High-flying Hellas Verona will be looking to record their third victory on the bounce and move further away from the relegation zone when they host Parma on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, I Ducali aim to extend their unbeaten run to five Serie A games and cement their place in the top half of the standings.

Emphatic win in Bologna

The one-time Serie A winners returned to the elite division this summer, but they still needed to reinforce the squad in order to mount a serious survival challenge. And it was the early capture of Luca Toni that helped the club attract more high-profile players, which in turn saw them build a quality squad ahead of the tough league campaign. Verona impressed in their opening fixture to defeat AC Milan at home, but the 3-0 defeat to AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico hinted Gialloblu could experience all sorts of problems this season. Andrea Mandorlini’s side, nonetheless, quickly returned to the right track and they have been nothing short of impressive in recent weeks. While suffering a narrow defeat to reigning champions Juventus, Verona defeated Sassuolo, Livorno and Bologna and played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with Torino. Team’s recent performances are enough to suggest Andrea Mandorlini wants his side to outscore the opponents in every single match, so another high-scoring game looks on the cards. It is also important to note the hosts are brimming with confidence following a 4-1 away win over Bologna that saw youngster Juan Iturbe continue his scoring run.

Apart from defenders Vangelis Moras and Domenico Maietta, all other footballers are ready to face Parma.

Back in business

While Parma have yet to return to old glory days when they were vying for the Serie A title, the club have been making steady progress over the last few years. I Ducali established themselves as a genuine top table side and it is only a matter of time before they will mount a serious challenge for European positions. The squad at Ennio Tardini didn’t undergo too many important changes this summer, although the club produced quite a coup by signing Antonio Cassano and Walter Gargano. With Biabiany, Amauri and Palladino helping Fantantonio Cassano up front, Parma have been notching goals for fun, similar to their next opponents. The team recovered well from the slow start to the season, beating Atalanta and Sassuolo at home, while sharing spoils with Catania and Fiorentina away, and it was the 2-2 draw at Artemio Franchi that hinted this could be a breakthrough season for I Ducali. Even though they are now set to fade in-form Hellas Verona, Parma will see this match as an excellent opportunity to further improve their league position and I have no doubts the visitors will use every chance they get to attack their less illustrious opponents.

First choice keeper Antonio Mirante misses out through suspension, whereas Daniele Galloppa, Gabriel Paletta and Stefano Okaka Chuka are out injured.

Verdict

Considering that both sides are brimming with confidence and scoring goals on regular basis, chances are we will see a high-scoring match. Both teams will see this match as a chance to extend their excellent run of results, which should make for an entertaining encounter at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.

Top pick: Over 2.5 goals   2.00 (1/1) @ bet365

Alternative pick 1: Both teams to score   1.75 (3/4) @ Ladbrokes

Alternative pick 2: Over 3.5 goals   3.80 (14/5) @ Sportingbet