Gladbachs Herrmann stand kurz vor Wechsel zum VfB

© Revierfoto via www.imago-images.de

Ein Wechsel von Patrick Herrmann zum VfB Stuttgart platzte

In dieser Saison ist Patrick Herrmann einer der Leistungsträger von Borussia Mönchengladbach. Doch noch vor rund einem Jahr wäre der Offensivspieler beinahe beim VfB Stuttgart gelandet.

"Es war schon sehr konkret mit Stuttgart, es gab mehrere Gespräche", gab Herrmann in einem Interview mit der "Bild" zu und erklärte: "Ich wollte ja nie weg aus Gladbach, aber ich hatte das halbe Jahr zuvor kaum Einsätze und extreme Angst, dass ich im Sommer mit auslaufenden Vertrag und meiner Verletzungs-Historie plötzlich ohne Klub dastehe."

Der Deal scheiterte jedoch, weil es keine Einigung zwischen Gladbach und dem VfB gab. "Max Eberl hat dann klar kommuniziert, dass man mich auch gar nicht weggehen lassen wollte - was ein wichtiges Zeichen für mich war", so Herrmann.

Im Mai 2019 verlängerte der 28-Jährige seinen Vertrag dann bis 2022. Das Vertrauen zahlt sich bislang aus. In dieser Bundesliga-Saison glänzt Herrmann mit fünf Toren und vier Vorlagen.

Einen Grund für seine starken Leistungen sieht Herrmann auch bei Gladbach-Trainer Marco Rose: "Das, was er spielen lässt, ist auch genau mein Ding: den Gegner im Sprinttempo anlaufen, Bälle hoch erobern und dann zack – ab in die Box und Torabschluss!"

PSG vs Saint-Etienne Prediction & Match Preview

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Lille vs Amiens Prediction & Match Preview

Lille vs Amiens
France – League Cup
Date: Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Kick-off at 20:05 UK / 21:05 CET
Venue: Stade Pierre-Mauroy (Villeneuve d’Ascq).

Lille have been recording back to back wins in front of the home crowd. With the last taste success on the road, for Amiens, coming way back in late September, by all means, count on the hosts to secure the bragging rights this week.

Lille vs Amiens Head to head (h2h)

• Their last clash here witnessed Lille post a 2-1 victory.
• Three of their previous five meetings have featured over 2.5 goals on the charts.
• Both teams have found the back of the net together in two of their past five encounters.
• None of their last nine games have ended as a tie.
• Amiens have registered the win in four of their previous nine meetings. (W-4, D-0, L-5)

Lille vs Amiens Prediction

Lille booked their berth in the quarter-finals of the League Cup by pulling off a 3-0 win over Monaco in the previous round. Despite being the lesser favorites in that latter clash, the hosts finished the game with seven shots on target, as opposed to their foes who managed just two.

It is also worth mentioning that the home side have now picked up the win in six of their previous eight matchups in all competitions. Furthermore, their impressive run of form has propelled them to the top four back in the Ligue One as well.

On the other hand, Amiens were knocked out of the Coupe de France last week after Rennes edged past them, albeit on penalties after regulation time. The visiting contingent have just not looked sharp this season. Consider the fact that they have just one measly win to boast of from their past eight clashes on the trot.

To pile on even more misery, their away record has been disappointing too. The guests have come out on top just once in their outings so far. Currently, they are on a five-match losing streak as well.

In sharp contrast, Lille have been tasting nothing but success in their past three fixtures here. Taking into account the evident difference in form, Amiens have little or no chance in pulling off an upset on Wednesday.

Additionally, as of late, the hosts have been tough to breach in their own backyard. They have kept a clean sheet on four occasions in their past six games here, and have conceded just thrice in the process as well.

Meanwhile, Amiens have admitted defeat without so much as a consolation goal in half of their past four trips on the road.

As such, count on Lille to wrap things up with no more than a goal or two at the most in this one.

Lille vs Amiens Betting tips

• Lille to win @ 1.50 (1/2)

• Under 2.5 goals @ 1.70 (7/10).

Lyon vs Brest Prediction & Match Preview

Lyon vs Brest
France – League Cup
Date: Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Kick-off at 17:45 UK / 18:45 CET
Venue: Parc Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon).

At the moment, Brest are on a dismal five-match losing streak on the road. With Lyon faring well in their recent clashes here, a change in fortune is certainly not on the cards for the visiting contingent this Wednesday.

