Serie A’s Champions League Race Shaping Late Season Betting Narratives

The upcoming home clash against out-of-sorts Bologna could be an ideal opportunity for Conte’s side to bounce back from a patchy four-game run in Serie A (W1, D2, L1) and secure a coveted top-four spot. It would be a fitting farewell gift from the former Juventus and Inter boss, who is facing an uncertain future in Naples.

Milan

Even without the distraction of European football, Milan have failed to mount a serious title challenge. Despite keeping his team in the top four for the best part of his second stint at San Siro, Massimiliano Allegri is still at risk of missing out on a top-four finish, with the Rossoneri hitting a rough patch at the worst moment.

Three defeats from their last five league outings have significantly compromised Milan’s Champions League ambitions, allowing Roma to reduce the gap to only three points. Desperate to recover from last weekend’s fiasco at Sassuolo, they’ll face Atalanta this weekend on home turf.

While that could prove to be a daunting task, matches against bottom-half Genoa and Cagliari in the last two rounds should offer them a favorable opportunity to collect the points they need.

Juventus

Despite going unbeaten in their last nine league games (W5, D4), Juventus’ top-four hopes are hanging by a thread. Luciano Spalletti’s side shared the spoils with already-relegated Hellas Verona last weekend, casting further doubt on their lofty aspirations.

The margin for error is thin as they take on Lecce, Fiorentina, and Torino in their final three games. Needless to say, anything other than a win at Stadio Via del Mare this weekend would seriously damage their chances of securing Champions League qualification.

Roma

Gasperini’s men have thrived in these high-octane moments, winning three of their last four league games (D1) to massively bolster their top-four charge. Though they need results elsewhere to go their way, Roma appear to be perfectly capable of holding up their end of the bargain.

Except for a mouth-watering Derby della Capitale against Lazio, the Giallorossi have two relatively routine tasks waiting in the wings, as they face Parma and Verona on either side of this Serie A blockbuster.

Como

Como squandered a giant opportunity to close the gap on Juventus last weekend, with Napoli holding Cesc Fabregas’ side to a goalless draw at the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium. That result forms part of an underwhelming five-game sequence for the Lariani (W1, D1, L3), keeping them three points behind the Bianconeri.

However, their top-four quest is not over yet, especially considering they face Verona, Parma, and Cremonese in the last three rounds.