Parma to start fresh unbeaten league run

It is a difficult Italian Serie A round on which to bet with confidence so one should tread carefully, with Parma not to lose at Lazio rating as the most sound financial investment.

Parma’s 17-match Italian Serie A unbeaten run came to an end on Wednesday when it lost 1-2 at Juventus. The division’s top goal scorer, Juventus striker Carlos Tevez, netted two goals in eight first-half minutes to leave Parma chasing the game. Parma got back one in the second half but it went down to 10 men shortly thereafter and there was no way back.

Juventus had been the last team to beat Parma in an Italian Serie A match. Between losing 0-1 at home to Juventus and losing 1-2 away to Juve, Parma had won nine and drawn eight of its 17 league games, climbing from just below halfway on the ladder to sixth position and staking its claim for a place in one of next season’s UEFA-run competitions.

The first match of Parma’s 17-game Italian Serie A unbeaten streak was a 1-1 home draw against Lazio in which it fought back from 0-1 down and held on in spite finishing the clash at a numerical disadvantage. Parma has improved since facing Lazio in November whereas the Rome-based side has regressed. For example, Lazio has beaten only Sassuolo in its last five home league matches and that was in a five-goal thriller.

Bet365 is offering odds of 1.75 that Parma leaves Rome with at least one Italian Serie A point from its game versus Lazio. Parma’s recent form warrants greater respect.

Another Italian Serie A away team that should be shorter is Genoa, which travels north east to play a Verona side that would be in relegation trouble had it not got off to a good start. Verona has not scored in any of its last five league games, with its only point in that period coming at home to a dreadful Bologna team. Verona is 16 points clear of the bottom three and, therefore, safe for another term but it began the season in fabulous form and recently it has been playing like a side destined for Italian Serie B.

Bookmakers have priced up the Italian Serie A match between Verona and Genoa as though the ladder tells the full story but it does not. Verona is rock bottom of the six-game form table, whereas Genoa is in the middle of the pack. The odds are slightly incorrect for the clash so, while Genoa does not warrant full support since it has won only one of its last nine away games in the league, it did win the reverse fixture 2-0 in November and Bet365’s double-chance odds of 1.70 about the visiting team avoiding defeat are attractive.

Finally, Atalanta‘s performances in recent weeks have been several grades higher than those of Bologna so it appeals at odds of 3.40 with BetVictor to complete the seasonal double.

Normally one would not be very interested in Atalanta on the road because its Italian Serie A away record is the worst of any of the top 13 sides. But the contrast in the form of Atalanta and Bologna is so stark that the former must be worth a speculative punt at odds that imply that it is not all that much better than the latter. Atalanta’s run of five consecutive victories, including triumphs at Internazionale and Inter, compare very favourably with Bologna’s series of one win, two draws and four losses since the middle of February, scoring only two goals in those seven matches.

Keep Italian Serie A stakes to a minimum on what is a tricky card but consider Parma, Genoa and Atalanta if you must bet.