The only two teams that have yet to register a draw in Serie A play will meet in the early game on Sunday. SPAL have had one of the most head spinning runs we have seen in recent history over the past 15 years. The club had to declare bankruptcy and reform in 2005 and they were forced to do so again in 2012. The second bankruptcy forced them all the way down to Serie D where they won a quick series of promotions to return to Italy’s top flight.
Lazio have been far more stable. Although the club’s glory days of the late 1990s and early 2000s are behind them, they have been a mainstay in Serie A and have occasionally contended. They are currently lurking in fifth place after the first 10 matches of the season, and a win over SPAL would likely push them past AC Milan and into fourth.
Don't miss the Italian Serie A action from the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy at 6:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, November 4, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN2.
Serie A Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
SPAL +780
Lazio -294
Draw +423
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
SPAL narrowly escaped relegation with a 17th place finish last year, and they are lingering near the bottom of the table again this season. They are much safer than they were last year though, as they are already sitting on 12 points and six points up on 18th place Empoli. SPAL have been boom or bust this year. They have picked up nice wins against Bologna, Parma, Atalanta, and Roma this year and they posted clean sheets in all four of those matches. However, they have been shut out themselves in four of their six losses, including last week against Frosinone.
It’s been a nice turnaround for Lazio after a tough start to the season. They faced league giants Napoli and Juventus in their first two matches of the campaign, and they failed to get a point from either team. They notched four straight wins after that though before falling to city rivals Roma 3-1. In their last match, they lost 3-0 to Inter Milan, continuing their streak of losing to the best teams in Italy but beating everyone else to have the inverse record of SPAL at 6-0-4.
Injury Report
Midfielder Lucas Leiva won’t be available for Lazio in this match, as he is dealing with a thigh injury. He isn’t expected back until the end of the month, and not having him will hurt in matches like this. Fellow midfielder Milan Badelj is questionable to play, and he too has a thigh injury.
SPAL will not have the services of midfielder Jasmin Kurtic and defender Johan Djourou in this match as both players are dealing with injuries. Midfielder Mattia Valoti is listed as doubtful.
Player to Watch
Ciro Immobile has produced magic as the man up top for Lazio this year. The Italian national might be the country’s best striker at the moment, and he has tallied six of Lazio’s 13 goals in Serie A this season. He is on the prime of his career at the age of 28, and his play has been the difference between wins and draws for Lazio in a number of matches.
Serie A Prop Bet – Draw/Draw +802
That just feels right, doesn’t it? Both teams haven’t had a draw yet this season, but that is unlikely to hold much longer in a low scoring league like Serie A. The dearth of draws has contributed to an inflated price on this option, so I’ll snag it at over 8-1 and hope for the best.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It will be interesting to see the tactics SPAL use in this match. They were able to knock off Roma earlier this season, but a 3-5-2 is unconventional and leaves you exposed at the back. I expect the team to be a bit more defensive with how they line up to attempt to pick up the point.
Italian Serie A Odds: Lazio 1, SPAL 1
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