Predictions for Matchday 6 of Serie A, October 3-5
Verona vs Sassuolo
Three points after five rounds, no victories, and an early exit from the Coppa Italia at the hands of a Serie B club – this is clearly not the start Verona fans expected from their favorites. The "Mastiffs" look weak and have one of the worst goal differences in the league (2:8). However, not everything is hopeless: at times, the team has shown decent play, outperforming opponents in several statistical categories, and in one of the rounds, they managed to take points from Juventus itself (1:1). In the upcoming match, the hosts will have a chance to add points to their tally, as Sassuolo, who only returned from Serie B this summer, will be visiting. Yes, the "Black and Greens" have managed to secure two victories and earn six points, but they have lost all three away games. Against this backdrop, betting on Verona not to lose seems justified.
Match Prediction for Verona vs Sassuolo: the hosts will not lose
Lazio vs Torino
The Lazio vs. Torino game is one of the most enigmatic fixtures of the round. Both teams are extremely inconsistent and are positioned in the lower half of the table after five rounds. Due to serious personnel issues and a transfer ban, the "Eagles" alternate between big wins and lackluster goalless defeats, while the "Bulls," after Marco Baroni's arrival and a change in football philosophy, display a completely different quality of football each week. However, head-to-head encounters between these opponents are always very tight and scrappy: in 8 of the last 9 matches between them, no more than two goals were scored. There is every reason to believe that the upcoming match will also be low-scoring.
Match Prediction for Lazio vs Torino: total under 2.5 goals
Parma vs Lecce
The opponents approach the upcoming clash in different moods. Parma is showing quite respectable football for their level at the start of the season – only two defeats in seven matches, including cup games. Lecce, on the other hand, has only picked up two points in five rounds and remains in the relegation zone. Last weekend, the "Salentians" miraculously salvaged a draw in a home match against the inconsistent Bologna (2:2), scoring in the 90+4th minute. If the "Crusaders" play at their level, they can count on a victory.
Match Prediction for Parma vs Lecce: home win
Inter vs Cremonese
Before the start of the season, most experts and Italian football enthusiasts named Cremonese as the main contender for relegation. However, the "Gray-Reds" are proving otherwise with each round, showing that they deserve a place in the elite. After five rounds, the team is among the top three clubs that have not yet lost in the league, despite having played against opponents of various levels: from Sassuolo (3:2) to table-topping Milan (2:1). Last weekend, Cremonese managed to take points away from the ambitious Como (1:1), who are aiming for setting a goal to qualify for European competitions. Inter, however, appears somewhat unstable at the start of the season, so the visitors are quite capable of putting up a decent fight.
Match Prediction for Inter vs Cremonese: away win with a handicap (+2.5)
Atalanta vs Como
In the new season, Atalanta leaves a mixed impression. On one hand, the "Queen of the Provincials" has lost only once in seven official matches, but on the other hand, only three of them ended in victories. The team often dropped points against weaker opponents, showing not the best quality of football. Como also lacks stability, and the previous home match against Cremonese (1:1) clearly demonstrated this. Head-to-head encounters between these clubs are traditionally high-scoring: last season, the first game ended 3:2 in favor of Como, and the second 2:1 in favor of Atalanta. There is every reason to expect that the upcoming match will also delight fans with goals from both sides.
Match Prediction for Atalanta vs Como: both teams to score (yes)
Udinese vs Cagliari
After a fantastic start, Udinese has noticeably slowed down: the team suffered two consecutive defeats in the championship and sharply dropped to the lower half of the standings. Moreover, these failures were logical – the "Little Zebras" showed extremely weak play against Milan at home (0:3) and against Sassuolo away (1:3). Cagliari, on the other hand, shows more stable results without sharp fluctuations. Perhaps against Inter last weekend (0:2) they could have played much better, but in the other matches, the "Islanders" looked quite convincing. The visitors in the upcoming match are quite capable of picking up points.
Match Prediction for Udinese vs Cagliari: visitors will not lose
Bologna vs Pisa
Two points after five rounds is not the best result even for a team like Pisa, which has just been promoted from Serie B. On the other hand, there is nothing catastrophic here, considering that in four out of five matches, the opponents were clubs representing Italy on the international stage (Atalanta, Roma, Napoli, and Fiorentina). Moreover, even against serious clubs, the "Nerazzurri" managed to perform reliably in defense and even take points. Furthermore, this season Pisa has not yet lost by a margin of two or more goals. Considering that Bologna is also struggling at the start of the season, the visitors can put up a decent fight in the upcoming match.
Match Prediction for Bologna vs Pisa: away win with a handicap (+1.5)
Fiorentina vs Roma
Last season, these teams finished the championship close to each other in the table: Fiorentina took sixth place, while Roma was fifth,breaking away by just four points. However, at the start of the current season, their results are diametrically opposite. The "Violas" have yet to delight their fans with a victory in Serie A, and last weekend they barely managed to avoid defeat against the league newcomer, Pisa (0:0). Roma, on the other hand, shares the top spot in the standings with Milan and Napoli, having collected 12 out of a possible 15 points. Despite significant changes over the summer, the "Wolves" are playing confidently both in defense and attack, as if there was no off-season at all. The visitors look like the favorites and are capable of taking all three points from Florence.
Match Prediction Fiorentina vs Roma: away win with a handicap (0)
Napoli vs Genoa
Last season, Genoa was an extremely tough opponent for many clubs: even top teams didn't always find the key to the "Griffins'" defense, who played very defensively. Now, however, the Genoese are far from their optimal form – after five rounds, they have only 2 points and are in the relegation zone. Last weekend, Genoa couldn't offer any resistance to Lazio at home (0:3), even though the Romans themselves are facing many problems due to a transfer ban and a large number of injuries. The encounter with the reigning champion, who hardly makes any mistakes at the start of the season, promises to be extremely tough for the "Griffins" – even snatching a draw will be difficult.
Match Prediction Napoli vs Genoa: home win
Juventus vs Milan
The sixth round of Serie A will conclude with the meeting between Juventus and Milan – the central match of the weekend. After an unexpected defeat to Cremonese in the first round (1:2), the "Rossoneri" have literally blossomed, securing five consecutive victories, including a cup match against Lecce (3:0). Last weekend, Massimiliano Allegri's team managed to topple the formidable Napoli (2:1), despite a sending-off and conceding a penalty in the middle of the second half. Juventus has slightly slowed down, drawing two consecutive matches in the league, but still maintains its unbeaten streak and trails the leading Milan by just one point. All this promises a spectacular showdown.
