Pro Eleven Headline News

Real Madrid v Barcelona preview

A Real Madrid win over their fiercest rivals Barcelona at the Bernabeu on Saturday in 'El Clasico' promises to throw the title race wide open.

The Catalans travel to the capital four points ahead of Real with five games to play but that lead could be whittled down to a single point if Madrid get their way.

A close title race seemed the last thing anybody expected after the two teams clashed at Camp Nou earlier in the season in December.

After a disappointing start to the campaign Real manager Bernd Schuster threw in the towel before a ball was kicked after announcing that his side could not win in Catalunya before adding it was their year.

The comments caused uproar among Madridistas and the board duly relieved the German of his responsibilities replacing him with ex-Tottenham boss Juande Ramos.

After Barca had dismantled their rivals 2-0, to open up a 12 point gap between the two teams, many began to think that Schuster had been right all along but fast forward four-and-a-half months and that dismal night in Barcelona remains Real's last defeat in the league.

Ramos has rebuilt his reputation and dragged a club that had appeared in the midst of chaos to pick up 52 points from a possible 54 to take them back towards the top of La Liga.

The run has given the champions renewed confidence, none more so than captain Raul - he has netted 15 league goals this term - who feels his side go into the game as favourites despite admitting that the current Barca side are one of the best ever.

"We are playing in the Bernabeu and Madrid have to be the favourites," he told AS.

"Either team are capable of winning, of course, but the atmosphere and the fans will help us. They are playing for a lot but I think we have even more to play for.

"A team is judged on trophies but this is one of the best teams in their history. They have some outstanding players."

Meanwhile despite seeing their lead at the top cut over the past few months Barca are not exactly playing badly following a run of 14 wins in 17 games since the Madrid win.

One of the things that could count against the Catalans is their gruelling fixture schedule with El Clasico falling in between their two UEFA Champions League semi-final ties with Chelsea.

Barca travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday with their players still feeling the effects of a rough and tumble first leg in Spain on Tuesday with the tie delicately poised at 0-0.

Therefore it remains to be seen whether Guardiola will protect his top stars ahead of the return leg and give the Champions League higher priority over the league.

However many of Barca's leading lights will be out for revenge after last season's humiliating 4-1 reverse at the Bernabeu when the visitors had to perform a 'pasillo' in recognition of Real securing the league title with three games to go.

Team news

Arjen Robben has made a miraculous recovery from a calf injury which threatened to keep him out of the clash and Ramos has confirmed that he will start on the right-wing.

Guti will miss out after spraining his ankle in training while Wesley Sneijder is ruled out with a thigh strain. Gabriel Heinze has shrugged off a knee injury to play his part but Pepe is definitely out as he sits out through his hefty suspension.

Meanwhile Guardiola could look to freshen up his squad with the Chelsea game in mind but defender Rafael Marquez definitely out after his knee buckled against the Blues in midweek.

The Mexican is out for the season and is not expected back for between eight and 10 weeks. Fellow defenders Martin Caceres and Gabriel Milito will also miss out so Carles Puyol is set to start especially since he is suspended for the return leg against Chelsea.

Striker Thierry Henry is doubtful to play from the start after complaining of a sore neck after suffering a hard knock to the head in midweek so Guardiola is thought to be toying with the idea of pushing Andres Iniesta further forward. SkySports


Inter Milan vs Lazio Preview

Jose Mourinho has no regrets about his "zero titles" taunt to second-placed AC Milan as the Serie A title race hots up.

The Nerazzurri, who welcome mid-table Lazio to the San Siro tomorrow night, head into the weekend seven points ahead of their arch rivals, who travel to Catania on Sunday.

That gap was 10 points prior to last weekend, when Inter suffered a shock defeat at Napoli shortly after Milan had seen off Palermo 3-0.

Another slip-up by the three-time defending champions this weekend would give the Rossoneri real hope heading into the final four games of the season, and potentially leave Mourinho with egg on his face after the Portuguese suggested Carlo Ancelotti's side would finish the campaign empty-handed.

"I have no regrets. I'm man enough to apologise to Milan if, at the end of the season, I'm wrong," Mourinho said.

"I remember (Milan midfielder Massimo) Ambrosini insulting 10 million Inter fans when he celebrated the Champions League victory.

"Many years have passed and I have never seen him apologise. He's a charismatic player who has captained a great club like Milan, but I have never heard him apologise to the Inter fans, many of whom live in his same city."

Of tomorrow's match, Mourinho added on www.inter.it: "I'm expecting a very difficult game against Lazio, but we need three victories to win the championship.

"We just have to think about ourselves, and having a seven-point lead is important because it increases our confidence.

"This story of seven points is a curious story because we had this advantage for months, then we had a 10-point lead for a few games, but the lead has always been between five and seven points.

"Now there are just five games left and we still have this lead. Excluding the Dutch and Cypriot championships, where two teams are already champions, no other team in Europe has a lead like ours, and everyone here is talking about this story of May 5."

On that date seven years ago, Inter missed out on the Scudetto following a 4-2 defeat at Lazio.

Mario Balotelli and Dejan Stankovic miss out through suspension tomorrow while Maicon, Nelson Rivas and Francesco Bolzoni are still injured, but Mourinho could welcome back Sulley Muntari after the Ghana midfielder resumed full training yesterday and came through unscathed.

Lazio coach Delio Rossi will definitely be without Ousmane Dabo, Mobido Diakite and Goran Pandev and also has a doubt over Stefano Mauri.

The Biancocelesti could reignite their faint hopes of a place in next season's Europa League with victory at the San Siro, having crept closer to sixth-placed Roma with a string of improved performances of late.

However, they failed to capitalise on the Giallorossi's defeat last week as they succumbed at home to Atalanta to see them remain five points behind their bitter rivals.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito said: "I hope that in the end the team will be focused, cohesive and determined as they have been in the last few games with the exception of Atalanta."
ESPN Star