Betfair Live Video Preview: Lazio v AC Milan

Italian Football / Dan Fitch / 31 January 2009 / Leave a Comment

The focus will once again be on rejuvenated Beckham as Milan travel to Lazio, don't worry though, he's used to it. Dan Fitch previews this big Serie A clash which you can watch for free on Betfair Live Video.

With hindsight, decisions are easy to make. If I'd just accepted the place offered to me at the Sorbonne rather than deciding to study in Stoke on Trent, then my life could have turned out very differently.

If he could have his time again, then it's a fair bet that David Beckham would have chosen another path. When he was made the offer to become a marketing tool for the MLS, he was out of favour with both England and Real Madrid. With his pride wounded and his missus yapping in his ear, Beckham signed the contract and was ready for a new adventure.

Unfortunately, the goalposts then shifted. He won back his place for England and Real Madrid, who he helped towards a title. If the deal to go to America were not already in place, then he would have been offered an extension to his Real Madrid contract. As they say in the States... D'oh!

Beckham is now clearly quite bored with the poor quality of football in the US. If he wanted to play in front of apathetic crowds in soulless stadiums he could have just signed for Arsenal.

The little sojourn to play for AC Milan has rejuvenated Beckham and proved that he still has what it takes to play in the top European leagues. Will Milan be able to sign him permanently? Only if the most efficient Italian negotiating tactics are employed. The MLS chief executive shouldn't be surprised to wake up with Mickey Mouse's decapitated head in his bed.

On Sunday, Beckham and AC Milan travel to Lazio. All the action can be seen on Betfair Live Video: the TV station that's not interested in the Super Bowl even if we get to see both of Janet Jackson's nipples.

There was Serie A action in midweek, which saw Milan drop further behind their rivals Inter. Having scored in last weekend's 4-1 drubbing of Bologna, Beckham gave Milan the lead from one of his trademark free kicks against high-flying Genoa, only for the prolific Diego Milito to bring the score back to 1-1 in the final minutes. As Inter beat Catania, they stretched the gap to eight points over third-placed Milan.

Beckham is likely to priced at around the [5.0] mark to score anytime against Lazio, when the market appears on Betfair, nearer to kick off. Favourite for Milan will be Kaka at [2.5], with Pato at [3.0]. For Lazio, Zarate will be around [3.2], with Rocchi and Pandev around [3.5].

Having been amongst the frontrunners early on in the season, Lazio have slipped down to tenth place, after a poor run of form. What's worse, as Lazio position has slipped, they have been passed by their resurgent rivals Roma, going in the other direction. There is still not much to separate Lazio from the Champions League places, but they need pick up their form and fast.

Lazio will be without the injured Cristian Brocchi and Simone Del Nero, while Fabio Firmani, Stephan Lichtsteiner and the former Milan youth product Pasquale Foggia, are all suspended. Milan are without the injured Nesta, Gattuso, Emerson, Boriello and Kaladze.

Despite dropping points in midweek, Milan are still five games unbeaten in Serie A, while Lazio are without a win in their last three league outings. Lazio have now gone 10 home league games against Milan without recording a win and had gone a total of 22 games without any kind of victory against Milan, before beating them 2-1 in extra time, in this season's Copa Italia clash.

Lazio are [3.95], with the draw at [3.3] and AC Milan the [2.2] favourites. I would expect Milan to record a narrow win to re-assert their dominance over Lazio. A 1-0 Milan win is available at [10.5], with 2-1 at [9.4]. Milan are [3.65] to win half time/full time, with the draw/Milan at [6.2].

Both Lazio and AC Milan have broken the 2.5 goals barrier in five of their last seven games. Over 2.5 goals can be backed at [1.87], with under 2.5 at [2.12]. Lazio have not kept a clean sheet for 5 games, while Milan have only managed one from their last 7. A Lazio clean sheet is likely to be priced at around [3.5] nearer to kick off, with AC Milan at [2.5] to not concede.