Football tips, predictions and best bets: A-League and Serie A 25/05/24
Football betting tips: Saturday best bets
0.5pt No cards in Juventus vs Monza (17:00) at 22/1 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
Juventus vs Monza
- Kick-off time: 17:00 BST, Saturday
- TV channel: TNT Sports 3
- Home 1/3 | Draw 4/1 | Away 15/2
Italy is usually a haven for cards, but I'm going against the grain this weekend, which brings about the final round of matches.
Juventus have secured Champions League football and are just jostling for position - third, fourth or fifth - though they are manager-less following Massimiliano Allegri's dismissal due to his behaviour during Juve's Coppa Italia victory. Monza are marooned in mid-table with nothing to play for on the final day.
Both sides are on terrible runs of form, Juve winless in six league games and Monza in eighth, but there has been a notable drop off in card numbers in the latter's fixtures.
Monza had collected 16 cards through the first five matches during their winless run, but have picked up just the solitary card in all of their last three, with one of those coming extremely late in the 96th minute.
Juventus went wild in their last match against fellow Champions League battlers Bologna, with six cards shown, but prior to that had been pretty tame, including a usually feisty match against Milan which saw them go a full 90 minutes without picking up a card.
Maria Ferrieri Caputi is on the whistle for this, and while she has had a couple of high card games, her last outing saw one red card but no yellows. Last season she finished her Serie A and Women's World Cup campaigns on a run of 2-1-2 in terms of cards brandished, so she's certainly capable of a low one.
And with motivation low for this season climax, chancing NO CARDS looks worth a play at 22/1 on Betfair and Paddy Power.
The same bet is 12/1 on bet365, 17/2 on William Hill and 8/1 on Unibet, and while it is annoying to build this bet through Betfair, it's a far superior price. We have to delve into the Bet Builder and add 'Under 1.5 Cards' alongside 'Tie' in the Team most card market. It's a faff, but it could be worth it come Saturday night.
Odds correct at 1430 BST (24/05/24)
Already advised:
2pts Zinedine Machach 1+ shot on target in Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory (10:45) at 11/10 (bet365)
1pt Zinedine Machach 2+ shots on target in Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory (10:45) at 6/1 (bet365)
0.5pts Zinedine Machach 3+ shots on target in Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory (10:45) at 20/1 (bet365)
Central Coast Mariners vs Melbourne Victory
- Kick-off time: 10:45 BST, Saturday
- TV channel: TNT Sports 4
- Home 11/10 | Draw 12/5 | Away 21/10
A weekend of finals across the globe kicks off in Australia with the conclusion of the play-offs.
Central Coast Mariners host Melbourne Victory in the A-League Grand final to determine the season Champions.
The Coasties have already claimed the Premier title and victory Saturday morning would secure the double.
Playing away from home, Melbourne Victory are the outsiders but the visitors are bolstered by the return of creator-in-chief ZINEDINE MACHACH.
For the Frenchman, this matchup represents a chance at redemption after he was sent off for violent conduct at the beginning of the play-off campaign which meant Machach missed both of the semi-finals against Wellington.
Zinedine Machach is a problem. A BIG problem in the #ALeagues.
— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) November 4, 2023
You can’t knock him off the ball. The guy is a bulldozer.
And the former Napoli/Marseille man is a joy to watch with the ball at his feet.
Melbourne Victory have nailed this signing 🔥pic.twitter.com/ENxbuxWFKc
The attacking midfielder is pure box office. He has a bombastic highlight reel and with seven goals, six cards and five assists, there is certainly value in his anytime goalscorer price (9/2) or in the assist market (13/2).
I think SHOTS ON TARGET are the way to go here though.
Machach has notched up 1+ in 15 of his 27 A-League starts this term, 2+ on seven occasions and 3+ thrice making the prices available with bet365 value.
Odds correct at 1200 BST (24/05/24)
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