With the opening weekend of Lega Calcio behind us, the 2017-18 Serie A campaign is officially underway.
The second round of the new season means 10 clubs get to make their home debuts. With that, comes the pressure of finding points in front of fans who have waited for this weekend to come. It is just about the same situation as opening weekend, with nerves and anticipation factoring in.
I certainly want to start with a little review of what we saw last weekend to start the new campaign.
Crotone put themselves behind the eight-ball early in their opening fixture against AC Milan. Center back
Federico Ceccherini picked up a red card just five minutes into the contest, and the effects were obvious. Down to 10 men that early in any match, will usually set the tone for both clubs for the duration of the fixture. Since the card occurred in the box, Milan converted the penalty chance, and finished the half up 3 – 0.
Did you enjoy the opening result between Benevento and Sampdoria this past weekend? Should I quote my opening Lega Calcio Round 1 and remind you of what I said? Ahh, why not.
And I quote…
“Let me give you all a quick lesson about Benevento! I have two words for you to start with. Ceravolo & Ciciretti! It ain’t a damn law firm people, so look for those two to do all the damage up front for Benevento. Boy was it fun letting those two cash so many Serie B tickets for me last year. I expect most of the goals to come from those two, so should you. I expect one of them to score this weekend against Sampdoria, and I expect goals to be scored overall.
Two Suggested Plays:
Sampdoria vs Benevento ~ Total Goals Over 2.5 @ +100
Both Teams to Score ~ Yes @ -110 “
Unquote, and cash em both!
How about my man, Mr. Ciciretti, scoring the opening goal of the match between Benevento and Sampdoria. In addition, Sampdoria tied the match at 1 – 1 before halftime, cashing the Both to Score prop! On top of that, less then 10 minutes into the second half. pay dirt! A 2 – 1 Sampdoria lead, meant two tickets cashed in less than an hour! I can dig on that all damn day, and twice on Sunday.
One noticeable fact from opening weekend around Lega Calcio, was a lull in scoring in the second half. In problematic fashion, there was no scoring from the 55′ – 80′ around all the last 8 matches on Sunday in Serie A. Obviously there were no second half goals in the first match between Roma and Atalanta either. If you were hanging out with a livescore site open, you were kept waiting for the crowd roar for a half hour during the seven evening affairs. It drove me nuts too, because I wanted to see the Serie A Grand Salami hit. It was listed at 21.5 for the 8 Sunday matches, and we know I love my salami!
There were no goals scored in Rome between Lazio and Serie A newcomers, Spal. Also, there were no goals scored in the Sassuolo V Genoa outing, which will kill a Grand Salami play when you had it to go Over. As stated, the Salami was listed at 21.5 for the 8 Sunday contests, and it seemed on pace early. In the end, there were only 15 total goals scored on Sunday, in addition to the seven goals from the two Saturday games.
Regarding the two Saturday matches and results, Juventus prevailed 3 – 0 over Calgiari in Turin. Napoli defeated Hellas Verona 3 – 1, in the midst of a monsoon-type rain storm through the second half of play. Napoli played their back leg fixture with Ligue 1’s Nice in the Champions League playoff round on Tuesday, traveling with a 2- 0 home advantage from the front portion of their tie.
In closing, here are all the results from opening weekend around Lega Calcio.
Saturday
Juventus 3 – 0 Cagliari
H. Verona 1 – 3 Napoli
Sunday
Atalanta 0 – 1 AS Roma
Bologna 1 – 1 Torino
Crotone 0 – 3 AC Milan
Inter 3 – 0 Fiorentina
Lazio 0 – 0 Spal
Sampdoria 2 – 1 Benevento
Sassuolo 0 – 0 Genoa
Udinese 1 – 2 Chievo Verona
Moving forward, my attention turns to this weekend and round 2 of the campaign. Oh, by the way, Serie B kicks off their season this weekend as well, so here we go! Sometimes I wonder who knows about my Serie B stats over the last two years? In all honesty, let’s be real, because it goes back so much further then that! Remember the Italian Football Radio Show I’ve hosted dating back to 2010, and my donbest video analysis days? Rainmaker Alert! Yeah, that’s me!
There are people who follow Lega Calcio, and then there are people like me. What do I mean by that? Well, let’s start with this for now…
| CATEGORIES | Picks | PROFIT | YIELD | ODDS AVG. | STAKE AVG. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ita. Serie A | 90 | +28 | +18% | +100 | 1.86 | |
| Ita. Serie B | 140 | +27 | +12% | +102 | 1.81 | |
| Ita. Coppa Italia | 36 | +16 | +24% | +105 | 1.97 | |
| Ita. Serie C | 74 | +15 | +14% | -101 | 1.47 |
That there is what you have gotten if you have followed my Lega Calcio betting advice the last 7 months. In addition, throw in the Coppa Italia stats too, why not! I make it easy for my followers, placing almost every bet at 2 units, averaging +money while doing it. As long as you know what that chart means, then you know why I put it there. Also, I don’t even ask a soul for a dime, for any of it. You’re welcome, and if you are interested in where I track these plays, just hollar at me below. I will hollar back girl, and I ain’t no Gwen Stefani either!
