Weekend TV Preview: 10 - 12 February

Friday 10 February

19:45 Vfl Wolfsburg v SC Freiburg, Bundesliga, ESPN / ESPN HD

Vfl coach, Felix Magath, rang the changes in the January transfer window bring in a stack of new players to refresh a squad that has failed to live up to that great title winning side of 2009. The team is none too exciting to watch but Wolfsburg are finding some consistency. Freiburg were not able to replace Papiss Demba Cisse in January but did replace their coach. The bottom club are not goal shy, however so this match could prove to be entertaining.

Saturday 11 February

12:00 Dunfermline v Rangers, SPL, ESPN / ESPN HD

These are grim times for Rangers. Their top scorer left in January for Everton, the club are borrowing money against future ticket sales and they were knocked out of the Cup by Dundee United last weekend. Even so, three points against bottom club Dunfermline shouldn't be beyond them, should it?

12:45 Man Utd v Liverpool, Premier League, Sky Sports 2 / HD2 / 3D

This game should be the great Derby Of England. Instead it exudes a poisonous atmosphere and provides oxygen, only to racists and other meatheads. What's more, if the recent FA Cup game is anything to go by, it will be a shit game to boot. I'm not going to say you shouldn't watch it but like any other car crash, please try to avoid further accidents by slowing down to gawp at the carnage.

15:45 Aberystwyth Town v Carmarthen Town, Welsh Premier League, S4C

Huge six pointer at the foot of the Relegation Group of the League Of Wales.Aber are one place and five points away from second bottom Carmarthen.

17:20 Blackpool v Portsmouth, Championship, Sky Sports 2 / HD2

I'm sure Pompey fans are delighted that 'Arry is odds on for the England gig. Things have gone a little south for them since he left. Only two wins in five and without a pot to piss in. Blackpool haven't lost in eight games but do have an average away record which may explain their league position.

17:30 Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United, Premier League, ESPN / ESPN HD

Two high flying English club both managed by English managers and with a vacancy at Wembley both men can be relied upon to do an awful lot of ruling themselves out while practising their best England Manager Standing On The Touchline Pose. Joking aside this will be a good game with lots of goals. Lovely.

19:00 Ghana v Mali, 2012 African Cup of Nations 3rd Place Play Off, British Eurosport / British Eurosport HD

A chance for both teams to show what everyone is missing? No, a run out for the reserves and a hasty exit from the stadium at the final whistle. Both teams had realistic expectations, particularly Ghana but in this most entertaining African Cup of Nations in a while, these two must settle for being bridesmaids.

19:00 Osasuna v Barcelona, La Liga, Sky Sports 4 / HD4

The home side are without a win in five matches. Barca are losing ground on League leaders, Real Madrid who play fourth placed Levante so there is a slight chance they'll make up some ground.

21:00 Real Betis v Athletic Bilbao, La Liga, Sky Sports 4 / HD4

Athletic guaranteed a Europa League Play Off spot, next season, by virtue of their progression to the Cup Final. They play an interesting brand of football particularly when you consider that they have, traditionally, been a long ball team. Their opponents are feeling the icy finger of relegation on their shoulders.

Sunday 12 February

13:30 Wolves v West Brom, Premier League, Sky Sports 1 / HD1

Big Black Country derby and a six pointer to boot. It won't be pretty but it sure will be fun.

16:00 Aston Villa v Man City, Premier League, Sky Sports 1 / HD1

Six goals conceded in the last three league games by Villa and only three wins at home. If City don't win then it's crisis time.

16:30 FC Cologne v SV Hamburg, Bundesliga, ESPN / ESPN HD

Hamburg's shocking start to the season is a relatively distant memory thanks to the sensible management of new coach Torsten Fink. I have them as outsiders for Europe, despite spending all of the season so far in the bottom half of the table. At Cologne, an opportunity is there for three away points which could nudge them into the top half against a home side missing Lucas Podolski.

19:00 Zambia v Ivory Coast, 2012 African Cup of Nations Final, ITV4 / ITV4 HD / British Eurosport / British Eurosport HD

Just short of twenty years after the tragic plane crash that killed their golden generation, Zambia are in the Final of the Africa Cup of Nations. They face the Ivory Coast's own golden generation who finally have a chance to achieve something. An emotional final is in store.

19:00 Villarreal v Granada, La Liga, Sky Sports 1 / HD1

Bit of a basement battle this one. Villareal have only lost one in six so will see themselves is in a false position... except they're not.

19:45 Bologna v Juventus, Serie A, ESPN / ESPN HD

No away defeats on the road for Juve and bubbling after their Coppa Italia win at Milan which featured a sensational strike by the Uruguayan Jose Martin Caceras. Should be a formality against fifth bottom Bologna.

21:00 Real Madrid v Levante, La Liga, Sky Sports 1 / HD1

Levante are fourth in the LagerLiga table but have not won a match since 10th December. Home win I think.

Terry