⚽ Sportsbet.io ⚽ Italian Serie A ⚽ Football Pool Discussion Thread 2023/2024

[Trofo]

Harko: I hate these int breaks. I can't say just how much I do, but I really do.

We all hate international breaks but we all love watching World Cup or Euro during summer, unfortunately we have to have former in order to have later What is worse we don't even have our freebet challenge this week due to those breaks. Hope it will at least be a couple of juicy matches to make time go faster, did not check the schedule yet. I know only Croatia team opponents, and we will be playing without Modric.

[morvillz7z]

The summer transfer window in Serie A is now closed, can't say anything interesting has happened today, though there are a few transfers that caught my attention in the last 24/48 hours:


source: https://www.eurosport.com/football/transfers/2020-2021/transfer-deadline-day-august-2021-all-premier-league-la-liga-serie-a-bundesliga-ligue-1-done-deals_sto8507394/story.shtml

Lazio  Felipe Caicedo - Lazio to Genoa;  Mattia Zaccagni - Verona to Lazio;     Milan Junior Messias - Crotone to AC Milan; Tiemoue Bakayoko - Chelsea (played for Napoli last season) to AC Milan

Udinese  Beto Betuncal - Portimonense to Udinese; Bologna Takehiro Tomiyasu - Bologna to Arsenal; Sassuolo Francesco Caputo - Sassuolo to Sampdoria

Juventus  Moise Kean - Everton to Juventus; Cagliari  Keita Balde - Monaco to Cagliari; Torino Josip Brekalo - Wolfsburg to Torino; Dennis Praet - Leicester to Torino

Lazio replacing Caicedo and Correa with Zaccagni, don't think they have much depth up front if Immobile gets injured.

Milan has added two solid midfielders in Bakayoko and Junior Messias. I like the addition of the Brazilian (who has a very unusual past, google him if you want to learn more), he and Simy pretty much carried Crotone last season.

Sassuolo are keeping their core players except for Ciccio Caputo who is headed to Sampdoria. There were a lot of rumors and interest about Berardi in the last couple of weeks, but i guess nobody is paying +€35.00m at this point.

[leea-1334]

Milan has added two solid midfielders in Bakayoko and Junior Messias. I like the addition of the Brazilian (who has a very unusual past, google him if you want to learn more), he and Simy pretty much carried Crotone last season.

This is what I enjoy the most about the forums here,,, that you always find nice tidbits like this to read about. Very unusual,,, but I think for me the most unusual story to read this season was how a Bundesliga player actually smuggled himself into the country and got a fake passport and eventually played football and got citizenship.

Related to your story is a former Afghan minister, Oxford graduate, who ran to Germany (also) and is now working as delivery boy. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210830-work-is-work-afghan-ex-minister-now-delivers-food-in-germany

Rent is 420 euros a month, and he probably got a small place to live alone, that is almost 3 times minimum wage here, fantastic world we live in,,, humans are so amazing!

Oh,,, and Moise Kean back to Juventus now? Good for him!

[leea-1334]

Is it strange to be excited for the first time in my life about Italian football? Or is it just because I am not in the bottom of the group as other seasons for other leagues? 

I have always just followed Spurs but because I had a friend who watched Juventus I always pretended to like the other team playing them. Does anybody know much about Salertina? I of course can google them but if there is any local insight it could be interesting.

[casperBGD]

Is it strange to be excited for the first time in my life about Italian football? Or is it just because I am not in the bottom of the group as other seasons for other leagues? 

I have always just followed Spurs but because I had a friend who watched Juventus I always pretended to like the other team playing them. Does anybody know much about Salertina? I of course can google them but if there is any local insight it could be interesting.

yeah, I know, they are Salernitana
they are from tourist region, and it would be better for them to be tourist mecca than playing Serie A, and would probably be expressly sent to Serie B

joking aside, I think that they are, by far, weakest team in the league this season, and that they will struggled to get points, not even thinking about avoid relegation

[LTU_btc]

yeah, I know, they are Salernitana
they are from tourist region, and it would be better for them to be tourist mecca than playing Serie A, and would probably be expressly sent to Serie B

joking aside, I think that they are, by far, weakest team in the league this season, and that they will struggled to get points, not even thinking about avoid relegation

Agree about Salernitana,, they don't have big chances to stay in the league. But they signed Ribery few days ago, that's a reason to follow them. Even at 38 years, he had quite important role in Fiorentina.
Venezia is another newcomer who will strugle to stay in the league, but I like how their kit looks and their stadium located in very beautiful place.