On top of that, you even get to maybe enjoy my articles, because I kinda enjoy this stuff. I mean who else just broke out that I ain’t your Holla Back Girl, in a friggin Serie A betting preview? Yeah, that happened!
All fun aside, there is a seriousness about all of this too, so let me get to the matches.
We have three fixtures set for Saturday, with the seven remaining games happening on Sunday, August 27.
Saturday, August 26 – 3 Matches
Benevento vs Bologna
3-Way 1×2 lines:
Benevento +170
Draw +220
Bologna +170
Handicap/Spread:
Benevento 0/Pk -110
Bologna 0/Pk -110
Total 2.5:
Over -140
Under +120
Genoa vs Juventus
Genoa +750
Draw +350
Juventus -250
Genoa +1.5 -135
Juventus -1.5 +115
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
AS Roma vs Inter Milan
Roma +130
Draw +245
Inter +200
Roma 0/Pk -140
Inter 0/Pk +120
Total 3:
Over -110
Under -110
Sunday, August 27 – 7 Matches
Torino vs Sassuolo
Torino -135
Draw +275
Sassuolo +380
Torino -0.5 -135
Sassuolo +0.5 +115
Total 2.5:
Over -115
Under +105
AC Milan vs Cagliari
Milan -450
Draw +550
Cagliari +1200
Milan -1.5 -145
Cagliari +1.5 +125
Total 3:
Over -115
Under +105
Chievo Verona vs Lazio
Chievo +240
Draw +230
Lazio +115
Chievo +0.5 -135
Lazio -0.5 +115
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Crotone vs Hellas Verona
Crotone +145
Draw +215
Verona +200
Crotone 0/Pk -135
Verona 0/Pk +115
Total 2.5:
Over +115
Under -135
Fiorentina vs Sampdoria
Fiorentina -115
Draw +260
Sampdoria +330
Fiorentina -0.5 -115
Sampdoria +0.5 +105
Total 2.5:
Over -130
Under +110
Napoli vs Atalanta
Napoli -240
Draw +375
Atalanta +650
Napoli -1.5 +115
Atalanta +1.5 -135
Total 3:
Over -110
Under -110
Spal vs Udinese
Spal +150
Draw +220
Udinese +200
Spal 0/Pk -125
Udinese 0/Pk +105
Total 2.5:
Over +115
Under -135
Starting it all off on Saturday, we have Benevento hosting Bologna. Speaking of home-opener jitters, this will be the first match in Benevento’s history at top flight level. I envision a full house at Stadio Ciro Vigorito this weekend, which opened in 1979, officially.
Benevento earned 45 of their 65 points last season at home in Serie B, with a 13 – 6 – 2 record. In addition, The Stregoni allowed a league-low 14 goals from their 21 regular season home outings. Keep in mind, Benevento also had to endure all three rounds of the playoff promotion battle to get to Serie A. That is quite a process too, so this is monumental to this organization, obviously.
I don’t know why the line setters are trying to point people to the under, offering it at -135. The first thing that crossed my mind with that line, was one word! Grazie!
Not only that, but it also pointed me to the Over 2 & 2.5 handicap line offered at -106. Both Benevento and Bologna have their team total set at 1 with -125 attached to it. Accordingly, the Both Teams to Score prop is also listed at about -110 at most sites.
I vote YES to all of it really, so here is what comes next…
Suggested Plays:
Benevento / Bologna Total Goals Over 2 & 2.5 Handicap @ -106
Both Teams to Score (YES) @ -110
The match with Genoa and Juventus pits Perin and Gigi against each other in net. Obviously, the two held clean sheets to open their respective Lega Calcio campaigns. Genoa was responsible for handing Juventus one of their five losses last year. The man who accounted for two of the three goals in a 3 – 1 Genoa win last season, is gone. Mr. Simeone is now wearing an Inter Milan kit, and that was just a strange match anyway. An own goal in the Juve net had Genoa up 3 – 0 in a half hour, and Allegri was short-staffed. So many Juve regulars missed that affair, but a win is a win either way.
I do not envision a 3 – 1 Genoa triumph this weekend, because I don’t expect a lot of goals at Luigi Ferrari. The lines are walking people into thinking about a 2 – 1 result, but I smell another classic 1 – 0 coming here. Juventus used to win matches 1 – 0 like clockwork, and for some reason I see another one coming this weekend.
