Serie A serves up a festive, post-Christmas weekend packed with compelling narratives across the division.
Saturday’s action kicks off in Pisa, where the Nerazzurri host Juventus, a clash that pits a struggling side against a Bianconeri team looking to keep pace with the league’s upper echelons.
On Sunday, attention shifts to the San Siro for a much-anticipated meeting between AC Milan and Verona, as the Rossoneri aim to steady the ship following a tricky run in cup competitions. The weekend wraps up in Bergamo, where Atalanta welcome table-toppers Inter Milan, a late festive showdown that promises intensity and intrigue. Here are my thoughts on each match, along with a suggested bet for every fixture.
Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, Inter Milan continue to set the pace in the outright market at 63/100. AC Milan and Napoli share second-favourite status at 13/4, while Juventus remain on the fringes at 15/1. Roma follow at 22/1, with the rest of the field trailing at odds of 100/1 and beyond.
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SATURDAY
PISA v JUVENTUS – Click here to bet
We kick things off this Saturday at the Stadio Romeo Anconetani, where league strugglers Pisa play host to Juventus. Alberto Gilardino’s men have endured a difficult return to the top flight and currently sit 19th in the standings with just 11 points from 16 matches, following last weekend’s 2–2 draw away to Cagliari. Pisa are without a win in their last five outings, collecting just two points from a possible 15 during that run, with two draws and three defeats.
At home, the Nerazzurri have struggled to find any rhythm, securing just one league win from eight matches. With six points gained from a possible 24, scoring has been a major problem, seven of their eight home fixtures this season have produced one goal or fewer, and they have managed just a single goal at the Anconetani all term. While this makes them tough to break down defensively, the lack of attacking output is a serious concern heading into this clash.
Juventus, meanwhile, arrive in solid form. Lucian Spalletti’s men have won their last three matches in all competitions, and last weekend’s 2–1 victory over Roma leaves them fifth in the table with 29 points from 16 games, just one point shy of the top four and four behind the summit, highlighting how tight and competitive Serie A has become this season.
On the road, the Bianconeri have collected 11 points from eight league trips, winning three, drawing two, and losing three. Similar to Pisa at home, Juventus’ away games this season have often been low-scoring affairs, with six of their eight league fixtures on the road producing two goals or fewer.
Head-to-Head
This will be the first meeting between Pisa and Juventus since the early 1990s. The sides have faced each other just twice, with Juventus emerging victorious on both occasions, leaving little historical insight to draw on heading into this weekend’s clash.
Betting
Pisa 23/4
Draw 13/4
Juventus 49/100
Verdict
Pisa’s home struggles make it hard to see them scoring this weekend, having managed just one goal at the Stadio Romeo Anconetani all season. Juventus arrive in solid form and should keep the hosts at bay, making ‘Juventus to win to nil’ the standout market choice in my view.
Suggested Bet: Juventus to win to nil at 6/5
SUNDAY
AC MILAN v VERONA – Click here to bet
Sunday’s action kicks off early at the San Siro, where AC Milan host Verona looking to steady the ship after a slightly frustrating run. Massimiliano Allegri’s side arrive winless in their last two matches across all competitions, having followed a 2–2 home draw with Sassuolo by falling to a 2–0 Supercoppa defeat away to Napoli. It has been a disappointing spell in cup competition, with Milan already exiting two domestic cups this month, although their league form remains largely solid. The Rossoneri sit second in Serie A with 32 points from 15 matches, nine wins, five draws and just one defeat, leaving them only a point behind leaders Inter Milan.
At the San Siro, Milan have been largely reliable. They have lost just once at home in Serie A this season, collecting 17 points from their opening eight league matches (W5 D2), and are currently on an eight-match unbeaten run on home soil across all competitions, securing six wins and two draws during that stretch. Their most recent home outing did end in a 2–2 stalemate against Sassuolo, which brought a two-game winning run to an end, but notably Milan have yet to register back-to-back home draws this term, a trend that points toward Allegri’s side pushing for a return to winning ways here.
