It is time once again for some Italian Football, as we arrive to round 26 of the Serie A campaign.
I apologize for missing the last few rounds, as that is a long story in itself. Let’s just say I had hip surgery, and a broken left wrist at the same time. Typing wasn’t exactly going to happen, and it didn’t. Luckily I am okay, and I’m back to hopefully help you all take some funds home this weekend.
We have three days of Italian football to scope, and it all starts on Saturday, February 25. The Fiorentina match with Torino was moved to Monday because of the Viola’s Europa League tie with Moenchengladbach. That is why this has turned in to a three-day weekend of football in Italy.
Serie B, however, gets started on the 24th with two matches on the board, so we have a lot to discuss.
How about some lines? All lines are taken from DSI, where you can bet on all the matches each and every weekend.
February 25 – 2 Matches
Napoli vs Atalanta
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Napoli -190
Atalanta +535
Draw +340
Spread/Handicap:
Napoli -1 -110
Atalanta +1 -110
Total 3:
Over +115
Under -135
Juventus vs Empoli
3-Way:
Juve -650
Empoli +2500
Draw +700
Spread:
Juve -2 -130
Empoli +2 +110
Total 3:
Over -105
Under -115
Sunday, February 26 – 7 Matches
Palermo vs Sampdoria
3-Way:
Palermo +215
Sampdoria +135
Draw +235
Spread:
Palermo 0/Pk +125
Sampdoria 0/Pk -145
Total 2.5:
Over +110
Under -130
Crotone vs Cagliari
3-Way:
Crotone -145
Cagliari +195
Draw +235
Spread:
Crotone 0/Pk -130
Cagliari 0/Pk +110
Total 2.5:
Over +110
Under -130
Lazio vs Udinese
3-Way:
Lazio -230
Udinese +700
Draw +355
Spread:
Lazio -1 -140
Udinese +1 +120
Total 2.5:
Over -135
Under +115
Chievo Verona vs Pescara
3-Way:
Chievo -125
Pescara +340
Draw +280
Spread:
Chievo -0.5 -125 +105
Pescara +0.5 +105
Total 2.5:
Over +115
Under -135
Sassuolo vs AC Milan
3-Way:
Sassuolo +205
Milan +140
Draw +245
Spread:
Sassuolo 0/Pk +120
Milan 0/pk -140
Total 2.5:
Over -115
Under -105
Genoa vs Bologna
3-Way:
Genoa +105
Bologna +300
Draw +230
Spread:
Genoa -0.5 +105
Bologna +0.5 -125
Total 2.5:
Over +110
Under 130
Inter Milan vs AS Roma
3-Way:
Inter +160
Roma +175
Draw +240
Spread:
Inter 0/Pk -115
Roma 0/Pk -105
Total 3:
Over +110
Under -130
Monday, February 27 – 1 Match
Fiorentina vs Torino
3-Way:
Fiorentina -115
Torino +315
Draw +270
Spread:
Fiorentina -0.5 -115
Torino +0.5 -105
Total 3:
Over +115
Under -135
Okay, so those are the top flight lines and, of course, I will touch on second tier Serie B as well.
The first match of the Italian football weekend takes place in Naples, at high noon eastern time. Napoli and Atalanta are set to start off the round, and what a match this should be.
Gone are the days of a listless Atalanta club that, for so long, had no clue how to score. We can simply look to the last campaign, as Atalanta only scored 41 goals for the entire season. With 38 the year before that, and only 43 in the 2013/14 campaign, La Dea have already tallied 40 this campaign. There are 13 fixtures remaining, so they will obviously smash their results of seasons past.
Now, Napoli and Atalanta are both taking the pitch, and we all know what we get with Napoli right?
Goodness, up-and-down and back-and-forth action for 90 minutes, and how many Overs can Napoli hit this year? It’s not even like the Over 3 is appealing enough, but then the line setters slap a +115 on that action!
That is value in my opinion so the first play of the weekend will go in as…
Suggested Play:
Napoli / Atalanta Over 3 @ +115
I caught that Lazio vs Empoli match on beinsports this weekend, and what a crazy way to cash that Over. Those of you who are smart enough to have asked me for my tracker site, know we loved it. I offer that to anyone, by the way, and I don’t charge for plays as I did years ago. I leave that option to you, because all it takes is a reply and request to see all of my action.
