Schalke 04 - Paris Saint-Germain
It is only a short hop from Paris to Gelsenkirchen, where Schalke 04 will eagerly anticipate beginning their UEFA Cup campaign in earnest on Thursday evening. After dispatching of Apoel FC with relative ease in the first round of the competition, the real competition starts for the Germans in the group stages.Schalke are a club with pedigree in this competition, defeating Inter Milan in 1997 to claim European trophy, although it seems a long shot that the penalty kick success enjoyed by that generation of players will be repeated this year.
Success at home has been pinpointed by German international midfielder Jermain Jones as a key to progressing in the competition. “We are all looking forward to the game,” he told his club’s official website, “I am glad it is against a top international club.“We need to be a powerhouse. The opponents will get scared it they come out at the arena and it is intimidating. If the fans can back us, we will try to reward them with a good performance on the pitch.”
Events on the field in Gelsenkirchen have been rather overshadowed by those off the park. There is still a great deal of speculation over the future of key striker, Kevin Kurányi, who is rumoured to be off in the summer.
The 26 year-old has a formidable strike rate in the German league, finding the net at a ratio of nearly a goal every other game.Perhaps more public has been the rather spectacular fall-out of Schalke with Uruguayan duo, Gustavo Varela and Vicente Sánchez, who have been relegated to the reserve squad indefinitely for the immediate future due to unspecified disciplinary issues. Although Varela rarely featured for the club, Sánchez was a frequent substitute, appearing six times in league play this season.
Domestically, Schalke are going relatively well, occupying sixth spot having lost just one of their opening eight matches, although they have not tasted success for a month. Draws ha
ve blighted the start of their campaign, although the management will see last weekend’s point with league leaders Hamburg as a sound result.
Schalke 04
Of course, Uruguayan duo Sánchez and Varela are missing for the Gelsenkirchen side due to internal disciplinary reasons, but head coach Fred Rutten has no major injury crisis on his hands at present.That is not to say there are no concerns in the camp; defenders Krastić, Pander and Kobiashvili are all doubts while squad midfielder Levan Kenia is also struggling.
Paris Saint-Germain
Paul Le Guen has no major injury issues for the Parisian club but will wait another week or so to welcome Ludovic Giuly back onto the right-hand side of his midfield.Le Guen, therefore has a strong squad to select from. Aside from a whole host of rested players - Makélélé, Sessegnon, Hoarau, Camara, Ceara and Bourillon – all of whom would expect to be in PSG’s strongest eleven aside from the latter, that is.Kezman will likely be deployed in a lone striking role in a 4-2-3-1 system with PSG’s bench likely to look very inexperienced indeed. Mamdou Sakho makes his comeback after nearly two months out injured.
Predicted line-up: Landreau; Malabia, Armand, Sakho, Traoré; Clément, Chantôme; Rothen, Pancrate, Arnaud; Kezman
Schalke to win seems great !
Success at home has been pinpointed by German international midfielder Jermain Jones as a key to progressing in the competition. “We are all looking forward to the game,” he told his club’s official website, “I am glad it is against a top international club.“We need to be a powerhouse. The opponents will get scared it they come out at the arena and it is intimidating. If the fans can back us, we will try to reward them with a good performance on the pitch.”
Events on the field in Gelsenkirchen have been rather overshadowed by those off the park. There is still a great deal of speculation over the future of key striker, Kevin Kurányi, who is rumoured to be off in the summer.
The 26 year-old has a formidable strike rate in the German league, finding the net at a ratio of nearly a goal every other game.Perhaps more public has been the rather spectacular fall-out of Schalke with Uruguayan duo, Gustavo Varela and Vicente Sánchez, who have been relegated to the reserve squad indefinitely for the immediate future due to unspecified disciplinary issues. Although Varela rarely featured for the club, Sánchez was a frequent substitute, appearing six times in league play this season.
Domestically, Schalke are going relatively well, occupying sixth spot having lost just one of their opening eight matches, although they have not tasted success for a month. Draws ha
ve blighted the start of their campaign, although the management will see last weekend’s point with league leaders Hamburg as a sound result.Schalke 04
Of course, Uruguayan duo Sánchez and Varela are missing for the Gelsenkirchen side due to internal disciplinary reasons, but head coach Fred Rutten has no major injury crisis on his hands at present.That is not to say there are no concerns in the camp; defenders Krastić, Pander and Kobiashvili are all doubts while squad midfielder Levan Kenia is also struggling.
Paris Saint-Germain
Paul Le Guen has no major injury issues for the Parisian club but will wait another week or so to welcome Ludovic Giuly back onto the right-hand side of his midfield.Le Guen, therefore has a strong squad to select from. Aside from a whole host of rested players - Makélélé, Sessegnon, Hoarau, Camara, Ceara and Bourillon – all of whom would expect to be in PSG’s strongest eleven aside from the latter, that is.Kezman will likely be deployed in a lone striking role in a 4-2-3-1 system with PSG’s bench likely to look very inexperienced indeed. Mamdou Sakho makes his comeback after nearly two months out injured.
Predicted line-up: Landreau; Malabia, Armand, Sakho, Traoré; Clément, Chantôme; Rothen, Pancrate, Arnaud; Kezman
Schalke to win seems great !
posted by Midnight Sun @ 23:49,
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