Football Bet of the Day: Back Italian strugglers to put on a show

• SPAL and Carpi have scored in all but one of their games

• Neither defence can be relied upon

• BTTS a value play at 1.9210/11

SPAL v Carpi
Monday 23 September, 19:45

Our chum Tobias got a fillip in Philly, as Union's 4-0 drubbing of DC United landed his Over 3.5 Goals bet with time to spare. We'll head to Italy, and dip into the third tier. SPAL are up against Carpi, and both teams are leaking goals on a regular basis.

It wasn't that long ago that SPAL were competing in Serie A, but it's all rather gone a bit wrong for the Biancazzurri. In 2020 they finished bottom of the top flight, collecting a paltry 20 points. In 2023 they dropped to the third tier, and last season the men from Emilia-Romagna finished a disappointing 11th in Serie C.

Under former Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena, SPAL aren't exactly flying this term. They won their last game at Sestri Levante, but that was their first victory of the campaign, and a three-point penalty means they are still second-bottom. SPAL have been beaten 2-1 by Atalanta's second team in the lower-league version of the Coppa Italia, and they haven't managed a single clean sheet in five competitive games.

Carpi (which is a lovely place to visit on holiday) have only won one of their five competitive matches this term, and they have only managed one clean sheet. They were only promoted from the fourth tier at the end of last term, so a period of adjustment is understandable. Even in their final 35 games of the Serie D season, they only managed ten clean sheets.

I fancy BTTS here at 1.9210/11. SPAL have scored in four of their five matches in league and cup, Carpi have found the net in four too. With neither defence trustworthy, we can back both teams to net at least once.

Now read our other Bet of the Day here!