Lyon vs Brest Head to head (h2h)

• Their last clash ended in a 2-2 draw.
• Four of their previous five fixtures have featured fewer than 2.5 goals on the charts.
• Both teams have found the back of the net together in five of their past seven meetings.
• None of their last seven games have finished as a stalemate.
• Brest have not registered a win in any of their previous seven encounters. (W-0, D-5, L-2)

Lyon vs Brest Prediction

Lyon made light of Toulouse in the previous round of this competition by posting an emphatic 4-1 scorecard at the end of the ninety minutes. The hosts are currently on a solid run of form as well and are unbeaten in their last three games on the trot.

Their most recent fixture, which was in the Coupe De France, saw them run riot over lower-tier side Bourg en Bresse with seven unanswered goals to their name.

On the other hand, Brest will be making the trip to Parc Olympique Lyonnais on the back of a sour 2-1 defeat at the hands of Lorient. To be frank, the visitors have been struggling to maintain a winning momentum this season.

Miserably, they have just one win to boast of from their past five clashes across various competitions.

It is also worth mentioning that the guests have hardly been a threat on the road. They have not picked up a win in any of their last five outings.

To make matters worse, Lyon have stumbled in just two of their past eight games in front of the home crowd. Given the far from convincing form that Brest are on, especially in thier outings, Lyon are sizing up to be the outright favorites to come away with the win in this one.

Furthermore, the hosts have been hard to tame in the final third. Impressively, they have scored two goals or more in five of their previous seven games here. To top it off, both Moussa Dembele and Memphis Depay have netted nineteen goals between them back in the first division.

With Brest conceding nine times from their past five trips on the road alone, expect Lyon to rack up the goals tally with ease this week.

Lyon vs Brest Betting tips

• Lyon -1 Asian Handicap @ 1.40 (2/5)

• Over 2.5 goals @ 1.70 (7/10).ffffffffff

Leicester vs Aston Villa Prediction & Match Preview

Leicester vs Aston Villa
England – Carabao Cup
Date: Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Kick-off at 20:00 UK / 21:00 CET
Venue: King Power Stadium.

Home advantage has certainly been working its charm for Leicester this season. And now with Aston Villa losing their talisman Wesley as well to injury, it goes without saying that the visiting contingent are about to be given a run for their money.

Leicester vs Aston Villa Head to head (h2h)

• Their last clash saw Leicester come out on top with a whopping 4-1 scorecard.
• Three of their past five matchups have featured over 2.5 goals on the charts.
• Both teams have found the back of the net together in all but one of their previous five games.
• Only one of their last five meetings have ended as a tie.
• Aston Villa have recorded a win just once in their past five encounters. (W-1, D-1, L-3)

Leicester vs Aston Villa Prediction

Leicester had their blushes saved in the previous round of this competition only by the narrowest of margins. The hosts were 2-0 up at the break in their quarter-final matchup with Everton, only for the Toffees to equalize with two goals of their own post the restart.

However, both Cenk Tosun and Leighton Baines failed to find the back of the net in the penalty shoot-out soon after, thereby handing the Foxes a ticket to the last four.

On the other hand, Aston Villa marched into the semi-finals in style after pulling off an emphatic 5-0 win, albeit over a fairly inexperienced and youthful Liverpool side. It is also worth mentioning that the visitors have tasted success just twice in their past five games since that victory.

Piling on even more misery, the guests have been branded as one of the worst away sides back in the top flight. In sharp contrast, Leicester have stumbled just once at home this season. That too against the current table-toppers themselves.

Taking into account that the hosts are unbeaten in their past three meetings with this foe here as well, count on Leicester to secure the bragging rights in this one.

Furthermore, the Foxes have had their scoring boots on at King Power Stadium, and have scored two goals or more in eight of their past ten games here in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa have been far too easy to breach on the road this term. Miserably, they have conceded ten goals from their previous five outings, and are yet to keep a clean sheet as well.

To top it off, four of their previous five h2h fixtures here have been high scoring affairs. As such, it is certainly safe to expect over 2.5 goals on the final scorecards this Wednesday.

Leicester vs Aston Villa Betting tips

• Leicester to win @ 1.40 (2/5)

• Over 2.5 goals @ 1.60 (3/5).

