Serie A Round 23 Preview: Lazio Could Jump Up To Fourth With Win Over Empoli

Meanwhile, Roma are also looking to climb table
away to Chievo, while Napoli face tough trip to Fiorentina

With
Juventus so far ahead in the race for the Serie A title in Italy, much of the
attention is turning to the battle for a place in the top four, which would
qualify a side for next season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League. This
coming Thursday night (7 February), Lazio could move into that spot –
temporarily, at least – when they host Empoli, while the following day Roma
will try to move above them when they travel to Chievo, and on the Saturday
afternoon Napoli face a tricky encounter away to Fiorentina.

First things first

Before you
go any further, head on over to the Oddsshark website, find your favourite
betting site and get your own account up and running using your credit card. As
a new customer and with the Serie A campaign already over halfway through,
there should be a wide range of promotions and special offers available to you.

Where should I be investing my money?

First up,
the clash between Lazio and Empoli in Rome. Lazio currently sit just a point
off the top four and are priced at 3.00 to finish in those hallowed places come
the end of the season.

Empoli, in
stark contrast, are struggling at the wrong end of the table. They have won
just four league outings all season, are without a victory in their last seven
matches and sit just appoint above the
relegation zone – they are priced at just 2.25 to fall through the trapdoor.

Regarding
this match, it is Lazio who come in as the clear favourites to take the points.
You can back the home side to win at just 1.33, while Empoli are out at 8.50 to
do the same – a draw is priced in the middle at 5.00, according to Oddsshark.

This should
be a comfortable evening for the home side. A 3-1 win for Lazio is priced
competitively at 10.00, thereby offering a ten-fold return on any investment,
while you can more than double your money by backing a combo bet of a Lazio
win, coupled with both teams to score, at 2.60.

Roma in desperate need of points at Chievo

The
following evening, Roma head to Chievo in search of three points to make inroads
on the top four themselves. Chievo sit rock bottom of the table, with just one
win to their name all season, and are priced at just 1.050 to drop down to the
second tier.

Roma, by
way of comparison, sit sixth in the table and are unbeaten in their last five
league matches. Victory here could put them fourth, depending on how other
results go, and like their city rivals Lazio, Roma are priced at 3.00 to secure
a top four finish come the end of the season.

Back to
this match and it is indeed Roma who come in as the red hot favourites to take
all three points. You can back the visitors to win at just 1.61 while Chievo,
despite home advantage, are out at 5.00 to do the same – a draw is priced in
the middle at 4.00.

And we are
expecting the visitors to pick up the win they need. A narrow, 2-1 victory for
Roma comes in at 8.50, meaning that a US$5 bet would lead to a US$42.50 pay
out, while you could more than triple your money by backing a combo bet of a
Roma win, coupled with both teams to score, at 3.25.

Napoli must win away to Fiorentina

And
finally, Napoli head to Fiorentina on Saturday afternoon knowing that only a
win will do. Fiorentina sit ninth in the table, but are unbeaten in their last
six matches across all competitions.

Napoli, by
way of comparison, are unbeaten in their last four league games and are nine
points behind Juventus at the top of the table. Napoli are out at 15.00 to claw
back that difference and win their first Serie A league title since 1990.

Nevertheless,
they are the clear favourites to win this clash. The away side are priced at
just 1.85 to take all three points, with Fiorentina coming in at 4.00 to claim
victory – a draw is priced slightly lower at 3.60.

And we are
expecting the visitors to claim the points and cut Juventus’ lead –
temporarily, at least. A comfortable, 2-0 win for Napoli comes in at 9.00,
while you can double your money by backing a “No” to both teams scoring at
2.00.

Serie A round 23 fixtures:

Thursday, 7 February

(1.33)
Lazio x Empoli (8.50); draw (5.00)

Friday, 8 February

(5.00)
Chievo x Roma (1.61); draw (4.00)

Saturday, 9 February

(4.00)
Fiorentina x Napoli (1.85); draw (3.60)

(5.00)
Parma x Inter Milan (1.66); draw (3.80)

Sunday, 10 February

(2.20)
Bologna x Genoa (3.50); draw (3.10)

(1.30)
Atalanta x Spal (10.00); draw (5.25)

(1.53)
Sampdoria x Frosinone (6.50); draw (3.80)