Today’s featured game sees Vicenza host Mantova in a Italian Serie B match. The hosts bear a rather remarkable home record this season as they’ve played five games and drawn all of them! Vicenza’s main problem has been scoring goals at home although they should have additional impetus to score goals as they managed to score two away to Crotone in their last outing. Vicenza have only been beaten once in Serie B this season so we’re already well aware of their ability to be difficult opponents. Although somewhat lacking in terms of incision at home, they cannot be accused of that away from home as they’ve scored eight goals in five away games, a tally that only three sides in Serie B currently better. Therefore, there’s no doubting Vicenza’s potential to win the game, merely their execution. I feel the odds of 4/5 reflect the bookies’ hesitancy on Vicenza’s reliability to win games and justifiably so given the records mentioned above. However, I’m taking a gamble on Vicenza claiming their first home win of the season here, not only because they’re the better side and are capable of doing so but because Mantova are a truly woeful away side. They’ve lost four from five away games so far this season, including one draw. They’ve managed to score just three times on that run and have conceded more away goals than all barring two sides in Serie B. Mantova have lost three of their last five games, winning just once, and when compared to Vicenza’s record of two wins, two draws, and just one defeat over their past five games, you have to feel the home win is a very realistic possibility here. Lastly, if you’re going to bet on this game then I’d at least recommend not watching it – not all value bets are good to watch and this game has yielded just one goal over the past three times it’s been played, which tells us we’re in for a boring and low-scoring game. Nonetheless, taking the home win at 4/5 could have significant value today.
Monday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Vicenza vs Mantova – home win at 5/6 – see introduction for full details.
SL Benfica vs CD Nacional – home win with -2.75 handicap at 9/4. Although I do rate CD Nacional, I find SL Benfica utterly irresistable this year. They’re scoring goals for fun and haven’t looked this good in many years now. A 5-1 annihlation of Everton in the UEFA Europa League last week did much to indicate just how far they’ve come since acquiring the likes of Javier Saviola at the club. The fact that they currently average approximately 3.5 goals per game is a large part of my risky -2.75 goal handicap today although their form also plays a big part too. SL Benfica have won five consecutive Liga Sagres games and just look frankly terrifying with goals coming from everywhere. CD Nacional are no pushovers but SL Benfica are good enough to break the 2.75 handicap here today so the question is – are CD Nacional in a position where it’s possible for them to lose by such a margin? Well, they’re returned from an unsuccessful trip to Bilbao mid-week after losing 2-1 to Athletic Club de Bilbao in the UEFA Europa League. Although having won three consecutive games in the Liga Sagres, what must be taken into account is that CD Nacional have scored just once in three away games and have conceded five goals along the way. Therefore, I personally feel that a potentially jaded CD Nacional could well face the wrath of a dominant SL Benfica tonight. In my eyes, the home win with -2.75 handicap at 9/4 could boast some great value here tonight.
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
Bulgarian A PFG:
Cherno More Varna vs Slavia Sofia (7) 2-0
Cypriot Division 1:
APOEL Nicosia vs Ethnikos Achnas (9) 3-1
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Slavia Prague vs Sigma Olomouc (8) 2-1
Danish Superligaen:
AGF Aarhus vs FC Norsjaelland (7) 2-1
English Championship:
Reading vs Leicester City (6)
French Ligue 2:
Guingamp vs Le Havre (7)
German Bundesliga 2:
Paderborn vs Arminia Bielefeld (7)
Greek B Ethniki:
Ethnikos Asteras vs Kerkyra (6)
Italian Serie B:
Vicenza vs Mantova (7)
Latvian Virsliga:
FK Ventspils vs Skonto Riga (8) 2-0
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
SL Benfica vs CD Nacional (9) -2.75 handicap
Swedish Allsvenskan:
GAIS Goteborg vs Brommapojkarna (6) 1-0
Swiss Challenge League:
Vaduz vs Wil (7)
Enjoy your free betting tips!