Following a gap of over six weeks, Serie A is back next week folks. The World Cup provided some scintillating football but the viewing figures in Italy may not have been very big as the Azzurri, of course, failed to qualify.
So thank goodness for domestic football and the drama and passion that goes with it. The stadiums across Italy will be bouncing on 4th January as the race for the Scudetto restarts and the teams in the hunt try to bring in the New Year with three festive points.
There are 23 more games and many twists and turns to come. But with Napoli currently leading the charge, let’s take a look at the top five and the teams they face in the Round of 16.
Inter Milan vs Napoli
Unbeaten Napoli have already accumulated an astonishing 41 points from 15 games and have built up an eight-point lead over AC Milan in second place.
But what a test they have on their return when they visit the San Siro to take on 2021 Scudetto winners Inter Milan, and two of the hottest strikers in European football will come face-to-face.
World Cup winner Lautaro Martinez is in one corner with seven goals and Napoli have Victor Osimhen back and ready to add to his nine goals from 11 games.
Martinez came on as a substitute in the Qatar final and came close to scoring a winner before the shootouts, and he is never short of confidence. Meanwhile, the much-admired Osimhen has pledged his future to Napoli, saying he is already at one of the best clubs in Europe.
Napoli come into the game on the back of two friendly defeats to Lille and Villarreal, but I wouldn’t read too much into that and the Serie A 2022 betting odds are right behind Gli Azzurri for the title at a price of 1.40, while fifth-placed Inter Milan are rated third at odds of 7.50.
Inter’s home record reads six wins, no draws, and a single defeat, while Napoli have won six and drawn one on the road, so this is a battle of two formidable teams.
Betting Tip – Napoli, Draw no Bet @ 2.35
Salernitana vs AC Milan
At SBOTOP odds of 6.50, the second-placed I Rossoneri are the most fancied team to stop Napoli, but to do so they must start with a victory away to 12th placed Cremonese.
AC Milan head coach Stefano Pioli will have Rafael Leao and Olivier Giroud, his two leading scorers back from the World Cup and both could make a start.
His opposite number Davide Nicola will try to lift his team back to their form of earlier in the campaign when their Serie A 2022 results were pretty solid. But without a win in five, Salernitana have drifted to mid-table, although with a comfortable 10-point lead over the teams in the relegation zone.
Boulaye Dia, with six goals, is the hosts’ biggest threat.
Betting Tip – AC Milan Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 1.80
Cremonese vs Juventus
Juventus visit third from bottom Cremonese in a game which the Old Lady hopes will re-ignite her Scudetto campaign, as well as taken her mind off matters off the pitch.
UEFA has just opened a formal investigation into the club for potential breaches of financial fair play rules. Prosecutors are investigating the Bianconeri’s accounting statements, including the values ascribed to player transfers and salaries sacrificed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement from the club, which is already familiar to trouble away from the pitch, says Juventus “remain convinced that the club has always acted correctly.”
Back on the playing surface, the Old Lady has been doing quite nicely with five wins from the last six, while Cremonese are without a win in seven and without a win at home this season.
But they can sometimes be hard to break down and have played out three goalless draws in the last six outings, though Juve leading scorer Dusan Vlahovic will be fancy his chances of unlocking the hosts’ defence.
Betting Tip – Under 2.50 @ 1.87
Lecce vs Lazio
16th faces fourth place when Lazio visit Apulia to take on battling Lecce. Despite their lowly place, the hosts have won three from the last six games, while Lazio have four wins from their last six outings.
For Lazio, Ciro Immobile will be on the hunt for more goals to add to his six for the campaign, while midfield ace Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will be a dominant figure as always and he has made seven assists in the season.
Lecce have only one win at home all season but have drawn four times, losing just twice, and they signed off for the World Cup break with a 0-2 win away to Sampdoria while Lazio were thumped 3-0 by Juventus.
Brazil forward Gabriel Strefezza is a player to watch and home fans will hang on to the fact that Lecce won this fixture 2-1 in 2020.
Betting Tip – 1X2 Draw @ 3.06
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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