Palermo (home)
- Palermo have won three straight home games in Serie B, including consecutive 3-0 successes over Virtus Entella and Sudtirol, and Filippo Inzaghi’s side are clear favorites to take all three points against struggling Mantova at the Barbera on Wednesday.
- Palermo sit fourth in Serie B with 51 points from 26 games, and their promotion credentials are rock-solid.
- The Rosanero prefer vertical passing moves to long periods of ball possession, but they have the firepower up front to ensure they stay on the front foot in Serie B.
- Joel Pohjanpalo is their talisman with 17 goals in 26 appearances this term, five of which have come in their current five-match unbeaten run.
Mantova (away)
- Antonio Palumbo has been the creative spark in that sequence, providing four assists in that run, and Palermo’s home form has been particularly dominant with ten wins, three draws and only one defeat from 14 games at the Barbera this season.
- Mantova, who will sit 16th in Serie B at the weekend after collecting 26 points from 26 matches, are trying to drag themselves clear of the relegation zone after a mixed run of results (W2, D1, L2).
- Francesco Ruocco, who has seven goals in 18 Serie B appearances this campaign, is a more than able focal point in attack and has found the net twice in Mantova’s last five.
Head-to-Head
- Mantova has picked up just one point from their last three away games, winning only two of their 13 Serie B road games this season (W2, D3, L8).
- The last three head-to-head clashes in Serie B have finished tied, with the two sides playing out a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture six weeks ago.
Key Players
- Joel Pohjanpalo is their talisman with 17 goals in 26 appearances this term, five of which have come in their current five-match unbeaten run.
- Francesco Ruocco, who has seven goals in 18 Serie B appearances this campaign, is a more than able focal point in attack and has found the net twice in Mantova’s last five.
Betting Insights
- However, the odds of 1.51 on Palermo seem very low with Mantova clear dark horses at 6.0 and the draw also unlikely at 4.2.
- The Rosanero have conceded only seven goals in their 14 Serie B home games, so a Palermo win to nil bet looks a better option than going with the hosts in the moneyline, with the visitors averaging 0.62 goals scored and 1.31 goals conceded per road game this campaign.
Prediction
Palermo have been very strong at home this term and should have enough to get a win, but they will not get many chances to make the breakthrough with Mantova keeping it tight.
