As we approach the end of the year, it’s safe to say Juventus will be at the top of the standings come 2019. Napoli have found a winning formula in recent weeks and will look to put pressure on the Old Lady, but with eight points separating them, the Azzurri will need to maintain their form. Let’s get into this weekend’s action.
Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore
Saturday 22 December
Lazio 4/10
Draw 36/10
Cagliari 6/1
(13:30)
Lazio have been disappointing in recent weeks and are now winless in their last five matches, including a 1-0 defeat at Atalanta last time out. Cagliari have been just as poor and their away record leaves a lot to be desired. The Eagles have been decent on their ground and I’m expecting them to capitalize on home advantage. With that being said, Cagliari should still manage to find the back of the net. Get on the Matchbet and Both Teams to Score market and take Lazio & Yes at 7/4.
Udinese 15/20
Draw 26/10
Frosinone 36/10
(16:00)
Udinese are just two points off the relegation zone and have suffered back-to-back defeats. However, they put in a good shift last weekend despite going down 1-0 at Inter Milan. Second from bottom Frosinone have registered just one victory all season. The newcomers have lost six of their eight travels, scoring five goals and conceding 19 times. It won’t be cut and dry but I’m backing Udinese to pull off a narrow victory.
Sassuolo 16/10
Draw 43/20
Torino 18/10
(16:00)
Sassuolo ended a winless run of four matches with a well-deserved 2-0 win away to Frosinone. Their opponents, Torino, were the 15th Serie A team to taste defeat to runaway leaders and defending champions Juventus, but a 1-0 loss isn’t all that bad. Expect both teams to give it a full go on Saturday afternoon with goals on the menu. Get on the Both Teams to Score – Yes – market at 17/20.
Napoli 1/5
Draw 11/2
SPAL 12/1
(16:00)
Napoli will look to extend their unbeaten run and make it four wins in a row when they welcome SPAL 2013 to the Stadio San Paolo. The latter are without a win in their last seven matches and have scored just six goals in eight games on the road. This is likely to be a walk over with that Azzurri hitting top form and their opponents struggling to score goals or defend with purpose. Back Napoli on the Half-time/Full-time win at 6/10.
Empoli 5/4
Draw 49/20
Sampdoria 2/1
(16:00)
Empoli’s impressive run of three wins from four games came to an end last time out after a trip to Fiorentina which saw them go down 3-1. Sampdoria are next up and they will be looking to stretch their undefeated run to five matches. However, they will need to be far better than they already have away from home. La Samp are unbeaten in the last seven meetings against Empoli and all seven of those contests saw an average of just 1.28 goals per game. With that being said, the Double Chance and Totals market is where my wallet lies. Take the Draw-Away/Under 2.5 Goals at 18/10.
AC Milan 19/20
Draw 49/20
Fiorentina 29/10
(16:00)
Please note that this fixture was written prior to Tuesday night’s matchup between Bologna and AC Milan. The latter have been strong at home with five wins from eight games and will be looking to build on that. Fiorentina ended a winless run of seven matches with a 3-1 victory over Empoli last weekend. However, they have been dismal on their travels as they remain winless after eight games, scoring seven goals. AC Milan are tipped to come out on top.
Genoa 32/10
Draw 26/10
Atalanta 17/20
(16:00)
Genoa have been in dreadful form with five losses from their last eight matches and that doesn’t look likely to improve here. Atalanta have been excellent with six wins from their last eight games, including a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Lazio last time out. La Dea have won the last five meetings against Genoa, scoring 15 goals and conceding just three times. The away win is the way to go.
Chievo 13/2
Draw 32/10
Inter Milan 9/20
(19:00)
Bottom of the log Chievo remain without a win after 16 rounds, scoring 12 goals and conceding 32 times. Inter Milan have lacked consistency in recent weeks and will be desperate to make it two wins on the bounce here. It won’t be a walk in the park for Inter given their slow starts and struggles of late but they should get up for the win. Get on the away win at 9/20.
Parma 14/10
Draw 22/10
Bologna 2/1
(19:00)
Parma are without a win in their last three matches and will be eager for a change in fortune when they come up against Bologna. The Greyhounds are winless on the road at the time of writing but I’m expecting them to be much more organized here. The last eight meetings have produced just nine goals at an average of 1.12 goals per game. You should know where I’m heading with this. Back the Under 2.5 Goals market at 13/20.
Juventus 4/10
Draw 7/2
Roma 6/1
(21:30)
Juventus have been brilliant to say the least with 15 wins from 16 matches, scoring 33 goals and conceding just eight times. Roma have been nowhere near their best but are coming off a 3-2 home win against Genoa. Although Juventus haven’t conceded on many occasions this season, I’m expecting Roma to break through what has been a water-tight backline. Juventus to Win & Both Teams to Score – Yes – at 43/20 offers plenty of value.
TREBLE @ 13/2
Napoli HT-FT Win 6/10
Sampdoria Draw-Away/Under 2.5 Goals 18/10
Parma vs Bologna Under 2.5 Goals 13/20
Written by Aaron Crowie