It’s matchday 1 in the Italian Serie A and we are excited to see this league back as most of our winners last season came from Italy.
Although it might not be the most glamorous of games to be choosing a soccer pick from, we do believe this is a solid banker.
Check out what way we see this game going and what our favorite pick is at betting odds of +100 with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review).
SS Lazio vs. Bologna FC 1909
Sunday, August 14, 2022 – 12:30 PM EDT at Stadio Olimpico
SS Lazio Analysis
A Bolstered Squad
It was a very busy transfer window to date for the Sky Blues as they brought in a lot of players and let go a good bunch as well. They also had 10+ players return to the club from loan spells.
- A notable move was their double Hellas Verona signing where they snatched attacking midfielder Mattia Zaccagni and defender Nicolo Casale.
- Their most expensive signing was 23-year-old Luis Maximiano, who they signed for 9.1 million from Granada.
- They are also very glad to have bought 22-year-old center midfielder Marcos Antonio from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Notable departures during the window were former Liverpool players Lucas Leiva and Pepe Reina. Luiz Felipe departed for Real Betis whilst Joaquin Correa made his loan spell with Inter Milan permanent.
How Did Lazio Perform in Preseason?
Preseason Lazio has scored 11 goals in 5 games and conceded 5. They also drew their previous two friendlies 0-0, against Qatar in an International/club friendly and Real Valladolid.
Having kept all their star players, Lazio will begin the season with optimism having bolstered their roster this off-season.
Lazio's History Against Bologna
Lazio scored 11 goals in their previous 5 home matches against Bologna, averaging just over 2 goals per game.
Bologna FC 1909 Analysis
Looking to Weather the Early Storm
The club lost Aaron Hickey to Brentford and Mattias Svanberg to Wolfsburg. Both were strong players for the team and often came up with big game performances; it’s no wonder they were targeted by other clubs.
Their most expensive departure was 22-year-old center-back Arthur Theate who joined Stade Rennes for 17.1 million, another top player for the team.
Don’t get us wrong. We love their signings of Michel Aebischer from Young Boys and Lewis Ferguson from Aberdeen, but they seem to be going for some more finesse than hard knocks and this might take a few matchdays to adopt.
How Did Bologna Perform in Preseason?
On top of all this, the club has only played two preseason friendlies, which isn’t much preparation.
They have played one competitive game in the Coppa Italia, beating Cosenza just 1-0 despite the latter being +1200 to win the game.
SS Lazio vs. Bologna FC 1909: Odds Breakdown
Lazio is a strong favorite with the top-rated sportsbooks coming into this game at -140. The tie or draw, as it's also known, is around +333 and Bologna is available at +480.
The Over 2.5 goals is juiced to -140 whilst the Under 2.5 goals is chalked up at +135 with BetOnline.
Both teams to score is set at -130 whilst the no is available to bet at +110.
SS Lazio vs. Bologna FC 1909: Betting Pick
Lazio managed to keep last season’s top goalscorer Ciro Immobile at the club (27 goals) and that will give the club a lot of confidence heading into this home matchup against a Bologna side that doesn't seem to have woken up yet.
Despite Lazio failing to score in their previous two games, we can’t factor in these performances as friendlies are mainly for getting match fit and the players really don’t care if they win lose or draw. Especially a squad like Lazio who pretty much has a regular starting 11 so not many places are available to fight for.
Lazio beat Bologna 3-0 at home last season and we see a similar result here in this Italian Serie A opener for both these teams. Lazio -1 on the Asian handicap at +100 seems like a very generous price in our opinion. At the very least, we see them winning 1-0 or 2-1 so in that case, you would get a push on your bet.
Predicted Score: Lazio 3 - 0 Bologna
Soccer Pick: Lazio -1 (+100) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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