As AC Milan were recording their customary victory over Chievo by the eye catching scoreline of 5-1, Malaga were suffering their first home defeat of the season at the hands of Rayo Vallecano.
While the Andalusians have been a revelation in their debut season in Europe's premier competition having won all three matches played without conceding a goal, the trip to the seven-time champions will surely be a barometer of their credentials.William Hill price Manuel Pellegrini's men at 5/2 (3.50), while the draw is offered at 11/5 (3.20).
However it is the price of 23/20 (2.15) for a Milan victory that stands out and looks difficult to resist, despite the Rossoneri's poor start to the season.
In coming back from 2-0 down at Palermo to earn a 2-2 draw in their last away game in Serie A, Milan displayed a character and belief that had been sadly lacking in the campaign previously.
Furthermore the destruction of Chievo saw Riccardo Montolivo and Bojan Krkic score with stunning efforts and, while the squad is not as strong as it was, there remains a level of class that is more than capable of seeing off an inexperienced Malaga side. The confidence boost that such an emphatic scoreline can provide should also not be underestimated.
For a value bet, back the impressive Montolivo to score at any time offered at 5/1 (6.00) which looks generous for a midfielder with a good ability when shooting from range and two goals in his last two games.
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BET |
OF THE |
DAY |
| BEST BET |
VALUE BET |
| Milan to win at 23/20 (2.15) with William Hill |
Riccardo Montolivo to score at any time at 5/1 (6.00) with William Hill |
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Phil Kitromilides is a sports broadcaster working on radio and TV in London and Madrid. You can also follow Phil on Twitter.