Home and Away: Cesena offer serious value versus Padova

27Mar 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner looks at action in Italy and Brazil as he seeks out more value in his Home and Away column

We're off to Italy for our first pick of the day - and focusing on Serie B, as in-form Cesena welcome Padova to the Stadio Dino Manuzzi in Romagna.

Pierpaolo Bisoli's side go into this clash sitting 10th in the second tier - but are just five points off the play-off places, and will be buoyed by some impressive recent form which has seen them undefeated in three.

The Cavallucci Marini have lost just one of their last half a dozen on their own patch, and three clean sheets from four in front of their own fans shows just how comfortable they have looked in that time.

And the Whites will be desperate to maintain that consistent form as they eye an instant return to Serie A, following their relegation last year.

Visitors Padova line up for this game in eight position - one point ahead of their hosts - but four defeats on the bounce suggests that the Veneto side are on a downward curve.

Boss Fulvio Pea has not even seen his side score a goal in that six hours of football, and confidence will be low in the away camp as the Stadio Euganeo club see their play-off hopes disintegrate before them.

The Biancoscudati suffered top six heartbreak last year too, as they finished seventh in the table, narrowly missing out on the opportunity to snatch the final promotion place - and it appears that they may be set for a similar end to this campaign.

Just one win from six on the road points to travel sickness for the visitors, and I think that the momentum of Cesena on their own patch will be too much for them to cope with.

The hosts are unbeaten in their last five meetings with Padova at the Dino Manuzzi, and I reckon they're a great bet for the three points.

Bet 1: Cesena (HOME) @ 2.76

Switching our attentions to Brazil now, and the Carioca 1, as Boavista travel to Audax Rio, looking to extend the form which has seen them lose just one of their last six on the road.

Lucho Nizzo's charges sit sixth in their mini-league ahead of this clash, and will be desperate to secure maximum points against their hosts, who sit bottom of the table and prop up the rest of the division.

And six goals smashed in their last three suggests that the visitors are well capable of weighing in with a win in this encounter, which could lift them as high as second in the table.

The visitors travel to the Estadio Eucy de Resende Mendonca unbeaten in six of their last seven home and away, and will be keen to upkeep that form in order to pile the pressure on the sides above them.

Hosts Audax Rio have not won on their own patch in four games - and will be hoping to arrest that slump as they welcome their Saquarema opponents tonight.

But just one goal scored in five outings suggests that the home side are lacking in the final third, and boss Paulo Henrique will be looking for his forwards to find their shooting boots here.

Bet 2: Boavista (AWAY) @ 2.64