Now is not the time to maroon Torino

Torino is one of Italian Serie A’s form teams and it gets an excellent chance to win its fifth league match in a row and extend its divisional unbeaten run to 10 games when Cagliari makes the long trip north for Sunday’s Round 23 clash.

Italian Serie A leader Juventus was the last side to defeat Torino in the league, with the Maroons rebounding from their latest derby downer to win five and draw four of their nine subsequent divisional matches. Scoring goals was a serious problem for Torino in the early part of the Italian Serie A season but the Maroons have banged in 12 goals in their last four league games, Fabio Quagliarella scoring five of them.

Quagliarella scored Torino’s winning goal in its 2-1 Italian Serie A away victory over Cagliari in September. Cagliari is under new management these days – Gianfranco Zola succeeded Zdenek Zeman at the end of last year – but the installation of the second favourite son of the Red and Blues has not sparked a rapid rise up the Italian Serie A ladder. Cagliari has won two, drawn one and lost three of its six Italian Serie A matches under Zola, who is second only to the great Luigi Riva in the Red and Blues hall of fame, with Zola’s team failing most of its testing examinations. If Cagliari retains its Italian Serie A membership it is likely to be down to the weaknesses of others rather than its strengths.

Bet365 and Betfair is offering odds of 1.80Bet €100 to win €1804/5Bet £100 to win £180-125Bet $100 to win $1800.80Bet HK$100 to win HK$180-1.25Bet Rp100 to win Rp1800.8000Bet RM100 to win RM180 about Torino completing an Italian Serie A double over Cagliari and continuing its push for one of the league’s berth in next term’s UEFA competitions. It is remarkable how much Torino’s season has turned around in recent months. How Cagliari wishes that its fortunes would change for the better. Unfortunately, it does not appear that Zola is likely to prove any more successful than Zeman.

The Italian Serie A horse may have bolted because Roma is seven points adrift of Juventus with 16 rounds to go but at least the Yellow and Reds returned to winning ways with a last-start 2-1 triumph at Cagliari. And Roma really ought to string together Italian Serie A wins for the first time since late November when it hosts Parma on Sunday.

Roma will have a full week to prepare for its Italian Serie A home game versus Parma, whereas the bottom-of-the-ladder team must back up from facing Chievo on Wednesday in what one would have to call a relegation six-pointer. Roma won 2-1 at Parma in the fourth round of the Italian Serie A season and it is trading at perfectly reasonable odds of 1.33Bet €100 to win €13333/100Bet £100 to win £133-303Bet $100 to win $1330.33Bet HK$100 to win HK$133-3.03Bet Rp100 to win Rp1330.3300Bet RM100 to win RM133 with Boylesports to maintain its undefeated league record by earning another three points off its opponent.

Parma’s 1-0-9 away record is the worst in Italian Serie A, whereas Roma’s 7-4-0 home numbers are the second best in the division, with just Juventus boasting superior statistics.

Many punters will steam into Juventus at short odds to beat Italian Serie A struggler Cesena but perhaps this week is not the time to risk one’s hard-earned cash on the Old Lady. Juventus will probably get the better of Cesena but it will have to do so without the services of Italian Serie A’s top goal scorer, Carlos Tevez, who is serving a suspension.

With regards to Italian Serie A exotics, the match between Palermo and Napoli has the makings of an entertaining game full of goals. The Italian Serie A matches of both Palermo and Napoli are averaging more than three goals, with 13 of the former’s 22 league games going over two and a half goals and 12 of the latter’s 22 league games exceeding that line. Boylesports and WilliamHill are offering odds of 1.91Bet €100 to win €19191/100Bet £100 to win £191-110Bet $100 to win $1910.91Bet HK$100 to win HK$191-1.10Bet Rp100 to win Rp1910.9100Bet RM100 to win RM191 that Palermo and Napoli combine for over two and a half goals when they meet in Italian Serie A action on Saturday.

Tips Summary

Torino to beat Cagliari
15th February 14:00 GMT
Odds: 1.80Bet €100 to win €1804/5Bet £100 to win £180-125Bet $100 to win $1800.80Bet HK$100 to win HK$180-1.25Bet Rp100 to win Rp1800.8000Bet RM100 to win RM180
Where to Bet: Bet365, Betfair

Roma to beat Parma
15th February 14:00 GMT
Odds: 1.33Bet €100 to win €13333/100Bet £100 to win £133-303Bet $100 to win $1330.33Bet HK$100 to win HK$133-3.03Bet Rp100 to win Rp1330.3300Bet RM100 to win RM133
Where to Bet: Boylesports

Palermo v Napoli – Over 2.5 goals
14th February 19:45 GMT
Odds: 1.91Bet €100 to win €19191/100Bet £100 to win £191-110Bet $100 to win $1910.91Bet HK$100 to win HK$191-1.10Bet Rp100 to win Rp1910.9100Bet RM100 to win RM191
Where to Bet: Boylesports, WilliamHill