Today, Sporting CDP will be making the journey to Vicente Calderon Stadium for a final sixteen encounter in the Europa League. Atletico Madrid are currently in tenth place in their domestic league; they played Real Zaragoza on Sunday but only managed a draw.
Their last Europa League game was against Galatasaray; they only managed a 1-1 result at home but a 1-2 result at Galatasaray’s home ground ensured their progression to the next round. After they play Sporting on Thursday, they will have the second leg away at Estádio José Alvalade the following Thursday.
Sporting were runners up in 2005 UEFA Cup and their plan will be to go all the way this time. They are currently fourth in the Portuguese league, but twenty points behind the leaders Benfica. Both teams will be approaching Thursday’s encounter with a win on their minds so why not come and join us here on oleolefootball.com where you can be sure of some great lives streaming football. Kick-off is at 18:00.
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New Orleans will miss the playoffs ?
The plan called for first-round draft pick Darren Collison to spend his rookie season learning the NBA in a backup role behind Chris Paul.
The harsh reality is New Orleans will miss the playoffs if Collison is unable to produce in Paul-like fashion while the Hornets three-time All-Star remains sidelined with a left knee injury.
Judging by the rookies recent starts, the postseason may still be within New Orleans reach in a couple of weeks, when Paul is expected to return from arthroscopic surgery he had on Feb. 4 for a meniscus tear.
Collison has averaged 23.6 points and 8.7 assists in his last six games, during which the Hornets have gone 4-2 and moved one game behind Portland for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference -- and two games behind San Antonio for seventh.
Whether they make the playoffs or dont make the playoffs, I think they had a heck of a draft, said Pacers coach Jim OBrien, whose team lost to the Hornets last week when Collison recorded his first career triple-double. Any time you have somebody out at the level of a Chris Paul and youre able to still maintain a certain level, I think its a credit to their coaches and certainly a credit to the guy thats filling in.
Paul, who has played in 38 of the Hornets 56 games this season, has averaged 20.4 points and 11.2 assists.
During New Orleans last 10 games, Paul has been on the sideline in a suit, acting like Collisons personal coach. Paul is constantly in Collisons ear when the rookie comes to the bench.
Sometimes I actually expect him to tell me to shut up or leave him alone, but he never does that, Paul said Monday before the Hornets left for a Tuesday night game at Cleveland. He knows how badly I want to play and right now Im sort of playing through him. So when I see him getting and-ones and make nice moves, thats why Im off the bench and going nuts.
Collison, an agile ball-handler with exceptional quickness, has strung together a slew of highlight-worthy plays lately -- everything from blow-by lay-ups to tough running floaters off the glass, breakaway dunks, clutch 3s and pinpoint alley-oop lobs.
What I like about DC is, when he makes a mistake, he makes it at full speed. But thats exactly how he does damage, at full speed, shooting and getting the ball to the open man, Paul said. I love it.
Collison was drafted 21st overall last summer after spending four years at UCLA and helping the Bruins reach three NCAA Final Fours. Hornets coach and general manager Jeff Bower said he was counting on Collisons maturity to help him be a quick study and reliable fill-in in his rookie season. Read More!
The harsh reality is New Orleans will miss the playoffs if Collison is unable to produce in Paul-like fashion while the Hornets three-time All-Star remains sidelined with a left knee injury.
Judging by the rookies recent starts, the postseason may still be within New Orleans reach in a couple of weeks, when Paul is expected to return from arthroscopic surgery he had on Feb. 4 for a meniscus tear.
Collison has averaged 23.6 points and 8.7 assists in his last six games, during which the Hornets have gone 4-2 and moved one game behind Portland for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Western Conference -- and two games behind San Antonio for seventh.
Whether they make the playoffs or dont make the playoffs, I think they had a heck of a draft, said Pacers coach Jim OBrien, whose team lost to the Hornets last week when Collison recorded his first career triple-double. Any time you have somebody out at the level of a Chris Paul and youre able to still maintain a certain level, I think its a credit to their coaches and certainly a credit to the guy thats filling in.
Paul, who has played in 38 of the Hornets 56 games this season, has averaged 20.4 points and 11.2 assists.
During New Orleans last 10 games, Paul has been on the sideline in a suit, acting like Collisons personal coach. Paul is constantly in Collisons ear when the rookie comes to the bench.
Sometimes I actually expect him to tell me to shut up or leave him alone, but he never does that, Paul said Monday before the Hornets left for a Tuesday night game at Cleveland. He knows how badly I want to play and right now Im sort of playing through him. So when I see him getting and-ones and make nice moves, thats why Im off the bench and going nuts.
Collison, an agile ball-handler with exceptional quickness, has strung together a slew of highlight-worthy plays lately -- everything from blow-by lay-ups to tough running floaters off the glass, breakaway dunks, clutch 3s and pinpoint alley-oop lobs.
