The Serie A is underway, and Juventus are once again on top of the league, securing all 12 points in their first 4 games. Week 5 of the Serie A provides some intriguing matchups as the Rossoneri and Atalanta square off in Milan and SPAL look to continue their great start against Fiorentina.
Today, I’ll be taking a look at the five best matchups for bettors, giving my picks for the rest of the 10 games, and examining other interesting betting opportunities. Let’s get started!
Atalanta have not had the best of starts to their Serie A campaign. After starting off strong with a win against Frosinone and a draw at Roma, they’ve dropped their last two games to Cagliari and SPAL, failing to play the same sort of soccer that guided them to a Europa League spot last year.
Milan have not had the greatest of starts either, but they’ve shown flashes of brilliance this season, and if they can gain some consistency, they’ll surely be a force to be reckoned with. The Rossoneri looked like they were on their way to defeating the Partenopei in the opener, but they succumbed to a late comeback. Milan took the next game in stride, defeating Roma after a last-minute goal from Cutrone. A draw with Cagliari raised some doubts about the team, and Gattuso will look to get his squad back on track.
This matchup is not as clear-cut as it seems. While Milan are favorites, I believe that this match offers interesting opportunities. Atalanta has a strong attack with Zapata and Gomez leading the charge, and Milan’s defense can be prone to some errors. Milan’s team is still young, and they don’t have the experience of Atalanta’s side.
Atalanta is also known to press their opponents’ defenses, and this can certainly cause trouble for Milan. While the Rossoneri are certainly capable of taking home the victory, I’m not sure if I trust them just yet.
With the odds standing at 3.6 and 3.5 for Atalanta to win or draw respectively, this presents a very interesting betting opportunity. I think there is certainly some value in this matchup. I think Atalanta have what it takes to steal a point at San Siro.
Prediction Milan 1-1 Atalanta
Inter have certainly not had the start that they hoped for. After a stellar transfer window, many were expecting them to be serious contenders for the scudetto. Instead, they’ve only garnered 4 points in their first 4 games. They lost to Sassuolo and Parma, earned a draw against Torino, and their only win came against Bologna.
Sampdoria have fared much better. Despite playing one less game, they find themselves fifth in the league, and their most recent wins – 3-0 against Napoli and 5-0 against Frosinone – have inspired newfound confidence in the side. Can they keep this dazzling display up?
Inter are still heavy favorites for this game. Despite their struggles, the Nerazzurri certainly have the better side, and after an impressive win against Tottenham, they look to be getting back on track. Icardi scored a stunner against Spurs, proving once more why he is one of the best young strikers in the world.
However, I think Sampdoria still provides excellent value in this matchup. They are given 4 to 1 odds for a win and 3.6 for a draw, and I see plenty of upside in betting on them. Inter have shown just how good they can be, but they’ve also been wildly inconsistent at times. Sampdoria are a sneakily good pick, especially at home.
Prediction Inter 2-2 Sampdoria
Napoli have had a good start to the campaign, their only loss coming to Sampdoria. Although the loss was concerning, the Partenopei bounced back quickly with a win over Fiorentina. Napoli have had a difficult schedule, but they’ve grabbed three crucial wins against Lazio, Milan, and Fiorentina.
Torino have had no such luck. They’ve only earned 5 points in their first four games, their only win coming against SPAL – a lackluster opponent, to say the least. While one could argue that they deserve to have earned a few more points, Torino haven’t been able to capitalize on their opportunities.
Napoli has a stellar attack – arguably the best in the league. Insigne, Milik, and Callejon make for one of the deadliest trios in the Serie A, and Torino’s defense is decent at best. It’s unlikely that I Granata will be able to hold off Napoli’s offense, and with Belotti struggling to live up to his potential, Koulibaly and his defense should be relatively comfortable.
If all goes according to plan, Napoli should take this one comfortably. At 1.8, Napoli provide excellent odds for a relatively secure matchup. This is a safer bet, but if you believe in the Partenopei, this is a great way to make some money with fairly little risk.
