Against All Odds: Napoli won't be spoiling the AIK party

Christian Maggio has been a victim of Napoli's European rotation

Napoli travel to Stockholm tonight to take on AIK in the Europa League and they are odds-on for the win, however with a special atmosphere likely, Paul Robinson thinks the Swede's can get a result.

This evening marks AIK's final ever match at their home of the Rasunda Stadium. They first played there in 1937 but with a new ground built already, the Rasunda is to be demolished after the game. The fans are sure to sell it out and the players will be fully fired up to finish with a positive result.

Manager, Andreas Alm, knows that a loss will see his side exit the competition but he can take confidence from the fact that they've just come through two matches with PSV undefeated, including a 1-0 win here last time out.

Napoli may be flying high in fourth in Serie A but they've not been as good in Europe this term. Walter Mazzarri has opted to play a weakened side at times and his decision has left them only second in the group with six points. They did beat AIK in their opening fixture, but they were then soundly defeated in their two away matches, before a late Edinson Cavani salvo saved them against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.

The Azzurri are set to meet a misfiring PSV in Naples on the final match day of the group stage, so while a victory tonight could seal qualification if other results go their way, a draw would be perfectly acceptable and they'd still be in pole position to go through with Dnipro.

The AIK fans will be out in full force for this one and as Napoli don't really need to win or indeed have a good record on their travels in the Europa this year, I think their price of 1.748/11 is simply too short and that's why I'm making them my lay of the day.  

Recommended Bet
Lay Napoli v AIK @ 1.748/11

2012 P/L (1pt each bet)

Wagered: 265 pts
Returned: 275.22 pts
P/L + 10.22 pts