WE'VE sealed another stellar signing for the new campaign with Serie A don Paolo Bandini bringing his expertise to the site thanks to our partner Unibet.
Paolo is an Anglo-Italian sportswriter who pens a superb weekly Serie A column for the Guardian and his other credits include ESPN, the BBC and TalkSport as well as making regular appearances on the Football Weekly podcast.
He's a Trevi Fountain of knowledge and we're delighted to have him on board. He has a preview of tonight's matches at Juventus and Lazio.
Juventus v Fiorentina (7.45pm)
It is safe to say Paulo Dybala is not feeling weighed down by the No.10 shirt at Juventus. The Argentine scored 11 league goals in total last season but already has eight in four this time around.
That figure becomes even more extraordinary when you consider he only played a little more than half an hour of the match against Chievo.
There is a case to be made that his exceptional form is covering up for flaws elsewhere. Gonzalo Higuaín has seemed distracted in his last couple of games, showing his middle finger to Barcelona fans at the Camp Nou and throwing a bottle after he was substituted against Sassuolo on Sunday.
Further back the sale of Leonardo Bonucci, accompanied by an injury to Giorgio Chiellini, has stripped away some certainty from the defence. But it says everything about Juventus’s domestic superiority that despite such issues they have sailed through every league game.
Fiorentina are the strongest opponent they have faced yet in this Serie A campaign and motivated further by old rivalries. But they are also a young side and callow. The likes of Jordan Veretout, Marco Benassi and Federico Chiesa are fun to watch but are still learning the rhythms of this league as well as how to operate together.
They will pose problems for that imperfect Juventus backline which has now lost Mattia de Sciglio to injury as well. But it would be a surprise to see them take anything from this game in the end.
Paolo's Tips
- Correct Score: Juve 4, Fiorentina 2 (40-1, Unibet)
- First scorer: Giovanni Simeone (10-1, Unibet)
- Safe bet: Dybala to score any time (9-10, Unibet)
Lazio v Napoli (7.45pm)
Between them Lazio and Napoli have already scored 24 times this season. The visitors’ attacking prowess is well noted, the trio of Dries Mertens, José Callejón and Lorenzo Insigne simply picking up where they left off at the end of the previous campaign.
Lazio were supposed to find things a little trickier following the departure of Keita Baldé but with Ciro Immobile’s scintillating form he has scarcely been missed. Against Genoa on Sunday night the Biancocelesti were careless, twice throwing away an advantage, but on both occasions the Italy striker was able to get them back in front.
Immobile has scored nine times for Lazio already this season, including six in the last three games. He has demonstrated too he can deliver in the big games – sticking two past Juventus in the Supercoppa victory back in August. By his own reckoning “this is the best spell I’ve had in my career”.
This match though represents a particular challenge. Immobile is Neapolitan by birth yet has never beaten his hometown club. His record against them reads: played six, lost five, drawn one. Only once has he managed to stick the ball in the net against them.
Will this occasion be different? Napoli are not invulnerable – they have often started slowly this season and were punished for it by Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Immobile ought to find opportunities. Whether Lazio can slow down Napoli at the other end though is a more vexing question.
Paolo's Tips
- Correct Score: Lazio 2, Napoli 2 (21-2, Unibet)
- First scorer: Andrea Belotti (5-1, Unibet)
- Safe bet: Napoli to score 2+ (6-5, Unibet)
Anglo-Italian Paolo Bandini writes about Italian football for the Guardian and his tips appear here thanks to our football partner at MrFixitsTips, Unibet. They're making a big splash in the UK betting scene and if you join them today you can claim up to £30 in Welcome Bonuses when you deposit and place your first bet.