I won’t suggest a bet on it, however, but I do know what I expect.
Oh boy, the Roma match with Inter sure became interesting early in the campaign. With both clubs winning their campaign openers last weekend, carrying that momentum will be vital as the season goes forward.
In all honesty, I see value in the Inter Milan 0/Pk DNB option with a +120 attached to it. Let’s also keep in mind what Inter did through the ICC in July, taking out Lyon, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea. Unlimited subs make that competition a little screwy IMO, but it is what it is. Or, what it was, in this case.
Regardless, Inter certainly made Fiorentina look pretty bad last weekend to open the campaign.
Roma held Atalanta at bay with a 1 – 0 win away from home, and really made it look easy. Atalanta looked more like the club we remember before last season’s goal production improved.
We could certainly see a draw here in Rome, but again, at +120 I jump in it!
Suggested Play:
AS Roma / Inter Milan – Inter Milan 0/Pk, Draw no Bet Handicap @ +120
Continuing to Sunday’s contests, I will jump right to the total at the San Siro. AC Milan is hosting Cagliari as part of the six matches kicking off at 2:45 ET. Goals is the only word I have to say, so let’s be obvious here.
Suggested Play:
AC Milan / Cagliari Total Goals Over 3 @ -115
Crotone and Verona has me wondering who the hell is going to score there? I mentioned last week that Cerci and Pazzini pose a zero threat to score. Don’t even bother me with that crap penalty kick that Pazzini converted against Napoli. Garbage!
That’s why Napoli will never win the Scudetto, because I have no faith in Pepe Reina in net. My mother could have stopped that penalty chance, and she died 7 years ago. Yeah, it’s like that! Until Napoli finds a better keeper, they will continue to be 2nd and 3rd in the final table, year after year.
Napoli became the third Italian club that will be appearing in this season’s Champions League group stage. After a 4 – 0 aggregate win in the Champions League Playoff Round over Nice, Napoli will join Juventus and AS Roma in group stage. Did you catch Francesco Totti drawing the balls to determine how the groups shaped out today?
I thought it was cool to have him there for that, being the Roma fan that I have been for 30+ years.
You know damn well that The Admiral and this guy here, will have plenty of Champions League articles. Throughout group stage and beyond, the both of us will be busting out plenty of match previews right to the final match in Kiev in May.
For now, it’s about Lega Calcio for me, and second tier Serie B starts this weekend as well. I just love this time of year, especially with NFL and NCAA football on the horizon too.
Oops, that’s a segway if there ever was one. I recorded our opening edition of the College Football Throwdown Podcast today, with Erik the Hun. In fact, this is Season 2 of our Throwdown Show, so check that out all year long.
Let me leave you with a couple of other suggestions, before I wrap this puppy up.
I mentioned Napoli, and that also will segway me in to that total in Naples. Atalanta may have been solely responsible for keeping Napoli from taking last season’s title. Had Atalanta not won both meetings last campaign, those 6 points Napoli left on the table ended up being big.
I have seen all three of Napoli’s matches over the last week, all of which saw Napoli winning. Starting last Tuesday, Napoli has defeated Nice twice by 2 – 0 scorelines, and won 3 – 1 opening weekend, as mentioned.
If three goals are all we need to at worst push a play on the total, then so be it.
Suggested Plays:
Napoli / Atalanta Total Goals Over 3 @ -110
Atalanta Team Total Over 0.5 & 1 Handicap @ -110
If you didn’t actually watch what Spal did in Rome against Lazio last weekend, go watch it now. Alfred Gomis certainly played better then I expected him to, and 10 saves with a clean sheet to open your Serie A campaign? Impressive, but certainly a team effort, as is the case with any clean sheet really. The bigger problem for Spal was only managing two shots on frame in the match.
The Simone Scuffet project is continuing for Udinese, and some regard his goalkeeping skills among the best in Lega Calcio. Scuffet started the final three fixtures of last year’s campaign, and lost twice with a draw as the other result.
In addition, he started last weekend’s home opener, and lost 2 – 1 to Chievo Verona.
Show me you cam win at the top flight level, before garnering the respect of being compared to some of Italy’s best net minders! At least that’s how I see it, because what he did at U17 etc. means nothing up here.
Suggested Play:
Spal / Udinese – Spal 0/Pk, Draw no Bet Handicap @ -125
All righty then. That should feed the Lega Calcio fix, and help your #MoneyTreesGrow. I have basically taken that hashtag and made it my own. Look for it on Twitter, and feel free to like a thing or two.
Enjoy the matches of the second round in Serie A, and buckle up for Serie B this weekend too.
In Bocca Al Lupo! Ciao!
