Our prediction for this Serie B match:
Stadio Ennio Tardini will host Sunday’s football game between Parma and Benevento, the two teams who played some high-scoring games in their season openers. Parma played out a 2-2 draw with Frosinone on Matchday 1, with Gianluigi Buffon making seven saves on his return to the club. Enzo Maresca should have a full squad to choose from for the Benevento game, with summer signing Gennaro Tutino likely to keep his place in the starting XI after finding the net on his Parma debut at the weekend.
Benevento, on the other hand, recorded a thrilling 4-3 win over Alessandria in their opener, and given their attacking potential, we believe that there is a big value in betting on both teams to score. In their last meeting in the Italian top flight the two teams played out a 2-2 draw, and we predict that the history is going to repeat itself. There are no absentees in the away team ahead of the trip to Parma.
Highlighted Player (Vincent Laurini):
Vincent Laurini started his senior career at the age of 19 as he played for Italy amateur club Fossombrone. The full-back made 54 league appearances for the club between 2008 and 2010 and during that period Carpi scouts spotted him.
He signed for Carpi in 2010 and one year later he signed a new five-year deal with Biancorossi. Laurini played 57 games for Carpi and in 2012 he decided to move to Empoli. The Empoli full-back was born in Thionville, France, but he is eligible to play for both France and Italy. Laurini wears No. 2 shirt for the Azzurri and he made 25 league appearances for the club in the 2015/2016 Serie A campaign.
He scored one goal for Empoli during the season as he helped the team pick up one point from the match against Sampdoria. Despite being right-footed, he is capable of playing as a left-back. Laurini’s contract with Empoli expires on 30 June, 2018.
Highlighted Team (Benevento):
FC Benevento secured promotion to the Serie A for the first time in their history at the end of the 2016/2017 campaign, but it has to be noted that they finished the regular season in 5th place in the standings. The Stregoni (Witches) did well to beat Perugia and Carpi in the promotion play-offs and, as a result, they are going to taste a top-flight football.
Benevento were founded in 1929 as Associazione Calcio Benevento and back then they played their home games at Meomartini, the venue which was built by Ciccio Minocchia. Nowadays, the Stregoni welcome their rivals at Stadio Giro Vigorito and the capacity of the stadium is 12.847. Benevento are well known for their yellow jerseys with red stripes, whilst they wear white shirts and white shorts when playing on the travels.
After Napoli, Salernitana and Avellino Benevento become the fourth club from Campania to compete in the Serie A. Matches between the aforementioned teams are well known as Campania derbies.