Using data from Infogol, Chloe Beresford provides scoreline predictions from Serie A as the action gets underway in Italy’s top flight.
Inter to keep winning
Inter vs Genoa
Saturday August 21, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Inter begin their title defence against Genoa at San Siro, but the home team will look very different to last season when they take to the field. Antonio Conte, Romelu Lukaku and Ashraf Hakimi have all moved on, robbing the Nerazzurri of the coach who masterminded their Scudetto win, the striker who scored 23 league goals and the full-back who proved to be a devastating attacking weapon.
Yet they should still have enough to topple a Genoa side who finished 11th last term. Inter have won their last 16 home league games and their last eight home matches against Genoa in all competitions. They have also kept a clean sheet in their last six home meetings with Saturday’s opponents, and Infogol’s model backs them to do the same again here.
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Sassuolo still too strong?
Hellas Verona vs Sassuolo
Saturday August 21, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 2
Sassuolo also have a new manager after Roberto De Zerbi left for Shakhtar Donetsk. Even without the talented tactician, the Neroverdi remain a devastating attacking outfit with players like Domenico Berardi, Jérémie Boga and Francesco Caputo expected to fire them into European competition this term.
In eight of the last nine meetings between these two, there have been under 2.5 goals, but Sassuolo have won each of their last four away games and they’re tipped to pick up another three points here.
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Sarri back where it all began
Empoli vs Lazio
Saturday August 21, 19:45
Live on BT Sport Extra
Having been at Napoli, Chelsea and Juventus, there is something enjoyable about the fact that Maurizio Sarri’s first game as Lazio boss comes at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. Empoli were his first top flight team as a coach, and he will hope his new side prove far too strong for his former club on Saturday.
Lazio have won each of their last five encounters with the newly promoted Tuscan outfit, and with Ciro Immobile seeking another scoring title, the visitors are tipped to clinch victory here too.
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Bergamo boys to keep bouncing
Torino vs Atalanta
Saturday August 21, 19:45
Live on BT Sport 1
While all the other top sides in Serie A have undergone huge changes this summer, Atalanta have quietly maintained continuity and, at the time of writing, none of their big name players have departed. Robin Gosens, Duvan Zapata and the rest remain ready to help the club continue to rise in stature.
Standing in their way on Saturday are a struggling Torino side who lost their last five games on last season. Atalanta have scored at least three goals in their last three matches against Torino in all competitions, and they are tipped to have another heavy scoring outing here.
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Big time debut
Bologna vs Salernitana
Sunday August 22, 17:30
Live on BT Sport Extra
Salernitana have a much easier start to their Serie A return than the other newly promoted sides, travelling to Bologna. Their opponents finished 12th last season and look set for another difficult campaign, lacking the kind of quality needed to help them jump into the top half of the table.
The Infogol model expects this to be a tight game, noting that Bologna have conceded at least two goals in five of their last six matches in Serie A.
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Juve to the Max
Udinese vs Juventus
Sunday August 22, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 1
After nine seasons of winning the Scudetto, Juve only just secured a Champions League berth last term, leading to the quick dismissal of Andrea Pirlo and the return of a man who clinched five of those titles. Max Allegri is back at Juventus and the Bianconeri will hope he can immediately restore them to the top of Serie A.
Cristiano Ronaldo stayed, and Juve have a talented squad around him which includes Euro 2020 winners Federico Chiesa, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Federico Bernardeschi and new signing Manuel Locatelli. They’re tipped to start off the new campaign in the right way and notch a comfortable victory at the Stadio Fruili, with the Infogol model expecting them to keep a clean sheet too.
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Tough test for the new boys
Napoli vs Venezia
Sunday August 22, 19:45
Live on BT Sport Extra
Venezia are back in Serie A, with incredible kits and a stadium that you reach by boat. However, their first game in the top flight could hardly be more difficult as they take on a Napoli side who ended last season on an 11-game unbeaten streak.
New boss Luciano Spalletti will hope to maintain that pace, aided by the quality of Lorenzo Insigne’s attacking prowess. He can also lean on a strong defence that Infogol’s model expects to prove impenetrable here, and Napoli are tipped to register a straightforward win.
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Jose jumps in
AS Roma vs Fiorentina
Sunday August 22, 19:45
Live on BT Sport 1
Jose Mourinho returns to Serie A, taking over an inconsistent AS Roma side that boasts plenty of talent. With Tammy Abraham now added to the attack, The Special One will hope to bring joy to the Giallorossi faithful who have looked on enviously as their rivals collected silverware while they left empty handed.
Fiorentina have struggled in recent seasons, but there are plenty of reasons for the Viola to be optimistic this term as much of the deadwood has been shifted and their big-name players have all stayed at the club. The Infogol data suggests Roma should be able to grind out a narrow victory, and that’s exactly what is predicted here.
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Early relegation battle?
Cagliari vs Spezia
Monday August 23, 17:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Monday sees two teams who could well end up spending the entire season battling at the bottom go head to head. Both Cagliari and Spezia are among the favourites in the Serie A relegation battle, so three points here could prove vital in that race should either of them manage to clinch victory.
Spezia have lost Vincenzo Italiano, the manager who did so much to help them stay up last term, and with the Infogol data predicting a tight encounter, tipping a draw was the obvious outcome.
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Which Milan is which?
Sampdoria vs AC Milan
Monday August 23, 19:45
Live on BT Sport 1
AC Milan are undefeated in 24 of their last 26 away matches in Serie A, their form on the road far better than their performances at home. However, they stumbled towards the end of last season, allowing crosstown rivals Inter to overtake them at the top of the table and then ultimately clinch the title.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic is back for another year at San Siro, but Gianluigi Donnarumma has departed for PSG, meaning the team will look very different this time around. The last encounter between these teams came in April and ended in a 1-1 draw despite Samp playing with 10 men for over half an hour.
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Source: Betfair Italian
