Balance
Profit €22.75
Result Cagliari 1(Matri 87) Lazio 0
So very close to a much needed win last week.The game was heading for a stalemate until substitute Alesandro Matri guided a fine header towards Marco Ballotta's far post and into the net to earn a vital three points for the Islanders in their battle against relegation.Despite another loss at least last weekend I got a bit of value out of the draw bet and if relegation dogfights are your thing then you will be guaranteed plenty of value following the Italian league scrap for survival.With only nine points separating bottom club Cagliari and Torino in 13th place the fight for survival promises to be captivating unlike the top of the table with Inter cruising to another title with the same nine points between the Nerazzurri and their nearest rivals Roma.This weekend I am following the relegation battle and I will have a look at the third from bottom Livorno versus fourth from bottom Catania,two teams squaring up to each other from both sides of the relegation zone.My choice this week is to go for the team on the wrong side; Livorno to win at 2.38 with betfair.
With two successive trips to the San Siro; the first a draw against AC then a defeat against Inter followed by two narrow defeats at home to Napoli and away to Fiorentina,Livorno should relish easier opposition with the visit of Catania to Stadio Armando Picchi.Catania won the reverse fixture one nil back in October but they have not got a point on the road since November and they are one of three clubs not to have won on their travels this season.Don't be fooled by the midweek draw at home to AC Milan as the Champions League holders started with out Nesta,Oddo,Kaka,Pirlo and Gattuso.It is a Livorno win for me this weekend to send the Sicilian team into the drop zone.Livorno need to hit some form soon and with most of their fellow stugglers still to come to the Picchi they should be confident of picking up some more vital points in the six pointer games.The Amaranto also have a goalscorer,Francesco Tavano in double figures this season,a stat that the teams around them cannot claim.If Tavano keeps scoring Livorno can stay up.Francesco 'Ciccio' Tavano currently wears the number 10 shirt for Livorno after a brief retirement of the jersey.
Livorno's number 10 jersey was retired in 2005 after Igor Protti retired.Protti became a Livorno legend after he joined them for a second spell(his first spell was in the 80's) in Serie C1.He guided and captained them to Serie A on the way becoming capocannoniere in CI and B resulting in him becoming the first player to be top scorer in all top three divisions.Protti ended the 1996 season joint top goalscorer with Giuseppe Signori whilst playing for Bari,a feat made all the more remarkable as Bari were relegated that season.Protti had short spells with Lazio,Napoli and Reggianna before heading to Livorno for a second time in 1999 and the rest is history.He may have never won an Italian cap or the hearts of the nation but he will always be in the hearts of the Livorno fans and he himself retired a supporter.After receiving the freedom of the city Protti unretired the jersey in 2007 announcing that he wanted to give back the dream of wearing the number 10.
STATS
Livorno at home W2 D5 L5 F13 A19
Catania away W0 D5 L8 F9 A23
TRIVIA
Which Livorno fans favourite now plays for Ukranian side Shakhtar Donetsk?Last weeks answer 1990,England 1-1.
No comments:
Post a Comment