For those also unaware, when the second half of the Lega Pro campaign gets underway, I always add those three leagues to my ledger. For six years know I have kept that regimen of capping Serie C for the entire back half of the campaign. For those who are interested, again I say, just ask man, I am not trying to do anything but help people cash tickets! I track it all for people and myself to share, so I will leave it to the people who reply to the article to Get More Italian football.
Hey that works out nice, eh? Get More?! Get More Sports…. get it? Thanks, I’ll be here all year!
To the pitch…and I mentioned that Lazio vs Empoli match because Empoli is headed to a place no one has success.
The other Saturday match also features a straight 3 on that total as well, but at -105. We saw the Juve defense play stellar against Porto on Wednesday in Champions League. Obviously, the second yellow/red card made that a bit easier to navigate.
We did, however, see a Juve back line more like the one they usually like to have in front of Gigi Buffon. Chiellini and Barzagli manned the middle, although Bonucci did sit out in the 2 – 0 win.
This is not Champions League, and Juve should find all three of those goals against Empoli to enjoy three points, and help us cash the Over 3 ticket. Granted, we will need a fourth tally to outright cash the play, and I believe it will come either with a 3 – 1 Juve win, or a fourth goal for Juve to be obnoxious.
Suggested Play:
Juventus / Empoli Over 3 @ -105
How much fun is the last match of Sunday’s slate going to be? Roma taking it to the San Siro, and this is a battle of defense vs offense. Defensively, Inter has allowed one goal in their last five contests, and that was to Juve in a 1 – 0 loss. Otherwise, finding the back of the Inter Milan net lately hasn’t been easy.
That’s all well and good, but keeping pace with La Maggica is a completely different story. Obviously Edin Dzeko is having the campaign of his life this year. What a performance in Roma’s Europa League tie with Villarreal last week as well. It is amazing how you can see a different confidence in someone, in such a short time. Being an AS Roma fan since the 1980’s, sure has me happy as a pig in sh!t about it!
Being seven points off the pace that Juventus has set is one thing, but Napoli is only two points behind Roma as well.
This should be an interesting finish to the Italian football Serie A campaign for sure.
I am going to support the club this week, with my own money, and my own prediction, so sit down.
Suggested Play:
Inter Milan vs AS Roma ~
AS Roma 0/Pk Draw no Bet Handicap @ -105
Well it has certainly been a season of scoring in Italian football thus far. We are likely headed to another 1,000 goal campaign, which we have seen a few of over the last few years. Remember, of course, Serie A was certainly a defensive-minded league for plenty of years. We can also wonder about how many scandals has also affected the game, but let’s not go there.
Well documented as we know, and I hope everyone else knows, it wasn’t just Italy. Call it what you want, but scandal escapes nowhere! Money, kids! If you got it, and you know the right people, I think we all know what that does.
Likely aiding the quest for a thousand goals again, I am thinking we will see some tallies in Florence. Torino isn’t exactly slowing anyone down lately, and I guess when you have caught both of their last two outings, the eye test says a lot. Throw in all the traveling and extra football for Fiorentina lately and they, too, could be in line for a defensive struggle.
The Viola have to host Moenchengladbach on Thursday, and carry a 1 – 0 first leg aggregate in to the second leg of their Europa League tie. Over the years, we know Italian clubs have not taken Europa League seriously. To the extent that, if you remember, they took away that third Europa League bid from Serie A, and now only send two clubs to the competition.
Not knowing the results of the second leg as I post this, I still expect Torino and Fiorentina will see some scoring.
If a 2 – 1 scoreline pushes our action, I am okay with it having a +115 on the board. They will find the fourth somehow, I just got that lovin’ feelin’!
Suggested Play:
Fiorentina vs Torino Over 3 @ +115
I will be offering a handful of action from the lower tiers this weekend, so you know what to do if you think it is worth knowing! Reach out to me either here, or on my twitter feed @Ejtherainmaker, and let me know!
In Bocca Al Lupo Everyone!
Enjoy the weekend around the Italian pitch! Ciao!
