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     Rennes are on the 2nd position with same points like Lille but with worse goals difference. They are the best home team with 9-3-1 (20-6 goals), only Montpellier could beat them in October (1-2). All home results are fair in my opinion, maybe Sochaux deserved a draw (the match ended of 2-1). After the winter break Rennes won all games at home, Arles (4-0), Paris Saint Germain (1-0), Nice (2-0) and Lens (2-0) despite that some important players missed. Furthermore they were not bad away from home, 1-5 defeat from Sochaux but Rennes goalkeeper received a red card and they were not so bad, 1-2 or 1-3 would have been fair. Other two away games ended with victory, 2-1 and 1-0 against Toulouse and Montpellier. Key midfielder Marveaux is still out with long term injury, all other important players are available and Boukari (who arrived from Lens in the transfer season) played well and scored four goals.

     Marseille also need the champion title but they have another important mission in the Champions League. They will play next midweek in Manchester after the 0-0 first leg result, they aren't in easy situation. When I look the Ligue 1 meetings I can say that they aren't in top form especially on away field; goalless draw with Monaco (18th), won over Sochaux and poor Nancy, both with minimal goal margin, both 2-1 and totally balaced games. They won at home against the last ranked Arles (1-0), Saint Étienne (2-1 but OM were much better) and finally last week defeat from the leaders Lille (1-2). Azpilicueta (reg def) is still out with long term injury, Brandão is out due to his scandal.

     +0 AH looks safety for me, I don't think that OM will win this game.

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     Nürnberg are in great run recently, 4w - 2d on the last six meetings. They won at home against Hamburg (2-0), Leverkusen (1-0) and Frankfurt (3-0). Leverkusen played not badly but the hosts played without many important players, while Frankfurt were totally bad, the goal difference could have been bigger, Nürnberg pressured a lot. Then Nürnberg played away from home 1-1 draw with Freiburg after a tiring midweek, Nürnberg played cup game before three days with their best line up but they played better than Freiburg and deserved win. More two away games were against Stuttgart (won by 4-1) and Schalke (1-1 draw). Judt (reg def) injured, Bunjaku (att) struggle with long term injury, Schieber (reg att) also injured. Cohen (reg mid) will be back after suspension and the most important news that key midfielder Gündoğan recovered after injury and probably will start!

     Newcomers Sankt Pauli aren't a dangerous team especially on away field. If we look their latest away results since beginning of november, we can find four defeats (Schalke, Bremen, Bayern, Dortmund) with 11-0 goals difference, a draw with Hoffenheim and a luckily won against Hamburg. Of course mostly hard opponents but as I see Nürnberg also played very well during the last weeks. The defence will be reservist due to injury problems, Morena, Ozcipka and Rothenbach are still out, furthermore key attacker Asamoah also picked up an injury. I don't think that Sankt Pauli will stop the hosts.

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     Dortmund have 12 points advantage on the table. Their home stats are 7-3-1 (21-5 goals) and I just can repeat which I mentioned in my other preview, they are much better! And they are still in excellent shape, last week won 3-1 at Bayern's home, before 2-0 against Sankt Pauli and fully dominated during the match, 1-1 with Kaiserslautern on away field but many players arrived from the national teams after midweek friendly games and they were tired in my opinion. Furthermore unlucky draws with Stuttgart and Schalke, trashed Wolfsburg (3-0 away), etc. unnecessary to continue, Dortmund are the best team this season! First goalkeeper Weidenfeller will be back after minor injury but his replacement Langerak showed also great performance against Bayern, Owomoyela and Kagawa are still out with long term injuries. Kuba recovered and probably he will be in the starting line up again.

     Zvonimir Soldo has gone after nine rounds from Köln due to bad results, they collected only five points through the first nine rounds. His successor Frank Schaefer make good job and the team showed better performance. They signed some new players, Rensing (Bayern, reservist gk), Eichner (Hoffenheim, reservist defender) and Peszko (Lech Poznan, regular midfielder) are the most important. Köln are a strong home team with some excellent results for example 3-2 against Bayern München after the 0-2 half time result and they are really good at home. But on away field, disastrous records 1-3-8 (11-25 goals), the worst in the Bundesliga and has not changed recently. At home they won over Bayern (3-2), Mainz (4-2) and Freiburg (1-0 but Köln were much better), away games: 1-1 with Kaiserslautern (a bottom team), 0-3 against newcomers Sankt Pauli and last week 1-1 with Hoffenheim but it was a luckily result, Köln showed poor performance again while Hoffenheim missed many chances. Key defender Geromel and regular midfielder Matuschyk are still injured, Peszko recovered but probably he will be on the bench. Brečko and Petit served one match suspension, both are important.

     I was thinking that Dortmund have huge advantage but they played great football and they want reach more and more similar results and if they will win coach Jürgen Klopp can celebrate his 50th victory with Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Köln are in safety position so they won't only defend with ten players and I think Dortmund can win this meeting by 2 or 3 goals margin.

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     At the hosts have been some changes after the winter break. Firstly they have a new owner, who fired the coach and the new trainer is Marcelino. He worked at the club in the 2007/08 season and they finished on the 6th place. Then Marcelino has left to Zaragoza and after the 2nd place in spanish segunda division they could not reach good results in primera and now Marcelino is back to Racing. Firstly they beat Sevilla (3-2) with the new coach despite that Fernández received a red card in the 39. min. Last week they won over Getafe away from home. Racing played not bad at all the first part of the season at home, they showed good performance. They had four victories (Zaragoza 2-0, Almería 1-0, Osasuna 4-1, Depor 1-0), the difference was bigger against Almería and Depor, the result could have been 3-0. They played a goalless draw with Espanyol and suffered two defeats from Barca (0-3) and Getafe (0-1), both results excessive in my opinion, 0-1 and 1-1 would be fair. Then they played totally poor in the last round before the winter break (0-0 with Hércules) and since this meeting I saw a weaker Racing but now the new coach resurrect these guys and they are good again!

     On the other hand the Yellow Submarine are in serious downtrend after the defeat against Levante, the 18th ranked team won over Villarreal at El Madrigal first time this season, totally deserved! Thereafter Villarreal lost on away field against Depor and last week played a draw with the bottom Málaga. Villarreal had more chances but don't forget that Málaga played without four key players. Villarreal played in the Europa League too and this midweek won over Napoli (2-1) but Napoli had also serious chances to win, finally the spanish team could complete the qualification.

     I think Racing should get at least one point. They are again on the good way with the new coach and they are dangerous with the support of their fans. Key midfielder Colsa is suspended but Diop recovered after injury and he can replace, Fernández also back after suspension. Villarreal will be without Ángel López (def), Senna (mid) both injured, Bruno Soriano (mid) suspended, all regular players. Villarreal played with their best line up in the Europa League and as I see their are not in the best condition while Racing are in fire!