Fiorentina Vs SPAL Betting: Under 2.5 Goals – 12 January 2020

Nothing to split struggling Serie A duo?

Federico Chiesa /Fiorentina ©imago images / LaPresse 11.01.2020

Fiorentina Vs SPAL

Sunday 12th January 2020 – 14:00 Kick-Off
Italian Serie A
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
Odds: Evens
Bookmaker: Betfair
Italian Serie A Betting with 22Bet

(All betting odds displayed were correct at time of writing: 10th January 2020 at 15:45)

Preview: A huge encounter towards the bottom of Serie A takes place in Florence this Sunday, at the Artemio Franchi, which is of course the home of Fiorentina. Hoping to dampen the hosts’ mood even further are rock-bottom SPAL, seeking a second successive victory on the road.

Fiorentina Vs SPAL Live Stats & Betting Odds

 

Fiorentina Preview – Can out-of-sorts Viola be trusted?

On a steep downward trajectory under Vincenzo Montella, Fiorentina (15th – W4 D6 L8, GF22 GA29) finally reached the inevitable decision to replace a coach who was clearly underachieving and had overseen a dire sequence of seven games in Serie A without winning before his dismissal. That has since become no win in eight (D3 L5) following the 1-1 draw away to Bologna last weekend, with the new man at the helm cutting a frustrated figure as his new team relinquished a slender lead in the dying moments.

At 55 years of age, Guiseppe Iachini boasts a wealth of managerial experience but does appear a rather uninspiring choice as their new manager, rarely lasting long at most of his previous posts. On the evidence of his first match in charge meanwhile, which was that aforementioned draw with Bologna, the players are not exactly enthused about the appointment after producing an insipid display last time out. La Viola generated a meagre 0.34 xGF compared to the 1.14 garnered by the opposition.

To compound the new manager’s problems, Franck Ribery remains sidelined while star forward Frederico Chiesa seems disinterested, as rumours of potential moves elsewhere intensify. This would go some way to explaining why their attack has laboured for the best part of three months now, scoring just four times across their last six league contests and registering more than one goal in a Serie A fixture on only one occasion in the last eight – a statistic that applies to each of their previous five such games when hosts.

Half-Time Correct Score: 0-0
2/1

Bet365

 

SPAL Preview – New year but same old problems?

Unlike their rivals this weekend, SPAL (20th – W3 D3 L12, GF12 GA28) have thus far remained steadfast in their faith of head coach Leonardo Semplici, whose now five-years-plus spell with the club is almost unprecedented in a country notoriously fickle with its managers. All this in spite of the club finding itself four points from safety at the bottom of Serie A after acquiring 12 of the 54 points that went on offer so far. Not to mention having scored just 12 times across the first 18 games, at a rate (0.64) barely more than a goal every other game.

This apparent sentiment could well come back to haunt the club’s hierarchy, especially should a vastly improved second half to the campaign fail to materialise. Victory away to Torino immediately prior to the recent winter break halted a nine-game winless run (D3 L6) in the league, while the 2-1 scoreline also represented their first away win of the entire campaign having failed in all eight previous efforts (W1 D1 L7 on the road in 2019/20).

If beating Torino was meant to act as a springboard to better things, we are yet to witness it. Their opening encounter of the New Year saw them tackle Hellas Verona in their own backyard, creating enough chances a week ago to claim a positive outcome but still succumbing to a 12th Serie A loss of the season, losing 2-0 in a seemingly wide-open contest (xG: SPA 1.78 – 2.10 VER). I Biancazzurri have now shipped a minimum of two goals in each of their past three league fixtures, and in four of the past five, having shut out only two opposing teams all season long.

 

Fiorentina Vs SPAL – Key Facts:

  • In their past eight Serie A games, Fiorentina have recorded no wins (D3 L5) and scored seven goals.
  • By beating Torino 2-1 in their latest away encounter, SPAL secured a first away win of 2019/20 at the ninth attempt (W1 D1 L7).
  • Last season Fiorentina did the double over SPAL, winning 4-1 as visitors and 3-0 when on hosting duties. Both meetings in 2017/18 produced draws.

 

Betting Summary

For a second successive season Fiorentina (1/2 Betfair) find themselves embroiled in a battle for Serie A survival, a battle their squad is certainly talented enough to prevail in but has seemingly lacked the fight to do so for some time now. Their current run of eight league games without winning makes a mockery of their extremely short odds for this clash, albeit against a SPAL (7/1 BetVictor) side that has been leaking more goals than is usually the case in recent encounters and has one win and seven losses in its last eleven league fixtures.

Neither side can put forth compelling enough cases this weekend, which therefore makes the odds on a draw at 10/3 (Betfair) both logical and appealing. The same can be said about their attacks: Fiorentina have scored four times in six league games while SPAL’s previous eleven such encounters have garnered only six goals. Under 2.5 Goals has its merits and it is surprising to see it priced at Evens (also with Betfair).