The UEFA Champions League trophy is on display during the UEFA European Club Football Season Kick-Off event in Monaco, 31 August 2023. The event sees the UEFA Champions League group stage draw, as well as the UEFA Awards ceremony to honour the men and women Player of the Year, the men and women Coaches of the Year, and to present the UEFA President’s Award. EPA-EFE/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO
According to Opta, Como are favourites to qualify for the Champions League this season, ahead of Juventus and Roma, with a 60.87% chance of finishing in the top four.
Como sit fourth in the Serie A table with eight games remaining and are also the favourite to earn a Champions League spot, according to Opta.
The Opta algorithm confirms the scenario outlined by statistics and the betting calculator website, Winsports Online.
According to Opta, via Tuttosport, Cesc Fabregas’ side has a 60.87% chance of qualifying for the Champions League this season, against Juventus’ 24.48% and Roma’s 17.15%.
Bianconeri and Giallorossi are both three points below Como in the Serie A table.
Tension is running high at Roma, where Gian Piero Gasperini’s future seems uncertain, mostly due to disagreements with the club director, Frederic Massara.
Gasperini did not talk to the media after a 1-0 win over Lecce before the March international break. Officially, Gasp remained silent because he had lost his voice during the match, but according to Gazzetta and other Italian media outlets, the Giallorossi boss was in no mood to face reporters’ questions.
Juventus seem to have improved their playing style and appear to have a clearer identity under Luciano Spalletti, yet the Bianconeri are still struggling for consistency, as shown by a recent 1-1 home draw against Sassuolo.
Fabregas’ Como, on the other hand, have won each of their last five league games and have a decent fixture list ahead with a home game against Inter and an away match at Napoli emerging as the most difficult encounters in the final stretch of the campaign.
Opta has also made predictions for the title race, identifying a clear favourite for the Scudetto.
Inter have an 89.48% chance of lifting the title, compared to Milan’s 6.16% and Napoli’s 4.19%.
Cristian Chivu was suspended for a 1-1 draw against Fiorentina last week, so his assistant, Aleksandar Kolarov, led the team from the touchline and spoke to the media after the match.
“It wasn’t our best game and we are not in our best period of the season, but we are still six points clear at the top of the table, so it is all in our hands,” said the former defender.
“We are lacking some determination and perhaps sharpness too, as fatigue is accumulated over the many games. It is not our best spell of the season, we are used to seeing Inter dominate matches, but we are still six points clear and it is up to us to kill off the title race.”
Inter have collected only two points in their last three Serie A matches, but still have a six-point lead over second-placed Milan and seven points more than Napoli.
Rossoneri and Partenopei will meet at the Stadio Maradona after the March break.
