The Italian Scudetto could be clinched this weekend, as Juventus inch closer to a sixth consecutive title. The top two clubs in Serie A meet in a pivotal clash in Rome, highlighting round 36.
Much of the attention of Italian football fans this week went towards Juventus advancing to the Champions League final, as they finished off Monaco on Tuesday. Real Madrid also handled their business in the Champions League semifinals, and now it is on. Juventus and Real Madrid have a date for June 3 at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. No one from either club will be bringing flowers or ‘Signed with Love’ Hallmark cards to this party, because HARDWARE is on the line!
This is Big Boy Hardware, if you will, because when you win Champions League nothing else matters at that very moment in all of European football. So we may have a big match in Italy this weekend, but how about taking a moment to just soak this all in.
Roma and Juventus will certainly highlight round 36 towards the chase for the Italian Scudetto. I know I am ready for it, because Roma is my club, no matter what Francesco Totti is trying to do to me! Do you think I have that covered yet? You might have seen me mention my, let’s call it, aggravation, regarding not only this year, but the last three years, really.
Before we got to this weekend, this is what I wanted you all to soak in…
While AS Roma was preparing for Juventus this week. Juventus was busy this past Tuesday, as mentioned.
How about a shot from Gonzalo Higuain’s facebook page! I have no words to say, because HE posted this photo there.
Even I posted a comment in that photo he posted, because, COME ON NOW! Look at Bonucci up front! Look at Dybala up front! I am not even a damn Juventus fan, but my god, I still have tears in my eyes! Hey, I am still Italian, regardless of my personal favoritism to Roma for 30+ years in Serie A.
Oh my goodness, I love that shit, and emotion with so much at stake like that is just something you can not recreate. I think we know I have Juventus pending to win Champions League this year, so I am invested too. Not just monetarily and because I have a post on the site about the treble, but emotionally now, too.
I don’t miss much of what is going on in all of Italian football, but now Juventus has to reel it back in. The Italian Scudetto is basically at stake, when Juventus takes on Roma at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday night. You can make a bet as big as you like that most of Italy will be having dinner at 8:45 p.m CEST. You can make a second bet, that most of the televisions in the country will have AS Roma vs Juventus on it, while they mangia down. What other time slot would you expect for a match that has this much significance behind it?
Before we get there, we have nine other fixtures on the Serie A slate this weekend. Two are set for Saturday, and Sunday will have the featured match in Rome, along with seven other matches across the Italian pitch.
What a campaign it’s been so far, and let’s not lose track of the fact that Napoli is still here. There are only 8 points separating Juventus (85), AS Roma (78), and Napoli (77), with 9 points available. What if we end up talking about Napoli when the final bell rings after round 38? There are no playoffs people, and there is no extra football to be played to decide the Italian Scudetto. Once all 20 clubs finish the 2016/17 campaign, we turn our attention to next season.
The lower tiers of Italian football will continue past the finish of the campaign. There will be playoff promotions, playoff relegation, and that will go on for weeks throughout Italy.
We have already established that Pescara will be demoted to second tier Serie B next campaign. Palermo is also finished, because even if they do catch Crotone for the final relegation spot, that still means relegation.
Either Empoli, Crotone or Genoa are going to join Palermo and Pescara in Serie B next year. I wonder if anyone has noticed that Crotone is certainly pushing to stay in top flight. Four wins and two draws from their last six outings, sure tells me that they have fight left in them. Crotone will take on Udinese in this round, and Ude are simply finishing the campaign not overly concerned. With their 44 points in 11th place of the Serie A table, Udinese will likely finish right where they are in the middle of the final standings anyway.
So okay, I have thrown out a little synopsis of a couple of things going on around the league.
Can Juventus clinch their 33rd Serie A Italian Scudetto title this weekend? Will there be any excitement for the race to see who stays in top flight? Do us bettors have an eye on some favorable lines we could take advantage of?
Oh, you know all of this happens here, so let me get some lines up, and further expand from there.
