Early Bird Tips for Serie A: A potential Champions League hangover?

For the last round of fixtures before the international break, Daniele Fisichella has selected three interesting games for his Early Bird for Serie A Acca Tips.

With seven Italian teams playing in the Champions League, Europa League and beyond this week, a few upsets and surprising results might be on the card for Serie A matchday eight. No side is unbeaten in Italy’s top flight.

Empoli vs Udinese is a clash between two clubs who did not expect to be so low in the table at this stage, whereas AC Milan face a tricky trip to Marassi after having played in Dortmund on Wednesday. Last season Atalanta won 2-0 at the Olimpico against Lazio, can they repeat themselves on Sunday?

• Early Bird Empoli vs Udinese: Both Teams To Score – YES
• Early Bird Genoa vs AC Milan: Over 2.25 goals
• Early Bird Lazio vs Atalanta: Under 2.5 Goals

Acca odds: 5.66

Odds via bet365 as at 11.40am Monday, October 2nd. Odds may now differ.

Empoli vs Udinese: Winless visitors are under serious pressure

Italy, Serie A, Friday, October, 6th, 5:30pm (UK)

Having achieved only one win in 14 Serie A games between both of them, Empoli and Udinese meet in this strange six-pointer relegation clash.

Empoli, who have only scored one goal so far (against fellow strugglers Salernitana), have already sacked their manager, Paolo Zanetti, and seemed to have slightly improved under Aurelio Andreazzoli, at his third experience as boss of the Tuscan side.

They were a touch unlucky in their 3-0 defeat to Bologna on Sunday when they deserved at least one goal. But, once again, individual mistakes cost them: life is harder without Gugliemo Vicario between the sticks, a goalkeeper who saved Empoli on multiple occasions in the last two seasons.

Udinese are without a win in the last 11 Serie A games and can count themselves fortunate to have achieved at least a point against Genoa last Sunday.

The Friulani have been misfiring in front of goal: they are third for shots in Serie A (99), and their xG is 9.43 (Lorenzo Lucca scored his first goal at the weekend, but he has also missed five big chances so far).

They’ve only managed to score four goals: one own goal and two with Lazar Samardzic, who, once again, was inexplicably left on the bench at the weekend.

But the Serbian international might play at the Castellani as the visitors will be without one of their key players, Sandi Lovric, who got sent off against Genoa.

Taking into account the Serie A half-time standing, Udinese would be bottom with three points, only one goal scored and eight conceded.

• Selection: Both Teams To Score – Yes
• Best Odds: 1.75
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10 (TRACKED BET)

Genoa vs AC Milan: Giant-killers Grifoni eye another big result

Italy, Serie A, Saturday, October, 7th, 7:45pm (UK)

Stadio Luigi Ferraris (or Marassi, as we call it in Italy) might become a tough place to go this campaign. Newly promoted Genoa have quickly found their feet in Serie A and are delivering consistent performances.

Seven points out of nine against Lazio, Napoli and Roma represent an extraordinary result for Alberto Gilardino’s men.

They’ve got goals and creativity: Albert Gudmundsson has already scored three and is top (alongside Frosinone’s Soule) for dribbles completed (18).

The partnership with Mateo Retegui (also three goals so far) is working well, and Gilardino might be tempted to play Ruslan Malinovsky behind the two strikers.

The Grifoni are a hard-working and extremely clinical team: against Roma, they scored four (despite their xG being only 1.60), but defensively, they are also sound.

Wednesday’s Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund will affect AC Milan’s fitness, but the good news for Stefano Pioli is that he can count on a deeper and stronger squad compared to last season.

However, the visitors have to deal with a couple of injuries to key players, like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Rade Krunic, and, so far, away from home, they have conceded seven goals (Serie A’s third-worst defence).

• Selection: Over 2.25 Goals
• Best Odds: 1.75
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 7/10

Lazio vs Atalanta: No more excuses for Sarri

Italy, Serie A, Sunday, October, 8th, 2pm (UK)

Lazio’s worst Serie A start of the season since 2007/2008 is very difficult to explain. The Biancocelesti have sold in the summer their best player, Sergej Milinković-Savić, and with him, consistency and self-belief.

Their defensive record is particularly poor: only one clean sheet in eight games in all competitions, and after their 2-0 defeat against AC Milan on Saturday, Maurizio Sarri suggested he hasn’t got the squad he wants and wasn’t entirely happy with the summer transfer window. This has provoked the reaction of the club’s president, Claudio Lotito, who said the club had a great window and much more is expected.

Both sides face tough trips in midweek, as Lazio go to Glasgow and Atalanta travel to Lisbon, but the visitors look extremely solid, having kept six clean sheets in eight matches in all competitions.

Only a couple of super saves from Wojciech Szczęsny prevented the Orobici from getting the three points against Juventus. Gianpiero Gasperini is rotating his players very well despite the injuries, and on Sunday, the introduction of Luis Muriel, Emil Holm and Mitchel Bakker had a positive impact on the game.

Atalanta have always been a reliable side away from home, finishing third and fourth in the table in the previous two campaigns, and all Lazio’s four home games this season have seen under 2.5 goals scored.

• Selection: Under 2.5 Goals
• Best Odds: 1.85
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 7/10

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