UEFA Cup: Athletico Madrid vs. Aberdeen

Athletico’s Calderon stadium has in recent weeks become synonymous with goals. It has seen more goals this season that at any other ground in the world, with Athletico scoring thirty goals in the ten matches played there. Of course, they have also conceded eleven in the same period, but the local fans are becoming a little spoilt. Forty one goals in ten games is pretty good value for money by anyone’s standards, and this success has seen them shoot up the league table to fifth spot, just a point from a Champions League place. So far in this current edition of the UEFA cup, which is Athletico’s first participation for eight years, the Spanish team has played one match in their group stage, drawing three goals apiece away to Lokomotiv Moscow. They are now third in group B after just one game, five points behind Greek side Panathinaikos, who have played two games and won them both.

Aberdeen have also played two, but their first UEFA cup outing ended in defeat at the hands of Panathinaikos by three goals to nil. The point the Scottish club picked up in their second game was a one-one draw against the Russian club.

Athletico’s strikers are in red hot form at the moment, and you can expect to see a couple of goals at least in this match. The seventeen year old Argentinean ‘El Kun’ Agüero is getting better and better with each game, and he is more than likely to put one away against the Scots. The real engine though behind Atheltico’s great current form has been the reappearance of Aguero’s compatriot, midfielder Maxi Rodriguez. He injured his knee while playing a friendly international against Spain some eight months ago, and has only been back in his club squad for little over a month. During that tme, though, we have seen him take the reins of the team and has put in some outstanding performances.

Aberdeen are really going to have to watch the Maxi Rodriguez, as well as a couple of other great players, including Raul Garcia.  As for the Scottish club, they go into this game after losing their last two Scottish Premier league matches, including a pretty awful four one away defeat to Hearts. They are now seventh in a league of twelve and could do with some European football to take their minds off their domestic league problems.

I am going to have to go for Athletico in this one. I don’t think Aberdeen have either the squad or the experience and get anything out of this game, but if Athletico coach Javier Aguirre decides to rest some of his key players, they might be lucky and get a draw.

Prediction: home win (3-2)

The UEFA cup: Bayern vs. Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers fans must have thought they had won the lottery when the draw came out placing their club in the same group as German giants Bayern Munchen. As they travel to the Allianz Arena to see their side tackle an unbeaten Bayern Munchen however, they’d better be praying for a miracle.

New Bolton coach Gary Megson is one of the few ex players who can boast a victory against Bayern in German soil. He was part of the Norwich City squad that won here in the 1993/1994 UEFA cup. That was the only ever home defeat Bayern have suffered to an English team, but I doubt very much whether that feat will be repeated here tonight.

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga and in red hot form. From the twelve league games already played, they have won eight and drawn the rest. Twenty seven goals scored in the league and only four conceded. They did have more problems than predicted in their opening UEFA cup group stage game against R.S. Belgrad, but still came out three – two winners.

Bolton in contrast are having all kinds of problems. Sam Allardyce gave Bolton their first ever taste of European football by qualifying them last season. But since he left to join Newcastle things have taken a definite turn for the worse. The club then brought in Sammy Lee But that arrangement turned out to be a bit of a disaster. Bolton now find themselves second from bottom of the Premier league and in new coach Gary Megson has a mountain to climb if he wants to see Bolton in the UEFA cup next season. To make matters worse he won’t be able to count on a lot of his key players, most notably Nicolas Anelka El-Hadji Diouf.

This game really only has one color. The question isn’t really if Bayern will win but how many goals they will put past a very shaky Bolton defense. My guess is that they will go two up before half time and then cruise the rest of the match, without allowing Bolton to get a sniff of goal.

Prediction: home win (2-0)

The UEFA Cup Group A: Nurnberg vs. Everton

Four wins from the last four games is Everton’s current form as they go into this UEFA cup group stage tie. In the Premier league they have won two games on the trot since losing to neighbors Liverpool, an easy Carling cup game away to League one side Luton, as well as their first Group A UEFA cup game at home to modest Larisa.

FC Nurnberg have yet to open their group stage games in this present edition of the UEFA cup, and to do so against a side like Everton will possibly be their hardest obstacle. They have more to think about in the Bundesliga than the UEFA cup, as they are presently occupying the third from bottom spot and hardly look to be moving away but down. They have won just one game in the last thirteen in all competitions and really seem to be struggling. Here’s another curious fact. Nurnberg have never won a home game in any European competition. From the three games they have played in their history, the best they have done is earn two draws and a defeat in Europe. Not too good statistics going into this game.

Everton meanwhile seem to have found some kind of form recently after a bit of an up and down start to the season. Coach David Moyes will probably have to make do without left back Leighton Baines again after he injured his ankle in the league game away to Derby just over a week ago, and his main job before this match is getting his players not to think about the Chelsea game the following Sunday. If Everton can keep concentrated they should be able to walk this one. Nurnberg are going from bad to worse and very quickly too, but if given half the chance could do some damage.

I’m going for an away win here. Everton have too good a team to do anything here except win and I’m sure David Moyes will be making sure his players keep their minds on the job at hand.

Prediction: Away win (2-0)

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