Prediction Torino 0-2 Napoli
Juventus haven’t looked at their best, but they’ve been able to get the job done – earning all possible 12 points in their first 4 games. Ronaldo scored his first goals against Sassuolo last week, and the Bianconeri look to be headed towards their eighth straight league title.
Frosinone have failed to impress, and were it not for Chievo’s three-point penalty, they would find themselves at the bottom of the league right now. Their sole point came against Bologna at home, and they could very much find themselves back in the Serie B next year.
This matchup shouldn’t be very entertaining. Juventus are clearly the better team, and after Sampdoria crushed Frosinone 5-0 last week, I don’t see any reason why Juve won’t do the same.
This is certainly not the most exciting of picks, and anything can happen in sports, but 1.2 odds are not too bad for a matchup that is basically guaranteed. Juventus are the clear favorites, and the Bianconeri have always found a way to win – hardly ever giving up easy points. It isn’t exciting, but it’s the safest pick you can get all season.
Prediction Frosinone 0-4 Juventus
Roma have failed to live up to expectations so far, and after two disappointing results at home against Atalanta and Chievo, they look vulnerable. The loss of Nainggolan and Strootman has shaken up the midfield, and their new signings have yet to gel together.
Add to that the fact that Roma is coming off a midweek game against Real Madrid, and this looks like a recipe for disaster. Bologna have certainly looked poor, but they’ll be playing at home against a shaky Roma side. With 5.5 and 3.75 odds for a home win or draw, I think the value is there to warrant the risk.
Prediction Bologna 1-1 Roma
If you’re interested in betting on the other matchups, I’ve listed my picks below. These games also offer interesting opportunities, and I think SPAL could be a sneaky bet if you want to find some value.
Prediction Lazio 2-1 Genoa
Prediction Fiorentina 2-0 SPAL
Prediction Sassuolo 1-0 Empoli
Prediction Chievo 1-2 Udinese
Prediction Parma 1-1 Cagliari
Ronaldo found the net twice last week against Sassuolo, finally ending his goalless drought. This week, he has a great shot at adding to that tally. Juventus will be squaring off against the worst defense in the league in Frosinone, and there will be plenty of goalscoring opportunities to go around.
Frosinone have already conceded ten goals this season, almost double any other team in the league. Ronaldo is a natural goalscorer and undoubtedly the best player in the league, and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t find the back of the net at least once and quite possibly twice.
At 2.87, the odds are good, and with Ronaldo angry after his red card against Valencia, I think the Portuguese forward will come out and show the league what he’s truly capable of.
Frosinone have already conceded 10 goals this season, with nine alone in their games with Atalanta and Sampdoria. Juventus have the best attack of any team they’ve faced so far, and the Bianconeri are not afraid to pile on the pressure and make a statement to the rest of the league.
Priced at 2.33, I think this game could very well be a high-scoring affair. Juventus has an excellent front three, and they’ll continue to pressure the Frosinone defense. La Vecchia Signora have also struggled in defense so far this year, conceding some goals to weaker opponents, and if Juve find themselves ahead early, Frosinone could easily grab themselves a consolation goal.
Juventus and Frosinone are two polar opposites; the best attack in the league will square off against the worst defense, and if everything goes according to plan, I think 4 goals is entirely reasonable. The odds are good, and everything looks set for an entertaining and perhaps lopsided affair.
Surprisingly, Defrel is the top goalscorer in the Serie A. After scoring two braces against Napoli and Frosinone, the Frenchman has guided Sampdoria to a great start to their campaign.
Defrel is an incredibly quick player, and his ability to finish and step up on the big stage has been evident this season. Against a shaky Inter defense, Sampdoria could cause the Nerazzurri trouble. Defrel is the best weapon in the Sampdoria attack, and at 4.2 odds, you’d be hard pressed to find better value than this.
This is my favorite pick of the week, and I think Defrel will step up to the occasion.
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