When Roma hosts Verona at their Stadio Olimpico tonight, they will be trying to maintain their Champions League spot.
The Giallorossi are focused on finishing in the top four, and we should be aware that they are currently riding a three-game home winning streak before Verona visits.
In contrast to fellow midfielder Leonardo Spinazzola, who is still recovering from an injury, the Dutch international Georginio Wijnaldum is competing for a spot in the starting lineup.
The Veronians, meanwhile, have just begun to show indications of development as they have recently defeated Lecce and Salernitana and shared the spoils with Udinese and Lazio.
Yet, Verona is not known for being a good travelers, which is perhaps the major reason I will bet on the capital club this time.
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Tag Archives: Italy Serie A
Udinese vs Atalanta ✅
Udinese continues to appear confidently this season in the Serie A campaign, as they are currently enjoying a six-match positive run, winning over Verona last time on the road, closely though, with a 1:2 result.
The visitors were in a deficit since the 23rd, bet were generally a more dominant side in this clash, equalizing over Beto later in the 70th, and with a certain dose of luck, scored another one just before the full-time whistle via Bijol.
Udinese is positioned at the 3rd spot in the race for Scudetto, having only a point less compared to the leading Napoli.
Defender Masina (4/1) should remain out.
A team from Bergamo did just enough in their latest performance at home against Fiorentina when they appeared slightly more creative with the ball and recorded a close 1:0 victory.
The hosts scored the only one in this clash over Lookman in the 59th, but overly looking, the Violas appeared dangerous on several occasions here, and it was surprising that the goddess managed to walk away with a clean sheet, at least in my opinion.
Atalanta is holding the 2nd spot in the standings, sharing the same amount of points as previously mentioned Napoli.
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Monza vs Juventus ❌
Monza finally managed to end their negative run in their latest appearance away against slightly favored Lecce when they took a point in a 1:1 draw.
The guests scored first over Sensi in the 35th, opting for a more defensive stand ever since, but even so, conceded an equalizer at the begging of the second part, appearing too passively for a possible surprise in this clash.
Monza is positioned at the bottom of the rankings, having only one point collected since the begging of the new Scuddeto race.
Midfielder D’Alessandro (2/0) and forward Petagna (5/0) are out for the home team.
Juventus is, for now, a pale shadow of its former self, and is definitely in desperate need of some king morale booster as soon as possible.
They lost to Benfica last Wednesday in the Champions League campaign at home with a 1:2 result and took only a point in their latest Serie A fixture against Salernitana 2:2, also in Turin, currently being at the 8th spot in the rankings, which is definitely quite poor considering their high standards.
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Sassuolo vs Milan ❌
Sassuolo made a minor setback in the last round away against slightly underestimated Spezia when they took only a point in a 2:2 draw.
They went on a break having a 2:1 disadvantage but managed to bounce back and level up at the begging of the second, playing with a player more on the pitch in the last ten minutes, but unfortunately for them, failed to use their numerical advantage and completely reverse the result.
They will miss injured offensive midfielder Traore and right-back Muldur (1/0).
Milan performed in their distinctive manner in their latest home fixtures against visiting Bologna when they routinely celebrated with a 2:0 victory.
Rossoneri held the upper hand from the begging, scoring their first one over Leao in the 21st, and confirming their better appearance with another via Giroud later in the 58th minute.
Midfielder Krunic (1/0) is out, while forwards Rebic (2/2) and Origi (2/0) aren’t fully fit for the moment.
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Torino vs Lazio ❌
Torino opened their Serie A campaign in the best way possible, as they booked their first victory this season in round one on the road to newly-promoted Monza when they closely won them with a 1:2 result.
The guests took a double lead over Miranchuk in 43rd and Sanabria in 66th minute, overly looking, in a pretty balanced encounter, in which they showed a bit more creativity at the finishing, but still conceded once in the last seconds over Dany Mota.
Central-back Zima, right full-back Vojvoda, and offensive midfielder Miranchuk (1/1) should miss out here, as well as midfielder Fares.
Lazio met the expectations in their opening match at home against underdogs from Bologna when they narrowly celebrated with a 2:1 victory after a complete reversal.
Things were not looking good for the Romans, as they were left with a player less on the field since the 6th minute, and conceded from the penalty later in the 38th minute.
Luckily for them, the visitors too were left with a one-man down in the last second of the first part, allowing the hosts to bounce back in the continuation, as they scored their own in the 68th minute, and opened up enough space for Immobile to confirm Lazio’s victory only eleven minutes later.