Verona travel north hoping to build on a rare positive run. Paolo Zanetti’s men claimed back-to-back league victories for the first time this season, beating Atalanta 3–1 before following that up with a 2–1 win away to Fiorentina. Despite that resurgence, Verona remain inside the bottom three in 18th place, having accumulated 12 points from 15 matches overall (W2 D6 L7), highlighting just how much ground they still need to make up.
Away from home, Verona’s struggles remain a concern. They have taken just six points from eight league matches on the road, managing one win, three draws and four defeats. While their recent success in Florence marked their first away victory of the campaign, consistency continues to elude them, with four losses in their last seven away league outings, a record that leaves little margin for error against one of the division’s strongest home sides.
Head-to-Head
AC Milan have dominated this fixture in recent seasons, winning each of their last nine consecutive league meetings with Verona. Last season, the Rossoneri completed a clean-sheet double with back-to-back 1–0 victories home and away, underlining their control in this matchup.
Betting
AC Milan 19/50
Draw 15/4
Verona 15/2
Verdict
Milan’s recent cup frustrations shouldn’t overshadow how reliable they’ve been at the San Siro, and their strong home trends point toward a response here. Verona’s recent wins are encouraging, but their away record and poor head-to-head history against Milan make this a tough assignment. A home win with limited goalmouth action from the visitors looks the most likely outcome.
Suggested Bet: AC Milan to win & Under 3.5 Total Match Goals at 11/10
ATALANTA v INTER MILAN – Click here to bet
The weekend’s action concludes in Bergamo, where Atalanta welcome league leaders Inter Milan to the New Balance Arena in what shapes up as one of the standout fixtures of the round. Both sides arrive with momentum, albeit from slightly different paths, setting the stage for a compelling late showdown.
Atalanta’s upturn in form has been one of the more encouraging stories in recent weeks. Since the appointment of Raffaele Palladino in late November, La Dea have shown clear signs of progress, losing just twice across his first eight matches in charge while winning the remaining six in all competitions. That improvement has translated into results of late, with Atalanta currently riding a three-match winning streak, including consecutive league victories. A hard-fought 2–1 home win over Cagliari was followed by a disciplined 1–0 success away to Genoa last weekend, lifting them into ninth place with 22 points from 16 matches.
Home form, in particular, has become a growing source of optimism. Atalanta have won their last four home matches in all competitions, including their last two Serie A outings in Bergamo. Palladino’s side have taken 13 points from eight league games at the New Balance Arena, losing just once while drawing four and winning three. Defensive improvements have been especially noticeable, with just two goals conceded across their last four home appearances, while ten have been scored at the other end during that run.
Inter Milan make the trip north looking to quickly refocus after cup disappointment. Cristian Chivu’s side were edged out of the Supercoppa semi-finals by Bologna on penalties last weekend, but their league form remains strong and largely unaffected. The Nerazzurri sit top of the Serie A table with 33 points from 15 matches, having strung together three consecutive league victories to maintain their grip on first place.
Away from home, Inter have continued to deliver. They have collected 15 points from a possible 21 on their travels this season, winning five of seven league matches and losing just twice. Chivu’s men have won each of their last three away league games, scoring twice in all three outings. Overall, Inter have netted 13 goals on the road while conceding nine, often making their away fixtures open and entertaining affairs.
Head-to-Head
Inter Milan have enjoyed a dominant recent record in this fixture. They are unbeaten in their last 15 meetings with Atalanta across all competitions (W10 D5), including a league double last season courtesy of back-to-back 2–0 victories. Those results extended Inter’s clean-sheet streak against Atalanta to four matches, during which they have scored 12 goals without reply.
Betting
Atalanta 5/2
Draw 53/20
Inter Milan 11/10
Verdict
Atalanta’s momentum under Palladino makes this a far tougher test than the league table might suggest, especially in Bergamo where they’ve tightened up defensively. Still, Inter’s authority away from home and their long-standing dominance in this fixture point toward the visitors finding a way through. It may not be comfortable, but Inter look best placed to edge it and stay top.
Suggested Bet: Inter Milan to Win at 11/10
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
