Roma v Lazio: Totti can inspire the Giallorossi to derby success

"The price can perhaps be explained by Lazio’s poor form in the spring. They’re 16th in the second half of the season in Serie A, a dip that’s attributable to injuries to key players..."

Back Roma to win @ 2.021/1

James Horncastle previews Monday night's Rome derby and believes Serie A legend Francesco Totti can add to his goal tally in a Roma victory...

Roma v Lazio
Monday 19:45, live on ESPN

When you get to Francesco Totti's age it's good to set objectives in order to motivate yourself to keep going.

In the long-term, the Roma captain wants to score the 48 goals required to reach the former Lazio striker Silvio Piola and become the all-time top scorer in the history of Serie A.

In the short-term, he aims to find the net in Monday night's eagerly anticipated Rome derby. Because if Totti were to do so, he would join Dino da Costa and Marco Delvecchio as the players to have scored most against Lazio in Roma's history.

Totti, it must be said, has traditionally found the going quite tough against Lazio. He has scored only eight times against them in 20 years, whereas Da Costa managed to get nine in the space of just two and a half between October 1956 and April 1959. Delvecchio did it in five between 1997 and 2002.

Although Totti's last goal against Lazio came two years ago, there's reason to believe he'll add to his total on Monday.

From a personal perspective, the 36-year-old is having an excellent season. Totti is the only Serie A player to have reached double figures for goals (11) and assists (10) this term. Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has even spoken about the prospect of calling him up for the 2014 World Cup should he be performing at this level this time next year.

Back him To Score at the best price available once the market becomes more liquid.

The exchange makes Roma favourites to win the 138th derby at 2.021/1. That might strike some as strange. Fifth placed Lazio have won the last three derbies in a row and are three points ahead of Roma in seventh. So why does the market have them at 4.1n/a?

The price can perhaps be explained by Lazio's poor form in the spring. They're 16th in the second half of the season in Serie A, a dip that's attributable to injuries to key players in particular Miroslav Klose - who, according to coach Vladimir Petkovic is still a slight doubt for Monday along with Stefano Mauri. Add into the mix some poor officiating, slices of bad luck and going deep into the Europa League where they're in the quarter-finals and you have your answer.

Lazio lost 2-0 to Fenerbahçe in Istanbul on Thursday night. As it happens, they've never won in Serie A after an away leg in the Europa League this season. They felt particularly hard done by on the sending off of Ogenyi Onazi and on the penalty that Stefan Radu was harshly adjudged to have given away. While it's not as though Lazio need getting up for the derby, they've promised to channel their anger at these perceived injustices into it anyway.

Which brings us nicely on to discipline. There have been seven red cards in the last four Rome derbies. So why not back there to be another one at 2.89/5.

Also penalties can be anticipated. There have been five scored in the last seven meetings between Roma and Lazio. Three of them have been put away by Hernanes, who is also worth considering to score at anytime at the best price available. Given there have been Over 2.5 Goals in three of the last five derbies too, it might be worth getting on that too even at 1.8810/11.

Recommended Bets

Back Roma to win @ 2.021/1
Back Francesco Totti To Score @ best price available
Back Hernanes to score @ best price available
Back a Sending Off @ 2.89/5
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.8810/11

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Premier League List: Five comebacks to inspire Man City

Premier League / Richard / 03 April 2012 / Leave a Comment

Marc Overmars scored the winning goal at Old Trafford in March 1998

"With just seven games to play, Manchester City are now [7.0] to overhaul the leaders."

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Chelsea (2009/10)
The Blues led from the front for most of the way but were eventually caught in March after a run of just three wins in seven. Their wobble however was not to prove season-defining. They remained second until April 3, when they won 2-1 away to the then leaders Manchester United. Chelsea went on to win four of their last five to secure the title by a point on the final day.

Manchester United (2002/03)
With just nine games to play, Manchester United were five points behind leaders Arsenal. But the Gunners crumbled in spectacular fashion, winning just four of their last nine. United needed no invitation and went on to take 25 points from the last 27 available to win the title at a relative canter.

Arsenal (1997/98)
Arsenal were all of 11 points off top spot, albeit with two games in hand, on March 2. However, they then proceeded to win ten league fixtures on the trot, including a 1-0 win at Old Trafford, leaving Manchester United and co in their wake. They could even afford to lose their final two matches and still come out on top by a point.

Manchester United (1995/96)
Newcastle were top of the pile from day one and remained there until March 23. Manchester United had been nine points behind with just 12 games to play but Newcastle embarked on a disastrous run that saw them win just five of their final 12. Sir Alex Ferguson's men took full advantage, winning all but two and were crowned champions with a 3-0 success at Middlesbrough on the final day.

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Man United had been as low as tenth in November and at no stage prior to April had they managed to stay at the top for more than three weeks in succession. Norwich's ascent to the top saw them briefly fall to third in March and they were a point behind Aston Villa with just six games left. Six successive wins however eventually saw them saunter to the title with ten points to spare.

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Juventus v AC Milan: Del Piero to inspire big-match Bianconeri

Italian Football / Michael Lintorn / 20 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Alessandro Del Piero should start in this Coppa Italia semi-final second leg

"Though AC Milan were the better of the pair in their recent league meeting, they have lost their three toughest domestic away games to Juventus, Lazio and Udinese, each by two goals."

Juventus have consistently delivered against top teams this season, and should do so again with a player who does the same, Alessandro Del Piero, given a game...

Juventus v AC Milan, Tuesday 19:45, Betfair Live Video, Match odds: Juventus [2.48], AC Milan [3.15], The Draw [3.5]

One man is on the cover of all the major Italian sports newspapers on the eve of the season's fourth and final riveting encounter between Juventus and AC Milan and for once it is neither Andrea Pirlo nor Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Instead, it is the 37-year-old Alessandro Del Piero attracting all the attention after Antonio Conte confirmed that he will face the Serie A leaders in the second leg of this Coppa Italia semi-final for what might be the last time in his career.

The Bianconeri's all-time leading scorer and appearance-maker has found first-team opportunities limited in what the club confirmed in October would be his last campaign in Turin, and more than likely Italy too, yet has still shone in several of his cameos.

He will be desperate to put on another show in what threatens to be a swansong performance at the top level in his homeland and his chances of doing so are promising as while AC Milan possess all the momentum in Serie A, it is Juventus who are in control in the cup.

Their visitors' only route into a final with Napoli or Siena is to do what no side has done all season - and something that they have failed to achieve on three occasions - by beating the Old Lady, having lost the first leg 2-1 at San Siro.

Though AC Milan were the better of the pair in their recent league meeting there, robbed by the linesman's failure to spot that Sulley Muntari's header has crossed the line to make it 2-0, they have lost their three toughest domestic away games to Juventus, Lazio and Udinese, each by two goals.

Juventus by contrast have saved their best for hosting positional rivals, defeating AC Milan, Udinese and Roma. They also halted a run of four straight draws with a 5-0 away thrashing of Fiorentina on Saturday, finally rediscovering that scoring touch, so are an attractive proposition at [2.48].

Both teams to score

This was a feature of the two clashes between Serie A's top two last month and a feature of four of Juventus' last six as hosts, so as AC Milan have netted in nine of their last ten domestic fixtures on the road, a repeat is a strong possibility at [1.77].

Best Bet: Juventus to win @ [2.48]
Other Recommended Bet: Both teams to score @ [1.77]

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