Saturday, 8.45pm
WITH games against three sides at the wrong end of the table to come, Vincenzo Montella and Fiorentina know just how huge Saturday night's match in Florence could prove.
If they beat Roma they're in with a great chance of scraping ahead of Milan into third with a winning end to the season.
La Viola have won their last three matches and have scored in each of their last 10 Serie A games, with their average of 2.4 goals per game over that period the best in the division.
With Stefan Jovetic struggling with injury their inspiration has been Adem Llajic, who has contributed an incredible seven goals and four assists over those 10 games, and who is in the form of his life.
Fiorentina are 1.98 (1-1) to get the win though and that might be reading just a little bit too much into their recent form. Roma have turned into an excellent side under Aurelio Andreazzoli and have conceded just 16 goals since the departure of Zdenek Zeman.
Andreazzoli has them playing with controlled entertainment and that's the style that suits Roma best.
Roma looked good last week as they demolished Siena and while I can't see them winning in Florence I fancy them to come away with a draw.
They have beaten Fiorentina twice already this season and won't be bothered by their excellent home record. Jovetic will start for La Viola but they'll miss Stefan Savic at the back and I'm happy to back the draw at a generous looking 4.0 (3-1).
Recommended Bet
Back draw in Fiorentina v Roma @ 4.0 (3/1)
Milesey (Betfair)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
Argentinos Juniors v Lanús – Saturday 21:10
Lanús have lost that winning feeling a bit recently, but the Granate are still very likely champions if they can revert to their early-season form and ditch this spate of draws.
The only unbeaten side remaining, Lanús have the best defence in the division and with Tata Martino’s Newell’s gathering momentum and recently surpassing them, they can’t afford to wait much longer to turn things round.
A solid back line, a creative yet battle-hardened midfield and a dynamic attack should be enough but it’s been a drought of goals in the last few weeks that has contributed to their run of just one win in six.
Fortunately for Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side, they play rock-bottom Argentinos Juniors this weekend in a game that seems a complete mismatch. One win in eleven from the Red Bugs is a real concern and Lanús should get back to winning ways with a generous odds-against price.
Recommended bet: Back Lanús at 2.06
Milesey
RESULT :
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina 0 – 1 AS Roma 91st minute goooooooooooooooal
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can’t see my LAY OF THE DAY posted ?
Fiorentina are odds-on for their Serie A clash with Roma this evening and those tuning in to ESPN at 19:45 could witness a shock result.
Vincenzo Montella has worked wonders since being appointed as Fiorentina manager in the summer. The former Roma player and manager has taken them from mid-table obscurity to the edge of the Champions League places. With just four games to go, they sit in fourth place, one point adrift of Milan in third but six points clear of Roma in fifth.
In order to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition, the club from Florence will have to overhaul AC Milan and they can’t afford to drop too many points to do so. Viola have won their last three matches and they are unbeaten on home soil in Serie A since the beginning of the year. Interestingly though, they lost 1-0 after extra time here at Stadio Artemio Franchi to tonight’s opponents in the Coppa Italia back in the middle of January.
Roma are in a four-way battle for the final remaining Europa League place and as just three points covers all four of them, they also can’t afford to drop too many points. Aurelio Andreazzoli is the new man in charge following the dismissal of Zdeněk Zeman in February. Andreazzoli has toned down the team’s style of play and after losing his opening game as boss, he’s lost just one of his last 11 – winning seven of them.
The Yellow-Reds have won their last two away from Rome and they beat Inter 3-2 on their last road trip to reach the Coppa Italia final. Joint top scorers, Erik Lamela and Pablo Osvaldo both netted at the weekend so they’re in fine form, and in Francesco Totti they have a player who can make something happen from nothing.
Roma are a new team under Andreazzoli and I expect them to give Fiorentina a hard time tonight. It should be a close encounter with the draw a strong possibility. That’s why, with Fiorentina trading at around the 1.99 mark, I have to make them my lay of the day.
Recommended Bet
Lay Fiorentina v Roma @ 1.99
Milesey
You are useless. Always going on about the Bankies. More time studying and less time talking about your liquidated club.
I’ve not had to listen to him for months. I’ve been off work eating ice cream
Here we go again with the idiots, why do you put blame for your bad bets on other people? We all lose from time to time but we also win from time to time, looking forward to tomorrows tips on the site as always
John, it’s OK, just someone at the wind-up.