Serie A's elite collide in cup quarter-finals!
The Coppa Italia isn't treated with the same degree of reverence as the FA Cup is over here but that hasn't stopped six of the seven best teams in Serie A from reaching the last eight, with an able supporting cast of Sampdoria and Parma, meaning there are four delicious quarter-final matches available for Betfair customers to watch on Betfair Live Video.
The first on Tuesday night pits Palermo against Parma and while the three-time winners did well to see off Fiorentina in the round-of-16, it's difficult to justify backing against Palermo in Sicily after seven straight domestic home wins. The Rosanero are available at an attractive [1.78].
Wednesday's early encounter sends league leaders AC Milan away to Sampdoria, who have failed to build on last season's top-four finish. Their performance wasn't helped by the situation that saw Antonio Cassano leave for the Rossoneri, and he may be reunited with his former employers here.
Despite their disappointing mid-table position, Sampdoria remain a force in front of their own fans, losing only once domestically at the Marassi since the start of 2010. AC Milan aren't at the top of their game right now and the hosts had a morale-boosting draw with Juventus on Sunday, so an upset is a possibility at [3.9].
On Wednesday evening, title challengers Napoli and Inter Milan meet at another of Italy's fortresses, the San Paolo, with the Partenopei undoubtedly eager to avenge their 3-1 loss at the San Siro earlier this month when they delivered one of their poorest displays of a remarkable campaign.
Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani were both on the scoresheet in Walter Mazzarri's side's win at Bari and if chosen here, Napoli have every chance of dumping out the holders, who haven't scored on four trips to Naples. The Azzurri are [2.76] to triumph and [3.55] to stop Inter from finding the net for the first time under Leonardo.
The best is arguably saved till last as the two most successful clubs in the competition's history, Juventus and Roma, clash in Turin. Juventus are yet to impress in 2011, while Roma have been getting results without really playing well, so our instinct is to again go with the outsiders.
The Giallorossi took a point back from the Stadio Olimpico di Torino in the league and progressed the last time the rivals met in the Coppa Italia in 2005-06, while Juventus have reached the semi-finals just once in six years.
Claudio Ranieri's men have an unremarkable away record and are without suspended captain Francesco Totti - though how much of a problem that creates is open to debate - indicating that betting on them to qualify may be shrewder than backing them outright at [2.92].
So what are you waiting for? Visit the Betfair Live Video site now!
Published: 27 Jan 2011
Leave a comment