- News Sports - Sunday 19 May - 2013 -

Premier League Preview: Chelsea v Everton

Rafael Benitez and David Moyes bid farewell to their respective clubs on Sunday and will look to end their tenures on a high.
Chelsea are looking for a victory at Stamford Bridge to avoid the prospect of a play-off with Arsenal for third place in the Premier League.

Benitez's side know three points will guarantee them third place but if they draw 0-0 and Arsenal beat Newcastle United by more than one goal, Arsene Wenger's men would overhaul them.

If Chelsea were to draw 0-0 and Arsenal win 2-1 the two teams will be level on points, goal difference and goals scored which would mean a third-place play-off match for the first time in Premier League history.

The winner would finish third and automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stages.


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Bundesliga Preview: Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach

Borussia Monchengladbach will look to keep their UEFA Europa League hopes alive when they welcome champions Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Lucien Favre's men sit in eighth place, three points and two positions off Eintracht Frankfurt, who occupy the last UEFA Europa League spot.

A win for Monchengladbach could prove vital in their bid to secure European football next season, as seventh-place Hamburg host Bayer Leverkusen while Freiburg look to retain their grip on fifth spot when they meet Schalke.

Monchengladbach have been in patchy form of late, winning just three of their last six games, these victories coming against already relegated Greuther Furth, Augsburg and Mainz.


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Ligue 1 Preview: Paris Saint-Germain v Brest

Newly crowned Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain welcome Stade Brest to Parc des Princes for their final home game of the season.
Victory over Lyon on Sunday gave PSG the third title in their history and they will be keen to celebrate with their own supporters against bottom of the table Brest.

Jeremy Menez's goal clinched the title for Carlo Ancelotti's side, moving them seven points clear of Marseille at the top of the table with two games remaining.

Brest will be playing their football in the second division next season having had a miserable time this year, they have only won eight games all season and just three on their travels.

In their last 20 league outings they have picked up three wins and two draws, and they are currently on a run of nine straight defeats, scoring just two goals in that time.


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Europa League: Benfica 1 Chelsea 2

Chelsea won the UEFA Europa League thanks to Branislav Ivanovic's last-gasp header as they beat Benfica 2-1 in Amsterdam on Wednesday.
Fernando Torres had given the Premier League side the lead and the Serbian defender sealed a memorable win in stoppage time after Oscar Cardozo's penalty had levelled the scores.

The Portuguese side named their strongest possible XI with Cardozo flanked by Eduardo Salvio, Nico Gaitan and Rodrigo in attack.

But Rafael Benitez had to make do without the services of injured duo John Terry and Eden Hazard, with David Luiz stepping into midfield to allow Ramires to play on the right wing.

Benfica settled the quicker of the two teams and were soon on the front foot, Cardozo heading over from a Andre Almeida cross inside two minutes.

Jorge Jesus' men dictated the play in the early going but proved wasteful in front of goal, Gaitan firing high at the end of another intricate move, which saw Salvio turn down a sighting of goal.


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Europa League Preview: Benfica v Chelsea

Benfica and Chelsea go head-to-head for UEFA Europa League glory when the sides meet at the Amsterdam Arena on Wednesday.
Rafael Benitez's men go into the final as favourites and could become the first team to win Europe's second-tier competition having lifted the UEFA Champions League the season before.

Benfica, meanwhile, will need to recover from their demoralising last-gasp defeat to title rivals Porto on Saturday if they are to stand any chance of victory.

Jorge Jesus' men were minutes away from sealing a 1-1 draw at the Estadio do Drago which would have maintained their two-point lead at the top of the Portuguese standings with just one game remaining.

But 19-year-old striker Kelvin's 91st-minute goal swung the momentum in the favour of Porto and left Jesus - who dropped to his knees in anguish as the strike hit the back of the net - needing to rally his troops urgently.


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