Serie A matchday 2 predictions: how every game of the weekend will end
Milan have already opened with a 2-0 win over Venezia. Nine games are left until Monday night: here is our analysts' call on each one, with odds, confidence level and every player pick published on the site.
Matchday two of Serie A opened on Friday night at San Siro and closes on Monday in Bergamo. In between there are nine games, a transfer window that shuts on Tuesday 1 September and a table nobody can read yet. Below you will find our analysts' call on every single fixture, with the odds and the confidence level, plus all the player picks published on the site.
Milan open up and go top
The Friday opener was a straightforward one: Milan beat Venezia 2-0, settled by Gonçalo Ramos on 69 minutes and an own goal near the end. Amorim's side move to 6 points and take top spot while the rest catch up; Venezia are still on zero after two defeats. For the record, our call on the game (Under 4.5 Goals) landed.
What matchday one told us
Twenty-four goals in ten games, and only one side managed four of them: Roma swept Fiorentina aside 4-0 at the Olimpico with a hat-trick from Donyell Malen, the man we tipped for the Golden Boot back in our season verdicts. Behind them, nine teams sit level on three points: Inter won 4-1 against Monza, Napoli 2-0 at Genoa, Lecce 2-0 in Venice, Atalanta 2-1 over Sassuolo, Cagliari 1-0 at Parma, Juventus 1-0 at Frosinone and Lazio 1-0 at Bologna. Udinese and Como shared a point each after their 1-1.
The stories of the week
Juventus lose Kenan Yildiz to a foot injury that could keep him out for around two months, and Spalletti arrives at the Parma game with McKennie carrying fatigue and doubts over Thuram and Gatti. At Milan the Rafael Leao saga is still open, with Galatasaray and Aston Villa both bidding above 40 million. Moise Kean is close to Como for around 35 million plus bonuses, which would reshape both Fiorentina's attack and Como's. Elsewhere Atalanta are selling Honest Ahanor to Chelsea, Udinese are down to the bare bones with Nicolò Zaniolo out for three to four weeks and Kabasele the only suspended player in the whole round, while Sassuolo lose Koné until January and hold their breath over Domenico Berardi's ankle.
How the nine games will end: our predictions
One pattern jumps out of the grid: our analysts see no goal fest anywhere this weekend. Every call sits on the total goals line, which is the safest read when defences are ahead of attacks in the opening weeks. The Friday opener made the point: two goals, and the line held.
Match | When | Our prediction | Odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Sat 29, 18:30 | Under 4.5 Goals | 1.15 | 7/10 | |
Sat 29, 18:30 | Under 3.5 Goals | 1.25 | 6/10 | |
Sat 29, 18:30 | Under 4.5 Goals | 1.12 | 6/10 | |
Sat 29, 20:45 | Under 4.5 Goals | 1.20 | 7/10 | |
Sun 30, 18:30 | Under 3.5 Goals | 1.23 | 6/10 | |
Sun 30, 20:45 | Under 4.5 Goals | 1.13 | 7/10 | |
Sun 30, 20:45 | Under 3.5 Goals | 1.23 | 6/10 | |
Mon 31, 18:30 | Under 4.5 Goals | 1.10 | 7/10 | |
Mon 31, 20:45 | Under 4.5 Goals | 1.14 | 7/10 |
The three tightest reads are the ones sitting at Under 3.5. Monza and Udinese meet with a combined injury list as long as the team sheet; Napoli host a Como side that has drawn four of its last five in all competitions; Lazio face a Genoa team that has yet to score. The boldest call, by contrast, is Cagliari vs Inter: the champions put four past Monza on the opening day, yet Cagliari have never beaten them in the recent head-to-head record and tend to keep games low.
The player picks for the round
Sixteen player picks are live across seven of the nine games, and one of them carries the Pick of the Day badge.
Player | Team | Pick | Confidence | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fiorentina | To Be Fouled (1+) | POTD 8/10 | Fiorentina-Frosinone | |
Fiorentina | To Be Fouled (1+) | 7/10 | Fiorentina-Frosinone | |
Fiorentina | Shot (1+) | 6/10 | Fiorentina-Frosinone | |
Monza | Shot (1+) | 7/10 | Monza-Udinese | |
Udinese | Shot (1+) | 6/10 | Monza-Udinese | |
Sassuolo | Foul Committed (1+) | 7/10 | Sassuolo-Torino | |
Torino | Shot (1+) | 6/10 | Sassuolo-Torino | |
Juventus | Shot (2+) | 6/10 | Juventus-Parma | |
Juventus | Shot on Target (1+) | 6/10 | Juventus-Parma | |
Napoli | Shot (1+) | 7/10 | Napoli-Como | |
Como | Shot (2+) | 5/10 | Napoli-Como | |
Cagliari | Tackle (1+) | 7/10 | Cagliari-Inter | |
Inter | To Be Fouled (1+) | 7/10 | Cagliari-Inter | |
Lazio | To Be Fouled (2+) | 6/10 | Lazio-Genoa | |
Genoa | Shot (1+) | 7/10 | Lazio-Genoa | |
Genoa | Shot (1+) | 6/10 | Lazio-Genoa |
Two names stand out. João Mário is the Pick of the Day: Fiorentina host a newly promoted side that will defend deep, and all three of the picks in this game are on Fiorentina players. And Francesco Pio Esposito, whom we picked as our MVP of the season, is expected to draw fouls against a Cagliari defence that lives on physical duels. The two Monday games do not have player picks yet: they are usually published in the 48 hours before kick-off.
Where to follow it all
Every prediction is updated until kick-off on our Serie A page, while goalscorers, shots, assists and cards for every player are in the Player Predictions section. One reminder that is worth more than any tip: always wait for the confirmed line-ups before making up your mind, because a single name missing from the eleven can change the reading of a whole game.
