WE'VE sealed another stellar signing for the season 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. Here he previews Juventus' trip to face Chievo
Chievo v Juventus (Sat 7.45pm)
For a team playing well below its potential, Juventus aren’t doing so bad. The Bianconeri were widely criticised for a flat performance in their first game back from the winter break, but they still beat Genoa 1-0 and have kept a clean sheet in eight of their last nine league games.
Now they come up against opponents in freefall. Chievo have taken two points from their last seven games, with both Inter and Lazio putting five goals past them in that stretch. On paper, it ought to be a comfortable occasion, an opportunity for Juventus to get their sputtering attack back on track.
Will things actually be so straightforward? Chievo were more competitive against Lazio on Sunday than a 5-1 final scoreline indicates, only falling apart late on after VAR denied them a penalty which would have offered a chance to pull level at 2-2. They were also without Dario Dainelli, still the most important member of their backline at 38 years old. He is expected to start this weekend.
Still, only a bold soul would back them to get a result. Juventus have won 10 of the last 11 head-to-head meetings, and Chievo are one of Gonzalo Higuaín’s favourite victims: he has scored against them six times since moving to Italy. The champions are expected to have Gigi Buffon back in goal, too, as he prepares to celebrate his 40th birthday on Sunday.
Paolo's Tips
- Chievo 1, Juve 3 (21-2, Unibet)
- Higuain to score first (47-20, Unibet)
- Under 4.5 cards (17-20, 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.
