Serie A Betting - Week 2 Preview
30th Aug 2007, 18:51
The Italian season got underway last weekend with current champions, Inter Milan, getting off to a slow start by drawing their opening fixture at the San Siro, while their main rivals, Roma, Juventus and AC Milan all recorded opening victories. Anyone who’s backed Inter on PinnacleSports.com’s Serie A futures market shouldn’t worry just yet, as they did the same last season, before running away with the Scudetto. PinnacleSports.com continues to offer up to 60% better Serie A Asian Handicap prices.
The Old Lady Shows Her Experience
Juventus celebrated their return to Serie A football with a comprehensive 5-1 win over Livorno. New coach, Claudio Ranieri, couldn’t have hoped for a better result in Juve’s opening weekend fixture, boosting the club as they seek to fulfil their stated ambitions of returning to Champions League football next season. This weekend they travel across the sea to Cagliari.
The Stadio Sant’Elia will remind Juve’s stars of the kind of venues they left behind in Serie B, and their experience in the lower division should help them for tricky away encounters such as this one. Cagliari have struggled to maintain their Serie A status for the past three seasons, relying heavily on the goals of Honduran goal-machine David Suazo (95 goals in 255 appearances). However, Suazo’s exploits led to the inevitable transfer to a bigger club, leaving in the summer for Inter Milan. The Islanders did make a good start without their talisman, winning a difficult game at another newly promoted side, Napoli. PinnacleSports.com price Juventus as favourites 1.962 (-0.5 & -1) with Cagliari 1.962 (+0.5 & +1) a market of only 101.94%.
Milan & Fiorentina Could be a Goal Fest
AC Milan entertain Fiorentina at the San Siro on Monday in the first big clash of the new Italian season. The Rossoneri are considered Champion material, having finished fourth last season with an eight point burden, and lifting the Champions League. Milan opened their account with a comfortable 3-0 win at Genoa, with a brace from Kaka, refreshed having opted out of the Coppa America. Both of last season’s meeting were stalemates, but encounters are historically entertaining, with nine of the last twelve producing three goals or more. La Viola began their campaign well with a 3-1 home win, having sold star forward, Luca Toni to Bayern Munich. PinnacleSports.com price OVER 2 & 2.5 goals at 1.781 with the UNDER favourite at 2.180.
Inter Looking for Winning Start
Last season’s amazing feats were always going to be a hard act to follow for Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri won the Italian league by 22 points, and recorded the most consecutive home and away victories. Expectation is understandably high, and Roberto Mancini’s side are strong favourites with PinnacleSports.com to retain the Scudetto having signed defender, Christian Chivu, and Honduran goal machine, David Suazo. Inter won’t however, have it all their own way. The rest of Serie A will be know how far they need to raise their game, and Inter lost out to Roma in the Italian Super Cup, whilst also drawing their opening league fixture. They travel to Empoli’s Stadio Carlo Castellani on Saturday looking to record the all important first win. Empoli was a surprise package last term, finishing 7th and earning UEFA Cup qualification. They are unbeaten in eleven home league fixtures so won’t be a pushover, but did lose this fixture 3-0 last term. PinnacleSports.com price Inter Milan favourites 2.09 (-1) with Empoli 1.84 (+1).