Monza vs Genoa Prediction: I Biancorossi to extend unbeaten run against I Rossoblu

Monza did the double over Genoa last season, beating Il Grifone 1-0 at home last December before winning 3-2 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in March, but still finished four points and one place behind Antonio Gilardino's side.

Nevertheless, Monza go in search of a third head-to-head victory against Genoa in less than nine months when they host I Rossoblu at Stadio Brianteo on Saturday (19:45), and you can build up to the action by checking out my Monza vs Genoa prediction below.

Team News

Monza were missing a host of players for their Serie A season opener against Empoli last Saturday, notably Milan Djuric, Patrick Ciurria and Jose Machin. Omari Forson, who joined from Manchester United over the summer, was also absent through injury, and the quartet appear unlikely to return ahead of this weekend's match.

Legendary AC Milan and Italy defender Alessandro Nesta is in charge of I Biancorossi - he could be tempted into making a change or two to his starting XI, having thrown on Roberto Gagliardini for Matteo Pessina at the start of the second half against Empoli, and introducing Dany Mota for Daniel Maldini just after the hour mark in their goalless draw.

Football Odds

Genoa were missing several players themselves in their dramatic 2-2 draw with reigning champions Inter Milan last weekend. Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Alan Matturo, Alessandro Marcandalli, Caleb Ekuban and David Ankeye were all sidelined and could be out of action again on Saturday.

Monza vs Genoa Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Monza vs Genoa page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Monza have been installed as slight favourites (8/5) to take all three points on Saturday, with their odds handing I Biancorossi an implied win probability of 38.5%. Genoa, meanwhile, are only slightly longer at 9/5, or a 35.7% chance.

The draw can be backed at 11/5, both teams to score at 5/6, and over 2.5 total goals at 6/5.

Double Chance & Both Teams to Score - Monza or Draw & Yes @ 6/4

The last meeting between these two sides was an absolute thriller. Monza raced into a two-goal lead inside 18 minutes at Stade Luigi Ferraris before the hosts staged a second-half comeback, levelling proceedings by the 68th minute.

However, there was a sting in the tail in the 79th minute as Daniel Maldini, son of Paolo, struck a winner for the visitors. More of the same Saturday, please.

We should acknowledge the 1-0 scoreline at the Brianteo last December, but I think the events of last weekend make it more likely that both teams get on the scoresheet than not.

Genoa breached the Inter Milan defence twice last Saturday - no mean feat given the reigning champions conceded just 22 times across 38 league games last season - so Gilardino's side should be confident of hurting a Monza defence that shipped 51 goals in the 2023/24 Serie A campaign, 26 of them at home.

Meanwhile, Monza will be desperate to net their first goal of the season following their 0-0 draw at Empoli last time out. They scored in 14 of their 18 league outings at the Brianteo in 2023/24 and struck in both meetings with Genoa, taking four points across those two games.

Both teams to score, and Monza to avoid defeat, looks the smart play here at 6/4.

Under 42.5 Booking Points @ 1/1

Not a market I'm likely to advise for much of the campaign, especially in Serie A, so why not jump on it while we still can?

There's no science to this, but it does feel like early-season games are less hostile, with fewer cards shown. That would make sense given there tends to be more ridings on matches as the year progresses, with teams more aware of what they need to do to achieve their goals.

Genoa and Monza were both involved in relatively eventless games last weekend - at least in terms of indiscipline - with three yellows shown in the former's draw with Inter, and just two in the latter's stalemate with Empoli.

Moreover, there weren't many bookings dished out in the two head-to-heads between these sides last season. There was a yellow for both in March's Genoa fixture, incurring 10 booking points for each, while in Monza, the hosts were again booked just once, and the visitors twice, racking up 30 booking points overall, which would still easily land the above selection this weekend.

Four yellows on Saturday would still be enough for this bet to win, and I think EVS is a decent price considering how early in the season it is.

Offers

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