such occasions, 4-5-1 and hope for another 1-0 win.

 

For me, visitors are clear favorites for progress. They’re technically and tactically better, in a better shape and have more self-confidence. I definitely can not fully exclude a probability of a scoring draw. Ferguson would be satisfied, I think. But on the other hand, I don’t think Bayern have a chance to win. Odds are not so high, but worth a shot. Dnb 2.

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Schalke 04 1-2 Stuttgart

Stuttgart remain hot on the heels of league leaders Wolfsburg after notching a rare 2-1 (1-1) victory at Schalke 04.

In the absence of top scorer Mario Gomez due to a last-minute adductor problem, strikers Cacau (15.), and Ciprian Marica (57.) bagged the goals that gave VfB a timely first win in eleven years in Gelsenkirchen, to make it 22 points out of a possible 24 in their last eight games for the team from the south west.

Schalke's third successive defeat meanwhile rules out any slight remaining hope they had of qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

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VfB on the offensive

Stuttgart attacked from the off and were rewarded with a top-quality opener on the quarter-hour mark. Cacau pounced on a mistake by Mladen Krstajic and hammered home into the corner from the edge of the box.
Schalke tried to match their opponents in open combat and four minutes later Jefferson Farfan missed a great chance to equalise, heading over the bar from four metres out.
In the 37th minute, VfB keeper Jens Lehmann tipped over a long-range effort from Heiko Westermann and two minutes later the home side were level, Ivan Rakitic netting direct from a free kick.

Clinical finish from Marica

Schalke's Kevin Kuranyi twice failed to find the net from close range against his former club shortly after the restart (49., 50.), and the hosts would soon have cause to regret those misses. 
In the 56th minute VfB skipper Thomas Hitzlsperger let fly from distance and Royal Blues keeper Manuel Neuer could only bat the ball to the feet of Marica. 
The Romanian forward, a late replacement for Gomez, gratefully accepted the gift - and the points were Stuttgart's.
www.bundesliga.de

Schalke 04 - Stuttgart

It seems I took Your attention. The biggest attendance on blog, since establishment. If You made some decent income in recent days and feel grateful, be free to make some donation for blog development. He he. Or, simply click some links on the page. Seriously, thanks to all who find my corner as an interesting place. Also, be free to post comments. Although, I'm experienced bettor, I'm absolute beginner in this blog stuff, posting, web design and such things. Will really appreciate any opinion, good or bad. Won't tolerate only abusive tones, everything else will be published.

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Cheers,

Dule

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Schalke had very good run of results with four straight wins (last one was in Munich, against Bayern 1-0), with no goal conceded. But, first came totally unexpected home defeat against Bayer 04, 1-2. After that, they traveled in M'gladbach to face relegation contender. Cautious performance through the entire game was punished in the last seconds. 1-0 for the hosts and Schalke’s hopes about Uefa Cup sank. 7th place with six points less from 5th Dortmund. Theoretically, it is reachable, but I think the players’ minds will be on summer vacation, more than on Europe chase. Three more games and their terrible season will be finished. It is expected that Mike Bueskins will set defense oriented tactic to face motivated visitors, with Kuranyi in front and Farfan and Sanchez on the sides. Marcelo Bordon (partial muscle tear) and the persistently unlucky Christian Pander, who injured a knee in the last-minute loss at Mönchengladbach, will both miss this one, with Pander out for the rest of the season. Only good fact for a home side is tradition. Their home record against Stuttgart is at any rate better than against any other side in the Bundesliga - 25 wins in 38 games and they haven’t lost at home for eleven years!

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Stuttgart is in great run with no defeat from last seven games, six win and a draw. In the last round, they smashed the league leaders Wolfsburg at home ground 4-1, with all four goals by Mario Gomez! This guy obviously has a problem. First he can’t score for a dozen games (for the national team, usually), then against the title contender writes a history and hits four times. Hope, he’ll keep it up, however. Stuttgart is 4th with four points less from Champions League spot (Hertha made an (un)expected win against FC Cologne on the road, previous night), but just five points from the first place! They’re focused and fully motivated. Boss Markus Babbel made a statement that their aim is and will remain to stay ahead of all those sides they're ahead of at the moment. It is true, Stuttgart can finish from first till sixth place, but I see Babbel’s talk just as a way of relaxing players before the decisive battles. After this game, they’ll host Cottbus. With six points, they’ll probable have a chance to win a title at the last round in Munchen against Bayern. Some problems with missing players, Ricardo Osorio, Serdar Tasci and Yildiray Bastür, all injured or in post-operative recovery. Matthieu Delpierre returns from suspension. Additional problem is six players have four yellow cards and if they get the fifth, will miss one of the last two games.

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Will be very hard for home side to find any motive tonight. Will play just for fans and will try to avoid defeat. Definitelly, would be satisfied with 0-0. Visitors have their chance to conquer the country and with a performance, even little worse than against Wolfsburg, they can win this and ruin the tradition. Odds are very high and I go for away side with a small bet. 888sport offers 2.75. Away win.

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Wales 0-2 Germany

Germany took another ominous step towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ but at least Wales' youngsters were not humiliated at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. 
Wales boss John Toshack can at least be thankful for that small mercy after the soul-searching which followed Saturday's embarrassing home defeat to Finland, but the points in World Cup Group 4 were always heading to a Germany side which was never stretched.
Germany took the lead after just 11 minutes when Ballack unleashed a swerving drive from 30 yards that crashed into the top corner past Wayne Hennessey. 
To their credit Wales side were running and fighting for every ball as the Germans' passing game threatened to overrun them.

After an encouraging first half Wales did not need a stroke of bad luck just three minutes into the second period. Collins had held up Gomez on the right and looked to have run the ball out but the Stuttgart striker kept the ball in. His low cross to the near post was then stabbed past Hennessey by Williams' out-stretched boot for Germany's second.

www.fifa.com

Wales - Germany

In the previous round Wales lost at home against Finland (hope I won't offence anybody, but too old and limited squad) 0-2. It was the end WC dreams. In one moment it seems Wales has young and talented players, they were good in defeats against in group (Russia 1-2 and Germany 0-1, both away) but two wins (both at home against weak Azerbaijan 1-0 and weaker Liechtenstein 2-0) from five games show their lack of quality. Just one well known player Craig Bellamy isn't enough for WC. John Toshack has given up, said that they're not competent to play even with middle class European teams. I don't know too much about their starting eleven, but does it matter?!

Visitors are in very good shape and it seems they return on the "old roads of glory". From five games they lost only two points, Finland 3-3 away, but there are no space for relaxing, Russia breaths on the neck and German lads still have to travel to Moscow. Mario Gomez started Liechtenstein game along Podolsky, but fans were frustrating by his performance, he didn't score in 13 games in a row! Low announced that he will get the last chance tonight.

This game looks like the pick of the day. Odds are not too big, most of the bookies offer 1.40-1.45, at Expekt is 1.42, but it look like a gift. Use it!

I'm thinking about some other games. Scotland,Ecuador and Serbia to win, N.Ireland,Spain and BiH over. Will decide about my bets. And maybe one more analyze,later. Stay tuned.