After a thrilling lineup of matches last week, the Serie A is back for week 11. While this week doesn’t boast the same high-powered affairs, there’s no shortage of excitement to go around. Napoli and Inter will look to close the gap on Juventus as Milan and Lazio battle for the final Champions League spot.
Today, I’ll be examining all ten of this week’s games, looking for the bets with the most value and upside. There are plenty of intriguing possibilities, and if you play your cards right, you could end up hitting the jackpot. Let’s get straight on into it!
Fiorentina come into this match on a poor run of form. After falling to Lazio, they’ve failed to capitalize against two weaker opponents, earning just two points against Cagliari and Torino. The Viola are still sixth in the Serie A, and their defense remains one of the strongest in the league, but they’ll need to play better this week if they wish to get a win.
Roma has not gotten off to the greatest of starts. Touted by many as a favorite for a Champions League spot, their defense has failed to replicate last season’s numbers, and they sit eighth in the league, having earned a quite fortuitous draw last week against the Partenopei.
Neither team has performed up to expectations. While Fiorentina have had the better start, Roma are looking like the better team right now. Either way, this matchup should be extremely close. In my opinion, the Viola have a good shot at winning this. Playing in front of their home crowd, Fiorentina have an excellent chance to reestablish themselves as contenders for the final Champions League spot.
Simply put, Chievo is the worst team in the Serie A. After starting off the season with a three point penalty due to faulty accounting, the Gialloblu are still in the negative, having earned just two points the entire season. Their attack is lackluster to say the least, and their defense simply isn’t able to cope with the top teams of the Serie A.
Sassuolo, on the other hand, have had a pleasantly good start to the season. While they’ve fallen off recently, they still sit ninth in the league, and they’re just a win away from a Champions League qualifying spot. Their midfield is quite solid, led by a group of footballing veterans, and their ability to retain possession makes them difficult to deal with.
Chievo hasn’t gotten a win yet, and this week won’t be any different. If the Neroverdi play like they have all season, they should come away with the victory quite easily. Chievo, barring a miracle, will be back in the Serie B next year, and this is a great opportunity, both for Sassuolo and for bettors.
Sampdoria is coming off a tough loss to Milan, and they showed their first signs of weakness against the Rossoneri, conceding three goals for the first time all season. Their attack showed signs of promise, however, as Quagliarella and Saponara continued their unlikely heroics.
Torino has not had the most promising start to their campaign, and their attack has yet to break through. Belotti’s slump has continued into this year, and one of the deadliest attacks in Italy has suddenly lost its edge. I Granata need more from their attack if they wish to escape the mid-table, and so far, they haven’t shown any signs of change.
The Blucerchiati have been incredibly entertaining to watch so far this year. Their defense is rock-solid, and while their attack is made up of mostly veterans past their prime, they’ve managed to gel as a team, and they’ve earned the results to prove it. Given Torino’s recent form and Sampdoria’s home field advantage, the odds of a home win are looking especially appealing.
Udinese haven’t earned a win in six weeks, and they’ll be looking to get back on track when they face off against Milan this week. With nine points so far this season, Udinese find themselves 16th in the league, dangerously close to the relegation zone, and they need to get back on track if they wish to solidify their spot mid-table.
Milan has had a rollercoaster of a season to say the least. The Rossoneri have been excellent offensively, and Suso has been one of the league’s best players thus far, proving his worth once again. However, their defense has been prone to serious lapses; they have yet to keep a clean sheet, and their defensive struggles have been seriously concerning.
Milan may be fourth in the league, but they are incredibly inconsistent, and Udinese will have chances to capitalize on the Rossoneri’s mistakes. Combined with their home field advantage, Udinese has a good shot at stealing a point here. Milan is simply too inconsistent to trust.
Lazio come into this one off a humiliating loss against Inter. Lazio simply wasn’t able to get anything going against the Nerazzurri, and while they ended the game with 21 shots, they weren’t able to capitalize on their chances. The Biancocelesti are locked in a tight contest with Milan for the final Champions League spot, and they’ll need a win here against a relatively weaker opponent.
SPAL started the season off strong, but they’ve dropped off recently. There is still hope, however. SPAL were able to take down Roma in a convincing 2-0 win at the Stadio Olimpico, and their defense is surprisingly solid; in fact, SPAL has only conceded one more goal than Lazio.
Lazio should take this one, but the outcome isn’t so certain. With great odds for a SPAL win or draw, they could be this week’s most undervalued pick. SPAL has proven that they can come up with surprises, and if Lazio don’t take this matchup seriously, they could end up paying the price.
If you’re interested in betting on the other matchups, I’ve listed my picks below. These games also offer interesting opportunities, so make sure to do your research, and you could find some great value.
After ten weeks of the Serie A, an unlikely name tops the list of the league’s goalscorers — Krzysztof Piatek. The Polish striker has been absolutely phenomenal for Genoa, and he’s scored nine goals thus far this season, averaging a goal for every 99 minutes he steps foot on the pitch.
While Piatek has slown down recently and Inter is certainly no easy opponent, the forward has consistently proven that he can score under the spotlight. He’ll be hungry for a goal after his recent drought, and if Inter begin to get comfortable later on in the match, Piatek will be ready to pounce and find the back of the net. With the odds promising to almost quadruple your money, Piatek could be a great bet for this week.
As I said before, this encounter seems to be incredibly even. Neither team has really established themselves so far this season, and they are prone to some inconsistencies at the back. What these two teams do have in common, however, is their ability to score. In fact, the two sides have combined to score 33 goals, and their attacks are among the best in the league.
Dzeko is beginning to refind his form, and Chiesa remains one of the most exciting attacking prospects in the world. Both teams should have plenty of chances throughout the 90 minutes, and I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if this one ends up being a thriller. Beyond its entertainment value, the over on this matchup is an incredibly enticing prospect, and it could end up making you a lot of money.
Napoli will not have been happy with their last result, drawing against Roma in Naples. Thankfully, their next encounter should be pretty simple. Empoli are 18th in the Serie A, and they have the league’s second worst defense, having already conceded 24 goals in just 10 games.
We’ve seen just how good Napoli’s attack can be, and with a dazzling array of weapons to pick from – Mertens, Insigne, Milik, Callejon – there’s certainly no shortage of offensive firepower. Napoli are still the second best team in Italy, and they’ll have the chance to get out some of their frustrations against Empoli. This one should be a pretty one-sided affair, and Empoli could very well return humiliated.
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