THERE’S a double-header of Serie A action to enjoy tonight. So who better to ask for a betting view than Rome resident Marco Di Cosmo (@Scioltz).
Lazio v Fiorentina | Monday 18.00 | BT Sport 2
This is big. Two of the most attractive and in-form sides in Serie A lock horns in Rome with the battle for a European qualification place (and even Champions League berth) still up for grabs.
Fiorentina recently toppled Juventus in Turin, the first defeat for the Old Lady in over two years on their home ground. Mohamed Salah is proving to be a real threat and the £30m fee they received from Chelsea (plus Salah on-loan) has proven a superb deal for La Viola.
On the other hand, Lazio have the best young talent in Serie A (in my opinion) in Felipe Anderson. The former Santos player is the latest off the Brazilian production line and I’m confident enough to say he can be compared to former team-mate Neymar. Yes, he’s that good!
Fiorentina might be missing German striker Mario Gomez but I’m still expecting a fun game. Vincenzo Montella is focussed on the fight for third-place and I don’t expect him to rotate too much despite their Europa League involvement.
Both teams should play on the front foot and with the two teams boasting plenty of talent in attacking areas; we should see a few goals. I’m backing the 10/11 from William Hill that we see an even number of Total Goals but with a draw a real runner, I’ll also cover myself by taking Both Teams To Score and a Draw at 18/5 with 888 Sport.
Juventus v Sassuolo | Monday 20.00 | BT Sport 1
Juventus rarely lose in domestic action but it’s even more rare for the Old Lady to be beaten at Juventus Stadium. They’ll be angry after their home defeat in the Coppa Italia to Fiorentina and I expect them to bounce.
Juve remain an excellent side despite that defeat although they’re clearly not in the best shape. The defending champions rotated their team for the cup but will deploy their best team on Monday night as Champions League football doesn’t return for Max Allegri’s side until next week.
Roma have definitely surrendered their title challenge after drawing 0-0 against Chievo on Sunday, and I'm confident Juve will seal the Scudetto on Monday (all but officially), in order to focus only on their Champions League exploits and a come back in the semi-final of Coppa Italia.
Sassuolo are not a defensive team. They do like to play high and they have no particular concerns, as they are almost certainly safe for relegation. They’ll be happy to attack and should play for their part in a high-scoring game. Therefore, I’ll back Juventus to win and Over 2.5 Goals at 7/10 with Boylesports.
Best Bets
Lazio v Fiorentina – Total Goals = Even number (10/11 William Hill)
Lazio v Fiorentina – Both Teams To Score and Draw (18/5 888 Sport)
Juventus v Sassuolo – Juventus to win and Over 2.5 Goals (7/10 Boylesports)
