Midweek Serie A play returns on Paramount+ this week and after a topsy turvy weekend, anything could happen. The past weekend saw Sassuolo topple AC Milan, Atalanta defeat Juventus and Empoli see off Fiorentina. With Sassuolo hosting Napoli, could they take down another title contender? Juventus will face Saleritana as they try to move past their brutal week while Atalanta will host Venezia as well.
1. Sassuolo vs. Napoli
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 1 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Caesars Sportsbook Odds: Sassuolo +305; Draw +270; Napoli -115
Why watch: Topple second place AC Milan and your next match gets top billing for the week, especially when it happens to be against first place Napoli. While Milan did have a red card and an own goal, Sassuolo were already out of reach thanks to goals from Domenico Berardi and Gianluca Scamacca. They bring their dangerous attack into a match against a Napoli side that just stifled Lazio but anything can happen in the Serie A. Sassuolo will need to do what few have been able to and contain Lorenzo Insigne, Napoli’s main danger man in the absence of striker Victor Osimhen.
2. Atalanta vs. Venezia
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 30 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Caesars Sportsbook Odds: Atalanta -420; Draw +480; Venezia +1300
Why watch: Atalanta can start to build a gap between fourth and fifth place in the league by picking up their fifth win in six matches. Already up three points on Roma after taking down Juventus, Venezia will be their next target. Venezia were competitive when hosting Inter but they don’t have the firepower to trouble the top sides if they can stay mistake free. Atalanta has the third best average possession in the league keeping the ball 55 percent of the time so Venezia will need to make do with limited chances which doesn’t seem doable for the side with the lowest expected goals in the league.
3. Bologna vs. Roma
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 1 | Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Caesars Sportsbook Odds: Bologna +210; Draw +245; Roma +127
Why watch: Bologna is a middle of the road side and usually this wouldn’t be of much interest but Roma is out almost their entire midfield. Byan Cristante and Gonzalo Villar may return from Covid protocols this week but Lorenzo Pellegrini won’t be available after suffering a muscular injury in their victory over Torino over the weekend. Pellegrini will be quite the loss as he has scored five goals and assisted two more in the league for Roma and they’re pushing their depth to the limit. Could it lead to a let down traveling to Bologna?
4. Lazio vs. Udinese
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 2 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Caesars Sportsbook Odds: Lazio +155; Draw +300; Udinese +410
Why watch: Lazio were rolling along in Seri A play until losing two weeks in a row allowing six goals and scoring none to Juventus and Napoli. While the Napoli loss can be written off, the Juve one looks extra bad now so Lazio will look to get things back on track as soon as possible. Udinese has been good at beating teams below them but has struggled against teams above them in the table so if Lazio can’t pull a victory out here it will be time to begin to get concerned.
5. Salernitana vs. Juventus
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 30 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Caesars Sportsbook Odds: Salernitana +800; Draw +415; Juventus -295
Why watch: Juventus are coming off one of their worst weeks in history. In Salernitana they find perhaps the best possible opponent to help them bounce back. The hosts sit bottom of the table, with a dreadful -18 goal difference. Juventus are already hanging on by a thread in the race for top four, after losing at home to Atalanta over the weekend they’re in seventh place, tied on points with Fiorentina, Lazio and Bologna seven behind the top four.
