"In the last 22 head-to-heads, Juve have recorded 13 victories, with eight games ending all-square and Bologna triumphing just once."
Italian football expert Dave Farrar thinks Juve's visit to Bologna could provide entertainment, but he doesn't expect the same at Pescara...
Bologna v Juventus
Juventus moved nine points clear at the top of Serie A with their 1-0 win at home to Catania last weekend and it's difficult to see second-placed Napoli or anyone else catching them with just 10 games left to play.
This weekend's opponents Bologna hardly looked equipped to trip up Juve, either. Bologna sprung a surprise by winning 1-0 at Inter last weekend - although it won't have been a surprise to readers of this column, as we backed Bologna at 5.2 - but it would be asking too much to expect Stefano Pioli's side to claim two major scalps in a row.
The historic stats also suggest a win will be beyond Bologna. In the last 22 head-to-heads, Juve have recorded 13 victories, with eight games ending all-square and Bologna triumphing just once. Opta also reveal Juventus are unbeaten in their last 10 Serie A visits to Bologna (W6-D4-L0) and La Vecchia Signora's formidable away form - just two defeats in their last 32 Serie A games on the road - also tells you which way this encounter is likely to go.
The 1.72 on Juventus will hold little appeal for many bettors, so you might prefer to focus on the Over 2.5 Goals market. Ten of Bologna's 14 home games and six of Juventus' 13 away games have featured over 2.5 goals. Overs is my selection.
Recommended Bet
Bologna v Juventus Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.02
Fiorentina v Genoa
Fiorentina made it three wins from four when they won 2-0 at Lazio last weekend, moving above Lazio and Inter into fourth place in the standings.
La Viola's games are generally entertaining - 16 of their 28 league fixtures have featured three goals or more - and home fans at the Artemio Franchi are likely to enjoy what they see this weekend.
Fiorentina have won four and drawn two of their last six meetings against Genoa, keeping clean sheets in each of those wins. They have netted at least once in each of the last 10 meetings between the sides, with Genoa failing to record a victory on their last 14 trips to Florence (W0-D5-L9) and losing on each of their last six visits. Genoa's away form generally is a concern, too - they are winless in their last seven.
The stats all suggest the 1.4740/85 on Fiorentina is justified. If that's too short I would recommend backing Fiorentina -1.0&-1.5 Asian Handicap. With that selection, you'll make a profit if they win by two goals or more, something they're entirely capable of doing - seven of Fiorentina's 10 home wins this season have come by two goals or more.
Recommended Bet
Fiorentina -1.0&-1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.02
Pescara v Chievo
Right now, Pescara are unbackable. They're stuck in the relegation zone, and a run of just one point from their last nine league games makes it easy to see why. They have lost their last four home games so home advantage appears to be no advantage at all at the moment.
Not that I have much faith in Chievo, either. They have lost their last three Serie A fixtures on the road and had managed just one point from five games before last weekend's surprise 2-0 win over Napoli. Their longer-term form and league position (16th) make it clear that win over second-placed Napoli was the exception rather than the rule.
Most bettors would understandably swerve this game altogether but the one market worth considering is Under 2.5 Goals. Sixteen of Pescara's 28 games have had under 2.5 goals. The same applies to 17 of Chievo's 28 games.
Unders is therefore my selection, although traders out there may like to wait until after kick-off as bigger prices may become available once the game is under way. These two sides have conceded the most goals of any teams in Serie A in the opening 15 minutes of games: nine for Pescara, eight for Chievo.
Recommended Bet
Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.70
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