[Trofo]

Venezia is another newcomer who will strugle to stay in the league, but I like how their kit looks and their stadium located in very beautiful place.

Have you been to Venezia mate? For me it is one of those places that sound great on paper but end up disappointing you when you finally get there. Venezia is quite close to where I live and I took catamaran boat there twice while I was younger and was not impressed at all. Whole City smelled funky due to their problems with flooding, food was expensive and bad, which is really strange for Italy but maybe I sat at all the wrong places....

Sorry for a bit off topic rant. Place your picks gentlemen, still some people without predictions, including me

[LTU_btc]

Have you been to Venezia mate? For me it is one of those places that sound great on paper but end up disappointing you when you finally get there. Venezia is quite close to where I live and I took catamaran boat there twice while I was younger and was not impressed at all. Whole City smelled funky due to their problems with flooding, food was expensive and bad, which is really strange for Italy but maybe I sat at all the wrong places....

Sorry for a bit off topic rant. Place your picks gentlemen, still some people without predictions, including me

I haven't been there yet, but I understand your disappointment. Sometimes when you travel to hyped places, you set big expectations you often end disappointed. But I'm surprised that food wasn't good. About Venezia stadium it's something unique that teams and fans can access stadium only through water.
Tomrrow we will have big game between Napoli and Juventus. But personaly, I don't like big games right after international break before players often return to clubs not in optimal condition.

[Rengga Jati]

-sni-

I haven't been there yet, but I understand your disappointment. Sometimes when you travel to hyped places, you set big expectations you often end disappointed. But I'm surprised that food wasn't good. About Venezia stadium it's something unique that teams and fans can access stadium only through water.
Tomrrow we will have big game between Napoli and Juventus. But personaly, I don't like big games right after international break before players often return to clubs not in optimal condition.

I am sure he came at the wrong time, especially when he said about the impact of flooding at that time. Indeed, this might often occur, the stadium is surrounded by waters.
But maybe really there are things interesting and good food there. It's just that sometimes we don't have time to enjoy all these things. And when we meet something that is not complaining, it will be a bad impression during life.

BTW, this Venezia stadium looks not big enough and is quite simple.
However, currently, it will be being renovated and the plan will be opened in 2023. We just see the results how, when we are seeing from the design and capacity of the stadium will be very good and accommodate more supporters or audiences.

[morvillz7z]

Venezia and Fiorentina's away wins took us all off guard, i suppose. Nobody, and i mean nobody, in our pool had either team in their selections. Fiorentina did not have two consecutive league wins all year last year, could they be a contender for top 8 perhaps?

You gotta love the symmetry though, all three matches were 0:1 at halftime, and all three ended with 2:1 (btts bettors 🤝), with Napoli making a comeback in the second half. Speaking of Napoli/Juve match, Szczesny with yet another mistake, making it three in three matches. He single-handedly gifted Udinese a point in the opener, and Napoli's equalizer was on him as well, maybe Allegri should take a look at Perin for the next couple of fixtures (he is not a bad goalkeeper).

Last season, we had quite a few upsets in Serie A in the weeks following international breaks, and i think we might see a few more on Sunday...Salernitana, anyone?

[buwaytress]

Wow guys. Not a single one of us backed Juventus to win nor Fiorentina as morvillz7z says! And I thought the Old Lady had some hardcore fans in the forum, and surely one in the pool =) Odds were such poor value too, and Napoli needed late 2nd half to get the win, after going behind. Should have still picked them in my parlay yesterday though, got everything right except one and Napoli would still have been a better bet.

Should have lost more badly though, and I regret picking 3-1 but come on, when was the last time Juve allowed 18 shots and 13 corners (to 1!)?

Salertina hmm. If the odds are good? Nah... right?

[Trofo]

You gotta love the symmetry though, all three matches were 0:1 at halftime, and all three ended with 2:1 (btts bettors 🤝), with Napoli making a comeback in the second half. Speaking of Napoli/Juve match, Szczesny with yet another mistake, making it three in three matches. He single-handedly gifted Udinese a point in the opener, and Napoli's equalizer was on him as well, maybe Allegri should take a look at Perin for the next couple of fixtures (he is not a bad goalkeeper).

BTTS in Italy, pure gold, hope it lasts. Had a bet only on Napoli - Juve game, much more bets today though. I have a feeling BTTS hits more often in Italy than in Germany and odds are almost double usually.

Why do you blame Szczesny for that first Napoli goal? It was a good strike from Insigne and he did well to just keep it out from the goal. Defender could have done much better job on closing the scorer as well.

