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European Football
Preview - 01 Dec 2007
Live
Scores
VFL Wolfsburg vs Eintracht Frankfurt. Saturday
14:30.
The injuries just keep on coming for Frankfurt coach Freidhelm
Funkel. As if losing the influential Albert Streit and Alexander
Meier to long-term injuries wasn't bad enough, he now has to make do
without fellow midfielders Junich Inamato and Markus Weissenberger,
who have both been ruled with a flu bug.
"The starting XI will still have enough class," said
Funkel. "We have a good team and enough quality to compensate
it. Only the players on the bench will not have as much
experience."
Just what is 'enough class' though? This is a side that haven't
won since early October, and were thrashed 4-1 at home to Stuttgart
last week. In fact, they haven't tasted victory on their travels at
all this season. Admittedly, Frankfurt are unbeaten in their last
two away games, but it's arguable that the 5-1 hammering they took
before that at struggling Nurnberg is a better indication of their
abilities at present. To say the 0-0 draw in Munich was lucky would
be somewhat of an understatement. Bayern had 16 clear-cut scoring
chances, and amassed an incredible 16 corners, but were continually
thwarted by a magnificent performance from stand-in goalkeeper
Nikolov. Seven days later, regular stopper Proll was back between
the sticks, but the script read the same, as he followed up
Nikolov's heroics with a man-of-the-match performance of his own in
the 1-1 draw at Dortmund.
Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath will be hoping that lightning
doesn't strike three times. The ex-Bayern coach is under a bit of
pressure but knows a victory here will give him some breathing
space. Defensively, the Wolves have been pretty dismal this season,
but summer signing Ricardo Costa is finally fit and available to
help steady the ship. After a reasonably impressive showing against
Frank Ribery and the Bayern all-stars last week, Costa and co. will
be confident of keeping out a Frankfurt side that have shown very
little attacking intent in recent away games. Wolfsburg's attacking
quartet of Grafite, Marcelinho, Dejegah and Krzynowek can ensure
that Proll is in for another busy afternoon. If they can find a way
through early, there may be no way back for the depleted 'Eagles'.
With Wolfsburg having been backed in to 10/11 already, the best
value lies on the spreads.
Recommendation: BUY Wolfsburg
supremacy. 5pts @ 0.5. SPIN.
Ilunga
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