Juventus is the defending champion but, according to the soccer lines, the Vecchia Signora isn’t the favorite. Inter Milan, the reigning Serie A champion isn’t the favorite either. That’s just to give you an idea on how competitive the Coppa Italia figures to be.
If that’s not sufficient, we note there’s only one team from the Serie B to qualify for the Round of 16. That means it’s like a Serie A alternative tournament.
Favorites to Win Coppa Italia
Atalanta
The Round of 16 isn’t over, but several teams have already played in it. Atalanta is one of those teams and had no trouble beating Venezia FC 2-0 with goals from Luis Muriel and Joakim Maehle.
Winning the Coppa Italia is Atalanta’s best shot at winning something. They still are in the Serie A title race, but aren’t the favorites. Here, they’re offering a +300 price, more than enough to be the favorite.
They deserve it. Atalanta’s roster is so talented that Duvan Zapata, Marten de Roon and Mario Pasalic didn’t start against Venezia FC. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini has been with the team since 2016. No other title contender has a process like that.
Inter Milan
After winning its first Serie A title in 12 years, Inter Milan is ready to take the next step. That would be winning the treble: Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League.
The Nerazzurri are on track to revalidate the Serie A title. Also, they’re qualified for the UCL Round of 16, in which they’ll face Liverpool. Regarding the Coppa Italia, they’re offering a +400 price in the sportsbook to dethrone Juventus.
Inter last won the Coppa Italia in the 2010-11 season. However, Simone Inzaghi, its current head coach, won it in 2018-19 with Lazio. He’s well aware of the importance it has, both sportingly and economically.
Inter’s roster is deep and talented enough to win, at least, both domestic competitions. We’re talking about the Serie A top-scoring team and the second-best defensive unit.
Juventus
Winning the Coppa Italia is Juventus’ best shot at winning something. Currently, the Vecchia Signora isn’t in the Serie A title race. They’re the betting online favorites to beat Villarreal in the UCL Round of 16, but not to dethrone Chelsea.
Losing Cristiano Ronaldo so close to the transfer deadline didn’t allow Juventus to sign a proper replacement. Therefore, the Vecchia Signora doesn’t have a certified center forward to lean upon. However, its defensive unit is top notch. Only Inter Milan and Napoli have allowed fewer goals in the Serie A.
You always have to respect the reigning champions, especially if they’re offering a +450 price. Plus, head coach Massimiliano Allegri returned to lead them back to glory. With him in charge, Juventus won the Coppa Italia from 2015 to 2018.
AC Milan
At +500, AC Milan could be considered a dark horse. But you simply don’t include Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s team on any other list than the favorites list.
Plus, AC Milan is having a great season, fighting mano a mano with Inter Milan for the Serie A top spot. Not playing in any international competition allows the Rossoneri to focus on domestic businesses. That’s right, they even couldn’t qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
Dark Horses
I know he’s not going to like it but, sorry, Jose Mourinho. At this point, AS Roma can only be considered a dark horse. Not only because they’re offering a +900 price, but also because they’re a very inconsistent team.
Roma hasn’t been able to defeat any of the other historic powerhouses. Don’t get me wrong, its roster is talented enough to truly compete, but they need to adopt a new mentality. The good news is that Mourinho is an expert in that regard. He led Real Madrid to the Copa del Rey title while beating the best version of Barcelona in recent years.
Last, but not least, we have Sassuolo at +4000. Sassuolo is a well-balanced team, so balanced that their Serie A record is 7-7-7. I know it’s a long shot, but the potential payout makes it worth it.
Here’s a freebie: You should always include a dark horse in your soccer pick. Always. Regarding the favorites, I like Juventus to become the first back-to-back champion since the 2017-18 season.