[rdbase]

Real disappointment in the picks for the pool in Serie A.
Not one win (think I saw I had the spoon but this was before the matches even started so probably from two weeks ago) but still have Inter and a few other ones to get me out of the wine cellar and back into it.
Couldn't believe Juventus lost and thought they would of atleast had left it a draw 1-1 which was my prediction.
The departure of Ronaldo on this Italian squad will have some lasting implications and this match had showed this to be true.

[Harkorede]

Real disappointment in the picks for the pool in Serie A.
Not one win (think I saw I had the spoon but this was before the matches even started so probably from two weeks ago) but still have Inter and a few other ones to get me out of the wine cellar and back into it.
Couldn't believe Juventus lost and thought they would of atleast had left it a draw 1-1 which was my prediction.
The departure of Ronaldo on this Italian squad will have some lasting implications and this match had showed this to be true.

That makes two, probably my worse round ever. I literally went the 5 fixtures of the round without scoring a point.

There are just 2 fixtures left for the week and all I've got so far is a mere 4 points, Roma is underway vs Sassuolo already, I just hope I can get the max points here... Too bad you're on the other side of the coin with backing Sassuolo.

[LTU_btc]

Did anyone of you watched Roma - Sassuolo game? Because it was great game with dramatic ending. Score was 1:1 and El Shaaravy scored on additional time. Few moments later Sassuolo scored goal, but it wasn't counted because of offside. It was 1000th game for Mourinho as manager and he celebrated El Shaaravy goal very emotional. It was his 5th win in a row in all competition.He never had such succesful start in his debut season in a team that he managed. So, does anyone of you believe that Roma can fight for Scudetto?

[rdbase]

Real disappointment in the picks for the pool in Serie A.
Not one win (think I saw I had the spoon but this was before the matches even started so probably from two weeks ago) but still have Inter and a few other ones to get me out of the wine cellar and back into it.
Couldn't believe Juventus lost and thought they would of atleast had left it a draw 1-1 which was my prediction.
The departure of Ronaldo on this Italian squad will have some lasting implications and this match had showed this to be true.

That makes two, probably my worse round ever. I literally went the 5 fixtures of the round without scoring a point.

There are just 2 fixtures left for the week and all I've got so far is a mere 4 points, Roma is underway vs Sassuolo already, I just hope I can get the max points here... Too bad you're on the other side of the coin with backing Sassuolo.

First week of this league wasn't much better with most from what I remember when looking at the results were draws.
Very difficult seeing any of these matches in the fast paced play ending in a draw especially a nil one. But it happened this weekend and of course didn't select it to end this way.
I had to back Sassuolo against Roma cause if you hadn't noticed they are my favorite team in the Italia league.
Just check my profile to see who it is on their platform.
@LTU_btc Yes it was a dramatic ending for this match indeed but Mourinho was thrilled.

[Trofo]

This topic needs a bit of love and bumping up the pages.

Great derby tonight between Juve and Milan, it does not get much better than this in Serie A. I don't remember if Milan ever had a better chance of taking 3 points from Juve away. Still thinking this will probably end up with the draw but Juve is at its most vulnerable in last 5 years for sure.

My bet is on both to score for now and I will probably add x2 or 2 on Milan later on when line ups get available.

[buwaytress]

Damn you Spezia. Snatched away my 1.5 points in the last minute. Pfft!

@Trofo Yeah, Milan did look ragged against Liverpool but this is Serie A and Juventus are vulnerable, and wobbly. I think an away win, with no pressure on them, is great, great value at 4/1. Only thing is I think it will be a draw as you say, but let's see who comes away with all the superbru points come 11pm!

[morvillz7z]

^


image source: flashscore.com

Yes, Spezia with the winner!

This is probably the first time i'm getting lucky in added time, usually, it's the other way around, me complaining and losing points. What makes this exact score even better is that i'm the only one who dared to back Thiago Motta's men...the so-called differentials, love it!

Empoli might be the worst team to predict this season, at least for me, attacking squad that has no idea how to play defense, i'm getting Benevento vibes from last season all over again.

[Trofo]

Screw Spezia and extra time goal. Of course I had 1:1 in the pool for this one. Perfectly sums up my season so far. Those late goals never come when I need them for the ticket.

Doesn't matter, I am hoping for at least one correct score from the evening games. Roma should have easy job hopefully judging from pool picks, waiting for them on my ticket, and then Juve - Milan game to finish it all off. Should be goals for sure.