9/11

The lull continues, but there are some major European leagues in action.

4pm - Feirense v Portimonense - 1.8 home - these are Portugeuse League Cup matches so I cannot really research properly. Top flight v Division 2. Feirense are having a torrid time in the league and have only scored 1 goal in the last 5 matches. Portimonense won 1-0 in the first leg. Porti's last 3 matches have been 1-0, 0-0, 0-1 - make of that what you will.

4pm - Setubal v Naval - 2.2 home - another where the shortest price is over evens but in a quiet international break week , worth researching as this is on soccerstats. Division 1 v Division 2 in this Portugeuse League Cup match.1-2 advantage to Setabul in the first leg.

530pm - Ruch Chorzow v Cracovia Krakow - 1.75 home - I thought this might have been a Polish league match and shortlisted it as Poland is featured on soccerstats. But no, it is a Polish Cup match featuring 2 teams from Division 1.

815pm - Olhanense v Estoril - 1.83 home - familiar as they shut Porto out at home last time out, no mean feat!

9pm - LHospitalet v Barcelona - 1.18 away - some hospital are playing Barca in the Copa Del Rey. Are they an NHS Trust? Will they be able to stack up trolleys and wheelchairs infront of goal? Do they have a waiting list for subs? Will they play the match within budget?
"

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believes his side will not be complacent against L'Hospitalet in the first leg of the knockout phase of the Copa del Rey.

Barca will be missing several key players due to international games and Guardiola insists the reigning La Liga champions will take the Segunda Division B club seriously at the Feixa Llarga on Wednesday.

Guardiola will be without Daniel Alves, Adriano, Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez, Thiago Alcantara and Isaac Cuenca, who are on international duty, and the injured Pedro and Ibrahim Afellay.

The reduced first team squad means that Barca have been forced to call up five players from the reserve team who trained alongside the 13 available first team members ahead of the match."

"A day before the Copa del Rey gets under way for Barça, the team worked out at Sant Joan Despí with thirteen first team players (Valdés, Pinto, Puyol, Piqué, Fontàs, Maxwell, Abidal, Xavi, Iniesta, Keita, Busquets, Cesc and Villa) and five from the B team (Deulofeu, Rafinha, Dos Santos, Tello and Sergi Roberto)."

Positive vibes from the Barca camp enough to warrant the usual goals bets that accompany 1.13 quotes. Note Villa has a slight issue with his tibia. Hopefully he will play.