Spezia v Verona Bet Builder Tips
The Draw
Under 2.5 Goals
Over 6.5 Cards
Isak Hien to Be Carded
A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 18/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
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Sunday 7.45pm: Spezia v Verona
Serie A relegation Playoff
TV: BT Sport 1
Sure, a relegation playoff sounds like a lot of fun but it comes at the expense of a promotion equivalent in the division below and we saw yet again how sensational they are in the EFL this season. Looking at you, Sheffield Wednesday.
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Anyway, Serie A decided to reintroduce relegation playoffs in the summer and, just 38 match days later, here we are with the first such game in 18 years in Italy. Spezia and Verona ended up tied on points in 17th and 18th on 31 points so they will play 90 minutes and penalties if required on neutral territory to see who’s staying in the top flight and who’s headed for Serie B.
From a betting perspective this is a bit of a minefield, given the neutral venue and the do-or-die manner of the match as well as the safety blanket/cliff edge of penalties. Undeterred, we’ll have a go at unearthing a Bet Builder for Sunday evening’s showdown that should be a hell of a lot of fun, especially for fans of pure, unadulterated s**thousery.
The Draw
Call me old fashioned, but two Italian teams playing 90 minutes in what is essentially a final has got The Draw written all over it. There’s more than lazy stereotyping to this punt, though.
These two have only met six times in their history with six Serie A games in the last three years. They’ve always been really close affairs other than one 4-0 Verona win back in October 2021. Overall there’s been three Verona wins, two draws and a solitary Spezia triumph.
That one Spezia win came this season and they’ve had the better of it this campaign with a goal-less draw in March completing the head to head. At the prices, and with 83.3% of their meetings being decided by one goal of fewer, I’ll side with The Draw as I think we’ll be well in with a shout until the final whistle at the very least.
Under 2.5 Goals
This could, of course, be an absolutely mad game with goals all over the shop, cards, thrills and spills. But these two scored 31 goals each at a combined total of 62 goals in 76 Serie A games this term.
They’ve conceded plenty with Spezia shipping 62 in 38 and Verona 59 in the same number but these are two truly blunt attacks, with the noticeable exception of Spezia’s 13-goal talisman M’Bala Nzola. With emphasis on not conceding here and nicking a goal if they get lucky I think the most likely outcome is Under 2.5 Goals.
Over 6.5 Cards
While goals may be at a premium yellow cards certainly will not be. These two are 1st and 3rd in the Serie A card count this term with Verona notching an impressive 104 yellows and 3 reds in their 38 games at an average of 2.82 cards per game.
Spezia have fewer yellows but more reds with 95 and 6 respectively, giving them a grand total of 2.66 per match. Those two averages combined gives us a hearty total of 5.52 per game combined. I was tempted to play it a bit safer and go with Over 5.5 but these two have proved they can really step it up when the pressure’s on.
On the final day of the season Verona picked up four alone and Spezia amassed a stunning eight bookings including two yellows for Kelvin Adou who was dismissed in the 88th minute as they tried in vain to hold on to the point that would have ensured their safety. Whatever happens here it’s surely going to be a s**thouse spectacle so I’ll really push the boat out and side with Over 6.5 Cards which could well look conservative come full time.
Isak Hien to Be Carded
If Paddy was offering prices on the respective keepers to be booked I’d be telling you to put a quid on each as a side bet and you’d surely be getting paid for one or the other, but alas. Sticking to the outfield players then, it’s got to be Isak Hien to Be Carded.
He’s notched nine for Verona in 32 appearances this term, joint most with Federico Ceccherini. However, at a much bigger price, Hien’s your man. That, added to the fact he’s more likely to feature with the latter only making 22 appearances makes Hien to Be Carded a handy bet.
Spezia v Verona Betting Tips
The Draw
Under 2.5 Goals
Over 6.5 Cards
Isak Hien to Be Carded
A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 18/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
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