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Empoli vs Salernitana 🟡
Empoli come up with an expected defeat in the last round on the road against Inter, being competitive to a certain level, but was still outplayed with a convincing 4:2 result.
They started the match in the best way possible and took a double lead in the first half an hour, but after scoring their own later in the 40th, pretty much everything went downhill for them here.
The guests conceded an equalizer before the halftime, being significantly outplayed in every aspect when the match moved to the second, and couldn’t prevent the home side from scoring another two in this encounter.
Empoli is holding the 14th spot in the Serie A rankings, and it is safe to say that this season is more or less over for them.
Defenders Toneli (14/0), Marchizza (19/0), midfielder Haas (16/0), and forward Di Francesco (25/5) shouldn’t be playing here.
Salernitana continues their battle for survival among the Italian elite, as they are currently sitting at the 17th spot in the standings, having only a point more compared to the relegation-placed Cagliari.
They were slightly favored against Cagliari and were close to all three points, taking the lead from a penalty converted by Verdi in the 68th minute, but got leveled up in the eight minute of added time in a bit unlucky way.
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Verona vs AC Milan ✅
Verona did a great job in their latest away appearance against Cagliari when they took an important 1:2 victory. They opened the match in a better way and took a double lead over Barak and Caprari during the first, lowering their aggressiveness in the second, and conceded once later in the 57th minute.
Verona is currently at the 9th spot in the rankings, still with a slight chance for the European exit, as they are four points in deficit compared to Fiorentina.
They will miss goalkeeper Pandur (3/0) and central defender Coppola (3/0).
Milan kept their hopes for Scudetto still alive, as they did just enough last time out at home against Fiorentina when they narrowly outplayed them with a 1:0 victory.
A late goal action was seen in this one, as the hosts scored the only one here over Leao in the 82nd, but honestly, they were not standing out too much, and maybe were a bit lucky to escape with all three points.
Milan is currently 2nd, two points in deficit compared to the leaders from Inter, but also having a one match less.
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Cagliari vs Sassuolo ❌
Cagliari continues to appear poorly lately, as they are currently suffering from a five-match negative run, losing their latest fixture at home against Juventus with a 1:2 result.
They were competitive to a certain level, as they scored first early in the 10th over Joao Pedro, but overly looking, the quality gap was more than obvious, as they conceded an equalizer just before the halftime and another one later in the 75th, unfortunately not being in a position to be more challenging in this one.
Cagliari occupies the 17th spot in the standings, sitting just on top of the danger zone, having three points more than relegation-worried Venezia.
Midfielders Strootman (10/0), Nandez (17/0), and central-backs Goldaniga (11/0) and Ceppitelli (20/1) should remain out.
Sassuolo is coming to this clash after a morale-boosting victory last time out at home against favored Atalanta when they appeared more creative with the ball and recorded a 2:1 victory.
Traore scored on both occasions for the hosts, once in each part, proving his enviable skills with the ball, while a team from Bergamo appeared too passive in this one, and only managed to reduce just before the full-time whistle.
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Lazio vs Sassuolo ✅
Lazio failed to be more competitive in their last Serie A appearance against Roma when they were routinely outplayed with a 3:0 result, playing as a visiting side in this one.
Their morale was broken during the first when they conceded three times, and even though they had complete control over the clash in the continuation, a visible lack of creativity prevented them from doing something more significant.
Lazio is currently at the 7th spot in the overall standings, having two points less compared to the Conference League-positioned Atalanta.
Midfielder Pedro (29/8) is suspended, while injured should remain central defenders Radu (8/0) and Luiz Felipe (27/0).
Sassuolo, on the contrary, did a good job last time out at home against underdogs from Spezia when they appeared quite creative and recorded a convincing 4:1 victory.
Both sides managed to score once during the first, but the hosts unleashed their offensive potential when the match moved to the second and added three more to the scoreline, not putting their victory in a margin of doubt at any moment in this one.
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Empoli vs Verona ❌
Empoli is definitely facing obvious problems, as they failed to record a positive result across all competitions since December last year, losing their latest Serie A fixture on the road to Milan with a minimal result.
The guests conceded the only one in this clash in the 19th minute over Kalulu, performing with a great deal of passivity, and simply can not expect to be more challenging with that kind of approach.
Empoli is positioned at the 13th spot in the standings, at a safe distance from the danger tone, but not competent to enter the race for Europe.
Midfielder Haas (16/0) and defender Marchizza (19/0) keep missing for the home side.
Verona is coming to this clash after a 1:2 defeat to Napoli in the last round at home, expectedly though, but they still managed to put up with a decent fight.
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