Friday, May 13, 2011

Weekend TV Preview: 13 - 15 May 2011

Friday 13 May

19.45 Reading v Cardiff City, Championship Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
After Swansea and Forest ground out a 0-0 in the other semi, it wouldn't be a surprise for this to end up with a similar non-scoreline. Both regular season ties ended in draws and neither side are in their best form. It could be said that Reading's dip was down to them taking their foot off the pedal after getting to the play-off positions with a run of eight consecutive wins but as is so often proved in these play-offs, momentum is everything.
19.45 Shamrock Rovers v Derry, Irish Premier League, Premier Sports
Just a point separates the top two with twelve games played. It's been a strong start to the season for Derry who had to be re-elected into the second tier last season after going bust.

Saturday 14 May

12.45 AFC Bournemouth v Huddersfield Town, League One Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
A play-off place alone could be seen as enough achievement for Eddie Howe's Bournemouth side in their first season back in League One. It'll be a tough ask to get to Wembley for The Cherries against a side who in most other seasons would have been promoted automatically with 87 points.
12.45 Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United, Premier League, Sky Sports 2/HD2
Knowing they only need to draw while Rovers will be all out for the win, United can afford to sit back and play the counter-attacking style they so enjoy against their main rivals. United won't be presented with the trophy after the game because they think it might make the FA Cup Final immediately following a bit "after the Lord Mayor's show". Which is nice.
15.00 Manchester City v Stoke City, FA Cup Final, ITV1/ITV1 HD/ESPN/ESPN HD/SKY 3D
Everything seems to be falling into place nicely for Man City. With Champions League football secured they can now attract the real stars of world football to Eastlands before 2012 when the financial fair play rules start to kick in. This won't be a classic.
17.45 Torquay United v Shrewsbury Town League Two Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Torquay only just held on to their play-off spot without a win in their last five games. Both teams seem to have had an amazing turnaround in form since The Gulls beat The Shrews 5-0 (FOIVE) just two months ago with Shrewsbury now the favourites to secure promotion to League 1.
19.45 Lille v Paris St Germain, French Cup Final, ESPN/ESPN HD
Four points clear in the League table, this is Lille's first Cup Final since 1955 - the end of a stunning post-war period for them when they won the trophy five times. PSG's success in this competition is far more recent: the current holders, this is their sixth Final in nine seasons.

Sunday 15 May

10.00 Netherlands v Germany, UEFA U17 European Championship Final, British Eurosport
Netherlands squeezed past holders England (yes, England) in the semi finals to face Germany who are coached by former Tottenham and Dortmund midfielder Steffen Freund. The Dutch won the group stage pairing of these teams 2-0.
11.30 Fiorentina V Bologna, Serie A, ESPN/ESPN HD
Fiorentina are already in their flip-flops. Bologna are in an awful run - taking just two points in their last seven games - but while they aren't mathematically safe, Samp won't get the six points they need to overhaul them.
12.30 Celtic v Motherwell/Kilmarnock v Rangers, SPL, Sky Sports 4/HD4/Sky Red button
The Neil Lennon Show reaches its climax. Watch if you dare.
12.15 Milton Keynes Dons v Peterborough United, League One Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 3/HD3
Most people will tell you this game is to see who gets to lose to Huddersfield in the final. Anything could happen with Peterborough though - there's been a staggering 181 goals in their 46 league games this season.
13.30 Chelsea v Newcastle, Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Almost certainly a dead-rubber. Can't help feeling there'll be a few goodbyes in the post-match lap of honour.
16.00 Arsenal v Aston Villa, Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1
Obviously chosen when Arsenal were still in with a chance of the title. While The Gunners need the win to hold on to third, they've qualified for the Champions League - and while Villa need a point to officially avoid relegation, they are to all intents and purposes safe. Wigan v West Ham or even the Europa League play-off between Liverpool and Spurs would have been better to cover here.
18.30 Stevenage v Accrington Stanley, League Two Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg, Sky Sports 1/HD1
The 2010 Conference champions playing the 2006 Conference champions. When these sides last met in February, Stanley scored twice in the last three minutes to snatch a draw.
19.45 Napoli v Inter, Serie A, ESPN/ESPN HD
Napoli have to put aside their poor showing in the last few games and look back on this season, even if they only end it finishing third, as one of great success. Yes, I'm an Arsenal fan.
20.00 Barcelona V Deportivo, La Liga, Sky Sports 4/HD4
Post-title winning after-party from La Liga. For Depor, though, this is serious business. Just three points ahead of the relegation zone, they have a worse head-to-head record than Getafe and Zaragoza - the two teams below them (La Liga uses this instead of goal difference).

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