OUR man in Italy, Marco Di Cosmo (@scioltz) looks to continue his hot streak in Serie A with his best Saturday selections.
Sampdoria v AC Milan | Sunday 11:30 | BT Sport 3
This looks an intriguing match at Marassi between Sampdoria and AC Milan. I'll be siding with goals as both teams have fancy attacks more than reliable defences.
Milan have yet to find their best line-up, and they do concede easily, home and away. Sampdoria never refuse a goal battle and I do think they have the right weapons to put the rossoneri in many troubles. Backing more than two goals scored seems a valid option.
Cagliari v Chievo | Sunday 14:00
I am siding with Chievo again after their 1-1 draw against Atalanta. Cagliari are changing their habits since last season, when they turned into a more defensive outfit in the second half of the season.
Yet, their scoring form has lost some of their power, and I think they could struggle against one of the most organized Serie A sides.
Backing Chievo just to avoid defeat offers some value, since we should be covered in two of three possible outcomes of what looks a very tight match.
Crotone v Benevento | Sunday 14:00
Benevento are having a very difficult and unlucky start to their Serie A season. They had a last minute equaliser against Bologna disallowed and since then they’ve been unfortunate in their results.
Honestly, they even played better than the table suggests, but their troubles seem to get even bigger when injuries, and even drug-bans start to afflict the team.
Crotone had a superb second part of the season, and managed to escape relegation when no one had faith in them. They’ve built their fortunes on their home ground and this is why I am backing them to win against the side who is facing more difficulties in the whole Serie A.
Verona v Lazio | Sunday 14:00
Lazio have started the season in a superb form, and their 4-1 loss against Napoli was an absolute shock for the biancocelesti.
They were leading 1-0 at the halftime and they seemed to be in control, but the extreme strength of Napoli appeared with all its brutality and changed the match in less than 20 minutes.
Also, some key injuries in the defensive line affected heavily the biancocelesti, and this is something that will affect this team also in the long term.
That is why I am backing Over 2.5 goals here considering an away win very possible, but also some chance for Verona to score a goal.
Inter v Genoa | Sunday 14:00 | BT Sport 3
Inter have been a little overvalued since the start of the season, with many of their victories coming from very unconvincing displays, including their last two matches against Crotone and Bologna.
They have played well defensively, rarely conceding goals but their game really lacked in offensive terms. I think Luciano Spalletti will try to change this mentality, as he is naturally recognized as one of the most entertaining coaches of the Italian school.
A more offensive approach should start from this home game against Genoa, but the away side have well demonstrated to be dangerous even against stronger sides than Inter. That is why I think this could be the first time Inter will concede at San Siro.
Fiorentina v Atalanta | Sunday 19:45 | BT Sport 1
Probably not a blockbuster fixture for a Sunday night but Fiorentina v Atalanta seems the perfect football hipster option to conclude this Serie A day.
The visitors have already demonstrated that they could repeat a season similar to the previous one, despite having lost many of their key players. Their chances to score an away goal seem legit, especially given Fiorentina’s defensive form in last season.
Also, the Viola rotated a lot and they are not clear favourites to win this match. I reckon both teams will have their chances but I prefer to focus on goals instead than picking a definite winner and will back BTTS.
Best Bets
Sampdoria v AC Milan – Over 2.5 Goals (71/100 Marathon Bet)
Cagliari v Chievo – Chievo Double Chance (5/7 188BET)
Crotone v Benevento – Crotone to win (49/50 Marathon Bet)
Verona v Lazio – Over 2.5 Goals (14/19 888 Sport)
Inter v Genoa – Genoa Over 0.5 Goals (5/6 Coral)
Fiorentina v Atalanta – Both Teams To Score (9/11 188BET)
