Palermo V Livorno: Palermo to crack open some Pink bubbly?

Palermo V Livorno – Sunday, 7^th March, 14:00 GMT

Matt’s Tip: Palermo to WIN @ 1.53 StanJames (WON!)

Backing any italian side with an ‘Odds-on’ price tag is always a precarious deed but Palermo really do look a shoo-in for all three points in Sunday’s clash with a Livorno team destined for a relegation dogfight. We have one side, obviously Palermo, who are enjoying a rich vein of form whereas their opponent, and travellers, Livorno, are not only struggling to win a game in Serie A but are barely bringing home scraps from their league encounters at the moment, so surely this is a foregone conclusion, if there is such a thing in the unpredictable football world.

While no result is guaranteed in football these days, Palermo do look the closest thing to finding money on the streets, such is their strong credentials ahead of their clash with stragglers Livorno. Their record, Palermo’s, at home this season is staggering, standing firm as one of just four sides still to remain unbeaten at home after thirteen games. However, what caught our attention the most, second to their pretty pink kit, was their nine wins from those thirteen home fixtures in Serie A but, moreover, their six match winning streak at Stadio Renzo Barbera.

During Palermo’s fruitful run of six straight home victories, the likes of Parma, Lazio and Fiorentina have all come unstuck by losing to the Pink Flamingo’s – Not an official nickname for the club but it certainly tickles our ears (let’s hope it catches on). Some of Italy’s better teams have tried their utmost to overhaul a tough, resilient and unbeatable Palermo on their own patch, but all to no avail, and we expect Livorno to fall to a similar, deadly fate, although without much of a fight like the rest. Just roll over, play dead… Very good, Livorno!

It is perhaps worth pointing out that four of Palermo’s last six wins at home have been by a one goal margin, so while they look a sensation on paper, they haven’t exactly been as star-studded as we’ve made out. Nevertheless, wins breathe confidence, no matter how they arise, although I watched them rip a decent Fiorentina side apart at the end of last month, racing into a 3-0 lead before closing out the game in a comfortable and impressive manner. They were awesome that day, breaking out of defence not only at a ferocious pace but in large numbers, and a performance of that calibre would see them record another comfortable home victory.

Palermo’s recent rich of form, mainly at home it has to be said, has catapulted them into 4^th position, with Champions League football for next season now a real possibility if they keep up this winning momentum. Their away form could prove their Achilles heel as they’ve won just three times on the road all season but, however, they recorded their personal highlight result of the season when they beat Juventus 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in their very last outing in the league, a result which will have left the players on cloud nine, plus maintaining their winning home momentum as they return home to Palmero in a game of just as much importance, even if it is against a less glamorous opponent.

We will briefly touch on their opponents, whom are abysmal to say the least. Their recent form reads W:0 D:2 L:5, while they’ve won just twice away from home all season, although both were smash-and-grab victories. The positive for them is their ability to get on the score sheet in recent away fixtures, having done so in five of their last seven away outings, while they did hold the mighty AC Milan to a 1-1 draw at the San Siro, then quickly followed by a harsh 2-1 defeat Fiorentina. Viola, though, aren’t playing at all well of late, while Palermo are, so Livorno fans should expect nothing less than a bumpy ride on Sunday afternoon. A statement made even more true by the fact Livorno have scored just six away goals this season after twelve outings.