What I like about DC is, when he makes a mistake, he makes it at full speed. But thats exactly how he does damage, at full speed, shooting and getting the ball to the open man, Paul said. I love it.
Collison was drafted 21st overall last summer after spending four years at UCLA and helping the Bruins reach three NCAA Final Fours. Hornets coach and general manager Jeff Bower said he was counting on Collisons maturity to help him be a quick study and reliable fill-in in his rookie season. Read More!
NFC championship: Vikings at Saints
Posted by
Insane
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Labels:
Brett Favre,
Dallas Cowboys,
Drew Brees,
Minnesota Vikings,
New Orleans Saints,
NFC Championship Game,
Peyton Manning,
Super Bowl
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comments
While the AFC championship features greenhorn Mark Sanchez against wily vet Peyton Manning, the NFC title game will see two experienced QBs going head to head in the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees and the Minnesota Vikings’ Brett Favre.
Going into Sunday’s tilt, online sportsbooks have New Orleans listed as a 3.5-point home fave and the Total is currently 53.
The Saints are favored by a field goal in first half NFL Betting and the Total for the first two quarters is set at 26.5.
SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting balanced action on this game, much more so than the AFC matchup between the Jets and Colts.
The NFC’s Top 2 seeds performed similarly in the divisional round, handily defeating their opponents.
The Saints covered as 7-point home faves as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals 45-14 and the Vikes stopped Tony Romo and the surging Dallas Cowboys in a 34-3 win — Minnesota covered as a 3-point home favorite.
Let’s look at some NFL Betting numbers from this matchup:
NFC Championship Trends:
- In their last nine games overall, Minnesota has the edge over New Orleans, going 8-1 straight up and 6-3 against the spread.
- The last nine games between these two teams have produced 1 Over, 7 Unders and 1 Push. .
- New Orleans has a record of 14 Overs and 3 Unders in their last 17 starts vs. teams from the NFC North.
- The Saints are only 3-8 ATS in their last 11 starts.
- The last 11 January road games have not been kind to Minnesota and its bettors, as the Vikings are 1-10 SU and 1-10 ATS.
- The Saints haven’t been too sharp either though in January, as they are only 4-9 SU and 3-10 ATS.
- The last 13 times New Orleans has been favored by 4-points or less, it has been a boon for bettors, as they boats a record of 10-3 ATS. In this situation, they have scored 11 Overs and 2 Unders.
- Minnesota, on the other hand, has burned a hole in bettors’ pockets in their last 13 games when underdogs of +4 or less; as they have a record of 3-10 SU and 3-8-2 ATS in that situation.
Super Bowl Odds:
In Super Bowl XLIV futures betting, the Saints are +200 favorites while the Vikings are +400.
Both teams have a lot of offensive weapons so the NFC title game should be a good one.
Good luck.
Check SPORTSBETTING.com NFL Betting for a 110% sign-up bonus. Read More!
Going into Sunday’s tilt, online sportsbooks have New Orleans listed as a 3.5-point home fave and the Total is currently 53.
The Saints are favored by a field goal in first half NFL Betting and the Total for the first two quarters is set at 26.5.
SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting balanced action on this game, much more so than the AFC matchup between the Jets and Colts.
The NFC’s Top 2 seeds performed similarly in the divisional round, handily defeating their opponents.
The Saints covered as 7-point home faves as they defeated the Arizona Cardinals 45-14 and the Vikes stopped Tony Romo and the surging Dallas Cowboys in a 34-3 win — Minnesota covered as a 3-point home favorite.
Let’s look at some NFL Betting numbers from this matchup:
NFC Championship Trends:
- In their last nine games overall, Minnesota has the edge over New Orleans, going 8-1 straight up and 6-3 against the spread.
- The last nine games between these two teams have produced 1 Over, 7 Unders and 1 Push. .
- New Orleans has a record of 14 Overs and 3 Unders in their last 17 starts vs. teams from the NFC North.
- The Saints are only 3-8 ATS in their last 11 starts.
- The last 11 January road games have not been kind to Minnesota and its bettors, as the Vikings are 1-10 SU and 1-10 ATS.
- The Saints haven’t been too sharp either though in January, as they are only 4-9 SU and 3-10 ATS.
- The last 13 times New Orleans has been favored by 4-points or less, it has been a boon for bettors, as they boats a record of 10-3 ATS. In this situation, they have scored 11 Overs and 2 Unders.
- Minnesota, on the other hand, has burned a hole in bettors’ pockets in their last 13 games when underdogs of +4 or less; as they have a record of 3-10 SU and 3-8-2 ATS in that situation.
Super Bowl Odds:
In Super Bowl XLIV futures betting, the Saints are +200 favorites while the Vikings are +400.
Both teams have a lot of offensive weapons so the NFC title game should be a good one.
Good luck.
Check SPORTSBETTING.com NFL Betting for a 110% sign-up bonus. Read More!