Saturday, May 13 ~ 2 Matches
Fiorentina vs Lazio
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Fiorentina +105
Lazio +235
Draw +290
Handicap/Spread:
Fiorentina -0.5 +105
Lazio +0.5 -125
Total 3.5:
Over +100
Under -120
Atalanta vs AC Milan
Atalanta +105
Milan +275
Draw +255
Atalanta -0.5 +105
Milan +0.5 -125
Total 2.5:
Over -135
Under +115
Sunday, May 14 ~ 8 Matches
Featured Match of the Weekend:
AS Roma vs Juventus
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Roma +155
Juve +175
Draw +250
Handicap/Spread:
Roma 0/Pk -125
Juve 0/Pk +105
Total 2.5:
Over -120
Under +100
Inter Milan vs Sassuolo
Inter -225
Sassuolo +550
Draw +400
Inter -1.5 +120
Sassuolo +1.5 -140
Total 3.5:
Over -105
Under -115
Bologna vs Pescara
Bologna -185
Pescara +500
Draw +345
Bologna -1 -120
Pescara +1 +100
Total 3:
Over -120
Under +100
Cagliari vs Empoli
Cagliari +205
Empoli +120
Draw +275
Cagliari +0.5 -140
Empoli -0.5 +120
Total 3:
Over -105
Under -115
Crotone vs Udinese
Crotone -150
Udinese +435
Draw +300
Crotone -0.5 -150
Udinese +0.5 +130
Total 2.5:
Over -135
Under +115
Palermo vs Genoa
Palermo +410
Genoa -150
Draw +300
Palermo +0.5 +130
Genoa -0.5 -150
Total 3:
Over +100
Under -120
Sampdoria vs Chievo Verona
Sampdoria -125
Chievo +360
Draw +275
Sampdoria -0.5 -125
Chievo +0.5 +105
Total 3:
Over +100
Under -120
Torino vs Napoli
Torino +475
Napoli -190
Draw +370
Torino +1 +105
Napoli -1 -125
Total 3.5:
Over -110
Under -110
__________________
I have to admit, i just scrolled up to look at that photo again. Seriously, Bonucci man! I am pretty sure that sums up how bad Juventus wants Champions League this year. Some of us remember the 1995/96 campaign when Juventus last took the Champions League title. Of course, the only reason I would actually root for Juve, or any Italian club in exterior competitions for that matter, is because I like when any Serie A club goes deep in to these tournaments.
Sure, I want Roma to win every thing, every year, but it’s been a while for me too. About 17 years to be exact, but we sure do a good job at coming in second place! << Hmm, maybe not the best spot for a exclamation point. But at the same token, Roma does usually qualify for something European competition related each year, for what that’s worth. << Notice, no exclamation point this time… okay then.
Ahh, whatever! It is what it is, but what if Roma shocks Juve this weekend at home? We all know Juventus has been playing plenty of football lately, between all three competitions. The treble is still in contention, so my Futures Betting article about Juventus still has value out there. The line setters are showing a relatively even expectation on the big match too, so this could be interesting.
So yes, I have an expectation on Juventus to win the Italian Scudetto, among other things. Approaching this weekend is leaving me sitting here like, damnit, my club AS Roma is what stands in the way. But yet I want to root for Roma this weekend to extend the battle for the Scudetto for now. You know that catch-22 stuff that you run into sometimes, right?
You have money on one thing, but you can’t help rooting for your own club either. Let’s call it a conundrum with a multiple personality disorder! I am rooting for Juventus in Europe, because they represent Serie A, but I want Roma to take them down this weekend. I don’t even care if Totti touches the pitch, because we know it’s a big match in Rome. A big match in Rome, usually means Totti ‘might’ make an appearance in the 71st minute, or something worthless anyway. So, with that said, I want to get some plays up for the people who like the action.
And, by the way, the Juventus vs Lazio match for the Coppa Italia title, was just moved to May 17. It was originally slated for June 2, but since Juventus earned their way to the CL finals, the date was moved. Essentially, that means that Juventus could clinch two of the three trophies towards the triple this week.
Breaking my norm, I am just going to group out a few plays this time, which is not what I usually do. I will list the suggested action I have for round 36 right here instead.
Saturday:
Fiorentina / Lazio
Total Goals Over 3.5 @ +100
Atalanta / Milan
Total Goals Over 3 @ +125
Sunday:
Inter Milan / Sassuolo
Sassuolo AH +1 @ +120
Torino / Napoli
Total Goals Over 3.5 @ -110
Sampdoria / Chievo
Total Goals Over 3 @ +105
AS Roma / Juventus
Juventus 0/Pk AH @ +105
Without Dzeko, Strootman and possibly Nainggolan as well, Roma just can’t pull it off. I think the featured match of the weekend, is going to end with the Italian Scudetto clinched for Juventus. Even with a +105 on that Juventus draw no Bet action, suits me fine. We know Khedira is out Juventus, and the possibility of Higuain being absent is likely as well. No real concern for me, because even if the draw comes, it won’t hurt a bit.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the Serie A Grand Salami for Sunday as well. We did indeed topple the 1,000 goals mark this past weekend in Serie A, so now it is just time to add on to it.
Keep in mind, when it comes to getting in on the action, Diamond has your Italian football available. In fact, if you use the promo code RAINMAKER upon registration, I might just be able to help you out with some things. We will call that the benefit of knowing people, and let you digest that.
In Bocca Al Lupo as always, and we will catch you for round 37 next weekend!
