The 9th round of the Italian Seria A started yesterday with Juve edging 2-1 against Fiorentina. Today, October 26th, we’ve got our top football predictions revolving around the big derbies – Atalanta v Inter, Napoli v Udinese, and Milan v Parma. Inter are trying to fight their way back into the top places in the standings, while Milan are coming after the incredible comeback win against Lecce in the previous round.
Atalanta v Inter Prediction
It has been a strange season for the Nerazzurri thus far, having already changed no less than 4 coaches in 2011. They started the year with Benitez, followed by ex Milanista Leonardo, then came the scandalous Gasperini who recorded 7 straight defeats at the start of the new 2011/12 campaign, quickly axed and replaced by Ranieri. Ranieri is definitely one of the most experienced coaches out there, having gone through clubs, such as Roma, Valencia, and Chelsea, but he never won any major trophies, so fans were mostly sceptical about his appointment. Nonetheless, with the exception of the 0-3 disaster against Napoli at the Meazza, it has been a positive period ever since Ranieri took over. This is a good omen for our Atalanta v Inter prediction.
Inter managed to stabilize their position in the Champions League with two straight away wins against CSKA Moscow and Lille, so now they are looking to do the same domestically, although the calendar features some really difficult fixtures for them. That’s why our Atalanta v Inter prediction is for a win for the Milanese giants, as their next match is the big derby against Juventus, and they don’t want to fall behind going into this game. Should Inter win these next two games, then they will be just 3 points adrift from the Bianconeri, meaning they will back in the title race. That will be a huge incentive for them and thus a major factor in our Atalanta v Inter prediction for the 9th round of the Seria A in October 26th.
Ranieri is expected to make some rotations in the attacking department, where this time around, Milito looks set to start from the first minute, and he will be accompanied either by Zarate or Pazzini, or might as well both. Maicon has been getting back to his best, so he is a guaranteed starter on the right, along with a central defensive pair of Lucio and Chivo, while Nagatomo will play as left back. Of course, Juilo Cesar being on goal is the safest Atalanta v Inter prediction. The shape of the midfield depends on what Ranieri opts to bring in attack.
Atalanta v Inter Prediction: It will be a hard test for Inter, but still they should be able to claim all three points here. Zarate has been in good form lately, and with Milito in good shape as well, goals are to be expected from this Inter side. Wesley is back orchestrating the midfield and dishing out great passes to the ones up front, so we predict a close game in which Inter will win.
Betting Verdict: Bet On Inter to Win @ 2,40
Napoli v Udinese Prediction
Napoli has done really well in the derbies these season, gaining great results against the big teams, but failing versus the smaller ones. Well, luckily for them, this Napoli v Udinese prediction represents a debry match, so according to this logic, they should do good. They have not won in their last three games, drawing two and losing one at home to Parma, so they should be super hungry for the three points tonight. With the likes of Cavani, Hamsik and Lavezzi, they are certainly more than capable of winning here. Maggio has also been in great form lately.
Napoli v Udinese Prediction: A really interesting stat about this game is that Napoli has not won against Udinese since 2008, so it’s been three years since their last victory against this particular opponent, and they have played 6 games in that period with Udine winning the last three, while the others all ended in draws. Now is the perfect moment for Napoli to put an end to this negative trend.
Betting Verdict: Bet On Napoli to Win @ 2,00
