The finish in the Italian Serie A is getting super-exciting, as only one point divides Juventus and Napoli at the top of the table with four rounds more to go, while three different teams from the third to the fifth spot of the table (AS Roma, Lazio, and Inter) are within two points, battling for the remaining two spots in the UEFA Champions League next season.
The Round 35 matches are scheduled over this weekend, and we will see a couple of massive games as Inter welcomes Juventus on Saturday, April 28th, 2018, while Fiorentina hosts Napoli on Sunday, April 29th, 2018. On the other side, AS Roma meets Chievo at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday, while a day later, Lazio has a tough task against Torino on the road, so the great weekend is ahead of us in the Italian Serie A.
SERIE A BETTING TRENDS
- One point separates the first-placed Juventus and the second-placed Napoli, so both teams desperately need three points out of this round
- AS Roma (67 points), Lazio (67 points), and Inter (66 points) are all fighting for the remaining two UEFA Champions League spots
- Juventus won nine out of the last 11 away games along with two stalemates
- Napoli is unbeaten on the road so far, recording 13 wins and four draws
- AS Roma has a 3-0-2 record in the last five matches at home
- 16 out of Lazio’s 17 away games had at least three goals in the total
INTER vs. JUVENTUS
3-Way: 1: Inter +230; X: +220 Draw; 2: Juventus +130 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Inter +130; Juventus -150
Total +2: Over -145; Under +125
Inter has won two games in a row, beating Cagliari 4-0 at home, and Chievo 2-1 on the road in the previous round of the Serie A, so the Black and Blues are waiting for the defending champions in a good mood, hoping for another strong display. Juventus was beaten 1-0 by Napoli at home in the previous round, conceding a goal in the dying moments of the second half, and it could make a huge damage on their self-confidence, especially after that unlucky defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League Quarter-Finals a few weeks ago.
Juventus is unbeaten in the last eleven Serie A away matches, recording nine wins and two draws in the process, and the Old Lady will have to search for another victory here. The fans should expect a great battle, similar to their first meeting of the season that was finished in a nil-nil draw. The visitors are slight favorites for a reason, as losing points here could mean a loss of the title, while the bookies don’t expect to see more than two goals on the scoreboard.
MY PICK: Juventus to Win (+130)
ADDITIONAL PICK: Under 2 Goals (+125)
FIORENTINA vs. NAPOLI
3-Way: 1: Fiorentina +560; X: +345 Draw; 2: Napoli -200 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +1: Fiorentina +105; Napoli -115
Total +2.5: Over -130; Under +110
After a heroic 1-0 victory over Juventus in the previous round, Napoli cut the deficit to just one point, and now they have to give their best and try to win all four remaining games. Their next fixture against Fiorentina is a tough one, as the hosts are still in the competition for the UEFA Europa League, and they cannot afford to lose this match, so the fans can expect a tremendous show at Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence.
Both managers can field their best eleven on this one, so Napoli will probably control the ball in the midfield due to a sheer quality they possess among the squad. However, one goal can completely change the flow of the match, and whoever breaks the deadlock, the other team will have to push forward in numbers.
MY PICK: Both Teams to Score YES (-115)
AS ROMA vs. CHIEVO
3-Way: 1: AS Roma -265; X: +400 Draw; 2: Chievo +800 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread -1.5: AS Roma +110; Chievo -125
Total +2.5: Over -135; Under +115
On next Wednesday, AS Roma will host Liverpool in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals, and after a 5-2 defeat in the first leg in England, the Magic One certainly has a lot of worries on the mind. However, Eusebio Di Francesco’s boys will have to get together and find the way to beat Chievo on this Saturday, but it could be a tricky job as the visitors are fighting to survive in the Italian Serie A.
With just two points above the relegation zone, the Flying Donkeys desperately need a positive result against AS Roma, and their head coach Rolando Maran will probably take a cautious approach, trying to keep the net intact for as long as possible. In the first H2H duel of the season, Chievo managed to earn a nil-nil draw in front of the home fans, but AS Roma won the previous three meetings, scoring at least three goals in each of these three tilts.
MY PICK: AS Roma AH -1.5 (+110)
ADDITIONAL PICK: Over 2.5 Goals (-135)
TORINO vs. LAZIO
3-Way: 1: Torino +385; X: +300 Draw; 2: Lazio -145 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +1: Torino -140; Lazio +120
Total +3: Over +100; Under -115
After a 2-1 defeat against Atalanta on the road in the previous round of the Serie A, Torino lost its’ chances to play in the UEFA Europa League next season, and this fact could be a huge boost for Lazio to grab all three points at Stadio Olimpico di Torino this Sunday. The Eagles are currently sitting at the fourth spot of the Serie A table with one point ahead of Inter in the fifth place, so if Inter fails to win against Juventus (which is expected), the Eagles could make a massive step closer to the UEFA Champions League with a victory over Torino.
Lazio’s manager Simone Inzaghi can count on all important first-team players ahead of this clash, while his colleague Walter Mazzarri will probably miss the midfielder Joel Obi (six goals in 25 apps) and the forward Iago Falque (13 goals in 36 apps), both due to injuries.
MY PICK: Over 3 Goals (+100)
