Competition: Serie B

Market: Monza win

Odds: 8/11 @ Pribet

Sat firmly in the driving seat to punch their lucrative Serie A return, Monza will welcome Catanzaro to Lombardy on Friday night for their second-leg showdown.

Starting with the hosts, while Monza might have been left frustrated earlier in the month as they eventually fell short in the race to book an automatic Serie A return, Paolo Bianco’s side haven’t shown any signs of a hangover. Putting in a stellar first-leg performance on their travels last weekend as they secured what could prove to be a season-defining 2-0 victory, the Reds are sat firmly in the driving seat and will certainly be backed by a vocal home support in Lombardy. Getting their play-off adventure underway with a thrilling 4-3 aggregate win against Juve Stabia, Monza find the mood in their camp at a red-hot high and they are now just 90 minutes away from officially punching their lucrative top-flight ticket. Suffering just a single defeat across any competition since the start of March, Friday’s hosts have also gained quite the reputation for their extended dominance on home soil. In fact, Bianco’s men are remarkably unbeaten in all of their previous 17 consecutive showdowns in front of their own supporters – a purple patch that stems all the way back to September 27th.

As for the visitors, missing out on the chance to claim a crucial first-leg advantage on home soil last weekend as they eventually slumped to that disappointing 2-0 loss, Catanzaro have an almighty job on their hands here. Signing off their regular-season adventure with consecutive Serie B defeats, the Southern Eagles are searching for a major miracle when they arrive in Lombardy. Likewise, mustering just a sole win from any of their final eight second-tier matchups, Alberto Aquilani’s side have also continued to show some glaring issues on the road. Last seen on their travels falling to another 2-0 defeat at the hands of Palermo, Catanzaro have failed to win any of their previous five straight matchups away from the Stadio Nicola Ceravolo (three defeats, two draws). Likewise, not registering a single clean sheet on the road since way back on February 10th, Aquilani’s men will be more than aware that they face a monumental examination this weekend.

Bet: Monza 8/11 to beat Catanzaro in Friday’s Serie B play-off final @ Pribet