Matchday 2 in Serie A was a little disappointing both in terms of the football on offer and betting but Enzo is back undeterred with four more selections for this weekends Italian football action.
Lazio v Inter Milan – Fri 26th Aug 19:45 BST
In comparison to Matchday 1 last weekends Serie A action, or lack thereof, was extremely disappointing. Eight of the games saw less than 2.5 goals scored, four of which were 0-0 draws. Inter provided one of the few sparks of life when they comfortably dispatched Spezia 3-0 at the San Siro. Surprisingly though Big Rom didn’t get his name on the scoresheet and it was the other half of LuLa that did the damage.
For Lukaku to go two games in a row without scoring is a rare occurrence and it’s rarer still to see him priced at odds against to score anytime. So, predictably Romelu Lukaku Anytime Goalscorer @ 5/4 is my first Italian football bet of the weekend.
Juventus v Roma – Sat 27th Aug 17:30 BST
Roma have continued where they left off last season with two 1-0 victories in vintage Mourinho style. Despite boasting an impressive attacking trident of Dybala, Abraham and Zaniolo, the goals have not yet begun to flow but the defence looks rock solid.
Juventus too look defensively sound and have yet to concede but The Old Lady’s attacking woes have followed them into 2022/23. Under Allegri, Juve look underwhelming going forward and this was highlighted during the 0-0 draw with Sampdoria. Dušan Vlahović was left isolated upfront due to a lack of service and creativity in the middle of the park, a familiar theme from last season.
As a Roma fan I am tempted by the 12/5 available for an away win. The Giallorossi are not far off Juve’s level and I wouldn’t discourage anyone from dropping a couple of quid on it. That being said, I am not fully convinced Roma have shaken off the mental issues that have hounded the club, despite winning the Conference League. Instead I am going with the safer option and backing Under 2.5 goals @ 5/6.
Verona v Atalanta – Sun 28th Aug 17:30 BST
As I mentioned before, Verona are a side in transition and have not yet adapted to the high profile departures from the club or the new manager. They managed to scrape a draw with Bologna on Sunday but in truth the 1-1 scoreline flattered them somewhat.
Atalanta have gone about their business quietly and without fuss. A routine dispatching of Sampdoria and a credible draw with Milan is a decent start for any team. La Dea might not be playing with the same flair that took them all the way to the Champions League quarter finals but so long as the results keep coming who cares. I fancy Atalanta to have too much for Verona here so Atalanta Win @ 10/11 is where my money will be.
Fiorentina v Napoli – Sun 28th Aug 19:45 BST
It has been a sluggish start to the 2022/23 Serie A campaign for Fiorentina. On matchday 1, La Viola were run close by newly promoted Cremonese who played the entire second half without Gonzalo Escalante. This was followed up by a drab draw with Empoli in the Tuscan derby. New signing Luka Jovic hit the ground running with a goal on his debut but was largely anonymous during his second start. Against Empoli, Fiorentina created very little and lacked any creative drive even when their hosts were reduced to ten men. At the moment, Vincenzo Italiano’s side look like a shadow of the one that finished 7th last year.
In contrast, Napoli have a enjoyed a rip-roaring opening to their season. They thrashed Verona at the Bentegodi and mauled Monza in the Maradona. Before the campaign kicked off there were fears for Napoli’s standing as a top four side after the losses of Koulibaly, Mertens and Insigne but so far, these fears seem unjustified. Kvaratskhelia has been electric, scoring three including two screamers and Kim Min Jae has looked solid at the back. The Partenopei have also signed Cholito Simeone and reportedly reached an agreement with Sassuolo for Giacomo Raspadori so things can only get better. Napoli Win @ 6/5 is the only reasonable bet for this one.
Smart Bets
Lazio v Inter Milan: Romelu Lukaku Anytime Goalscorer @ 5/4
Juventus v Roma: Under 2.5 goals @ 5/6
Verona v Atalanta: Atalanta Win @ 10/11
Fiorentina v Napoli: Napoli Win @ 6/5