Serie A returns after the international break with a tightly packed group at the top of the table. Roma, Inter and Lazio all have 13 points, surprise package Cagliari sit just one point behind, while Milan remain unbeaten inside the top five. We break down the key fixtures of Matchday 6 and look at how the pre-match market at 888STARZ rates them.
After five matches, Roma lead on goal difference. Inter and Lazio are also on 13 points, Cagliari sit fourth with 12 and Milan fifth with 11. Frosinone, Juventus and Como all have 10.
Como vs Roma: The Leaders Travel Into a Completely Balanced Market
11 October
One of the most interesting matches of the round from a betting perspective may not be the most obvious one.
Roma travel to Como as Serie A leaders. After five rounds, they have 13 points from four wins and one draw, while their 14:3 goal difference is the best in the league.
Before the break, Roma dropped points for the first time in a 2–2 draw with Inter. Prior to that, they had won four straight matches.
Como have also started strongly. They sit eighth with 10 points and, before losing to Frosinone, had already beaten Napoli, Genoa and Parma.
That is why the market is almost perfectly balanced.
888STARZ Odds
- Como to win — 2.69
- Draw — 3.69
- Roma to win — 2.69
888STARZ does not separate the teams at all on the win market.
For a league leader, that is a very unusual position: first place in the table does not make Roma favourites away from home.
That makes this one of the best fixtures to revisit in Monday’s digest. If Roma take all three points, they will have justified their status in a match the market rated almost 50–50. If Como produce another big result, their strong start will be getting harder to dismiss as a coincidence.
Inter vs Parma: One of the Biggest Favourites of the Weekend
10 October
If Como vs Roma is almost perfectly balanced, this match is the complete opposite.
Inter sit second after five rounds with 13 points and remain unbeaten: four wins and one draw.
Before the break, they drew 2–2 with Roma. That result ended a run of four consecutive victories, but Inter still remain one of the league’s most productive sides with 15 goals in five matches.
Parma, meanwhile, are only 15th with four points.
The market reflects a huge gap between the teams.
888STARZ Odds
- Inter to win — 1.16
- Draw — 9.85
- Parma to win — 19.50
This is almost a complete vote of confidence in the hosts.
At 1.16, Inter are one of the clearest favourites across the major European leagues this weekend, while a Parma win is priced close to 20.00.
So the question is not only whether Inter win, but whether they can justify such a massive difference in expectations.
Any dropped points for the hosts would immediately become one of the biggest surprises of Matchday 6.
Sassuolo vs Milan: A Clear Favourite, But Last Season Offers a Warning
11 October
Milan enter the round in fifth place and remain unbeaten.
After five matches, they have 11 points from three wins and two draws. Before the break, Milan beat Lecce 3–0 and stayed right on the heels of the leaders.
Sassuolo sit tenth with seven points.
But there is an interesting warning sign for Milan. In May, late in last season, Sassuolo beat them 2–0 at home. And this campaign has already produced another statement result from Sassuolo — a 3–2 win over Juventus.
So while the market gives Milan a clear edge, this does not look like a formality.
888STARZ Odds
- Sassuolo to win — 4.59
- Draw — 4.02
- Milan to win — 1.82
Milan are obvious favourites, but 1.82 is very different from the kind of price that suggests a routine win.
Especially away to a side that has already punished one major favourite this season.
The three teams at the top are only two points ahead of Milan, so this is also an important opportunity to stay in touch with the leaders.
Cagliari vs Juventus: Fourth Place Against the Market Favourite
11 October
Another very interesting contrast between the table and the odds.
After five rounds, Cagliari surprisingly sit fourth with 12 points. They have won four of five matches and conceded only two goals.
Before the break, Cagliari beat Udinese 1–0 away from home.
Juventus are only seventh with 10 points, although their last match brought a convincing 2–0 win over Atalanta.
Despite the standings, the market clearly prefers the visitors.
888STARZ Odds
- Cagliari to win — 6.54
- Draw — 4.10
- Juventus to win — 1.62
At first glance, this is one of the most interesting prices of the round.
The team sitting fourth after winning four of five matches is priced at 6.54 at home, while Juventus are strong favourites at 1.62.
These are exactly the kind of matches that make the post-round comparison useful.
If Juventus win comfortably, the market will have shown that the team’s real strength is greater than its current league position suggests. If Cagliari get another result, one of the early-season surprises may simply have been underestimated.
Napoli vs Frosinone: The Table vs the Name
10 October
Another fixture where the current standings tell an unusual story.
Napoli sit only ninth after five rounds with 7 points. Before the break, they drew 1–1 with Fiorentina.
Frosinone, meanwhile, are higher up in sixth with 10 points. In their previous match, they beat Como 2–0.
The market, however, pays little attention to the table here.
888STARZ Odds
- Napoli to win — 1.49
- Draw — 4.90
- Frosinone to win — 7.05
Napoli are strong favourites.
That gives us another useful Monday storyline: the team sitting ninth is priced at 1.49 against the side sitting sixth.
If Napoli win, the market will have been more accurate than the early league table. If Frosinone continue their strong start, it will be another sign that their first five matches were no fluke.
What Else to Watch in Matchday 6
The round opens on Saturday with Genoa vs Fiorentina. Both teams have struggled badly so far: Genoa are still without a win, while Fiorentina have only four points.
On Sunday, Lazio host Monza. The Rome side are level on points with Roma and Inter and also remain unbeaten.
Lecce vs Bologna is also on Sunday’s schedule.
Matchday 6 then concludes on Monday with two fixtures:
Atalanta vs Venezia
Torino vs Udinese
Serie A Matchday 6 Schedule
10 October
- Genoa vs Fiorentina
- Inter vs Parma
- Napoli vs Frosinone
11 October
- Como vs Roma
- Lazio vs Monza
- Lecce vs Bologna
- Sassuolo vs Milan
- Cagliari vs Juventus
12 October
- Atalanta vs Venezia
- Torino vs Udinese
What the Market Is Telling Us Before Matchday 6
Serie A may give us the most varied collection of markets among the major leagues this week.
Como vs Roma is almost perfectly balanced: 2.69 — 3.69 — 2.69.
Inter, on the other hand, have a massive edge over Parma — 1.16 compared with 19.50.
Milan are clear but more cautious favourites against Sassuolo at 1.82, while Juventus are priced at 1.62 away to a team that currently sits above them in the table.
Napoli also stand out: ninth place does not stop the market pricing them at just 1.49 against sixth-placed Frosinone.
That gives us an ideal mix for our preview → results format: a balanced match involving the league leaders, one overwhelming favourite, two strong away favourites and another fixture where the odds are effectively challenging the current league table.
On Monday, we will review the weekend results and see where the 888STARZ pre-match market read the balance of power correctly — and where Serie A went against expectations.
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