Italian Serie A
2008-05-18 - Parma vs Inter Milan
A Sports Betting Pick by Mario
Can Inter Hold Their Nerve?
Inter Milan have led Serie A for almost the entire season, but some poor results from February onward allowed nearest rival Roma, to whittle their lead down.
After Inter’s shock home draw last weekend with Siena, where a win would have wrapped up the Scudetto, alarm bells are now ringing loudly.
Serie A punters are rightly asking "Can Inter handle the pressure?"
The club instigated a blackout between media and players after the disappointment against Siena, where Marco Materazzi crucially missed a spot-kick, which would have been enough to land the title.
Esteban Cambiasso will be out for Sunday’s visit to Parma, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic may make a timely return, looking for his first league goal since January. Although probably only to the bench.
He would provide coach, Roberto Mancini, with a useful alternative to teenage, Mario Balotelli, subbed last weekend due to tiredness and cramp.
Parma’s incentive is massive, 18 years in Serie A will end unless they win, and even then Roma must beat Catania.
To make matters worse, Hector Cuper, only in charge since March, was sacked on Monday after he won just two of the 10 matches he took charge of. Andrea Manzo, the club’s youth team Coach, has been put in temporary control.
BOOKMAKERS VIEW
In such a fascinating context PinnacleSports.com price the game Inter Milan 1.719 (-0.75) with Parma 2.290 (+0.75) – a market that expects a lot of support for Inter Milan
PROBABLE TEAMS
Parma : Pavarini; Coly, Couto, Paci, Castellini; Reginaldo, Morrone, Cigarini, Gasbarroni; Lucarelli, Budan
Inter Milan : Julio Cesar; Maicon, Burdisso, Materazzi; Maxwell; Vieira, Zanetti, Jimenez; Stankovic; Cruz, Balotelli
THE VERDICT
What on earth were Parma thinking in sacking Hector Cuper? That's a decision that seems to play back into the hands of Inter Milan to me!
However, Inter are in poor form now - and are really wobbling - and let us not forget that the last time Inter had the Scudetto within touching distance on the final day, they went to Lazio and slipped to an unforgettable 4-2 defeat.
This is a desperate game - and any result can happen (yes even the draw that nobody wants) - and so I have to take the result with the biggest price.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Parma 1-0 Inter Milan