Calciomercato, l'Inter attende Vidal: la risposta dopo la Supercoppa spagnola

I cileno rimane il primo obiettivo per il centrocampo nerazzurro. Nel viaggio verso l'Arabia Saudita Messi, Suarez e Jordi Alba hanno cercato di convincerlo a restare, ma l'Inter non molla la presa: si attende una risposta definitiva dopo la Supercoppa di Spagna

Fase di stallo nella trattativa tra l'Inter e il Barcellona per portare in nerazzurro Arturo Vidal. Il cileno rimane l'obiettivo numero uno per il centrocampo con Antonio Conte che si è speso in prima persona chiamando il giocatore e strappando la promessa di essere l'unica scelta in caso di addio di Vidal dal Barcellona. Al momento i blaugrana sono impegnati in Arabia Saudita nella Supercoppa di Spagna e per questo la situazione è congelata, l'Inter non molla ma per ogni eventuale sviluppo bisognerà attendere il rientro della squadra allenata da Valverde. Intanto il suo agente è in questi giorni a Milano e non si esclude che possa incontrare i dirigenti nerazzurri. Rimane sullo sfondo il nome di Christian Eriksen, sul quale l'Inter è al lavoro per giugno al termine del suo contratto con il Tottenham, mentre il club inglese preferirebbe cederlo già in questa finestra di mercato per evitare di perderlo a zero in estate. Ma le attenzioni al momento sono tutte su Arturo Vidal.

I compagni in pressing per convincere Vidal a restare

Secondo il Mundo Deportivo nel volo che ha portato il Barcellona in Arabia Saudita, alcuni dei più influenti compagni di squadra all'interno dello spogliatoio avrebbero fatto pressione su Vidal per convincerlo a restare. In particolare si sarebbero spesi a favore della permanenza del cileno, Messi, Suarez e Jordi Alba, per una volontà ribadita in volo anche dal presidente Josep Maria Bartomeu. "Devi restare, abbiamo bisogno di te", sarebbe questa la frase pronunciata dai compagni a Vidal, come riportato dalla trasmissione "Tu diràs", in onda sulla radio catalana RAC1. Un comportamento che non avrebbe lasciato indifferente il cileno, positivamente impressionato dalla reazione dello spogliatoio nei suoi confronti.

Valverde: "Vidal convocato per la Supercoppa"

Sul possibile passaggio dI Vidal all'Inter è intervenuto anche Ernesto Valverde. I rapporti tra lui e il cileno sono ormai deteriorati, anche se l'allenatore blaugrana ha dichiarato di puntare ancora su Vidal, a partire dalla gara di Supercoppa contro l'Atletico Madrid di giovedì: "E' convocato e conto su di lui, non mi preoccupo dell'interesse delle altre squadre per i nostri giocatori. Parlo con lui come faccio con gli altri e domani vedremo se inizierà la partita dall'inizio o andrà in panchina, mi concentro sui miei ragazzi e non dò altri indizi". Una situazione sempre più intricata con le varie componenti del Barcellona che stanno cercando di convincere Vidal a restare. L'Inter rimane in attesa, ora la palla passa al centrocampista ex Juventus.

Valencia vs Real Madrid Prediction & Match Preview

Valencia vs Real Madrid
Spain – Super Cup
Date: Wednesday, 8 January 2020
Kick-off at 19:00 UK / 20:00 CET
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City (Jeddah).

Valencia are in fine form at the moment. However, they are up against a Real Madrid side that has not admitted defeat since mid-October, that too in all competitions. As such, count on nothing short of an exciting ninety minutes come Wednesday.

Valencia vs Real Madrid Head to head (h2h)

• Their previous encounter finished in a 1-1 draw.
• Three of their past five meetings have featured over 2.5 goals on the charts.
• All but one of their last ten games have witnessed both teams find the back of the net together.
• The final scores have been tied thrice in their past eight clashes.
• Real Madrid have registered the win six times in their previous fifteen matchups. (W-6, D-6, L-3)

Valencia vs Real Madrid Prediction

Valencia kept their unbeaten streak intact last week by taking down Eibar at home with a narrow 1-0 scorecard. The squad have now stumbled just once in their previous ten clashes across various competitions, and are currently sitting sixth, back in the La Liga as well.

It is also worth mentioning that Albert Celades’s men have been so good this season, that they even topped their Champions’ League group, despite featuring alongside the likes of Ajax and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are on a positive run of form of their own. Los Blancos have not been at the losing end since their shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Mallorca, three months ago. Furthermore, Zinedine Zidane’s side have been a force to reckon with on the road as of late.

Impressively, they have come away with the win in five of their past seven outings. In sharp contrast, Valencia have not been a confident bunch away from home.

All of the defeats that they have admitted this term have come from their outings. With the clash this week taking place at a neutral venue, it goes without saying that Valencia are underdogs to taste success in this one.

Furthermore, both teams have had their names on the scoresheets in thirteen of their past fourteen h2h encounters overall. In addition, Real Madrid have won with a clean sheet intact just twice in their past six outings in all competitions.

Given that Valencia are also unbeaten in their last two meetings with this foe, count on Albert Celades’s side to find the back of the net along with Los Blancos this week.

Valencia vs Real Madrid Betting tips

• Real Madrid to win @ 1.75 (3/4)

• Both teams to score @ 1.50 (1/2).f