The 2018/19 Coppa Italia final will take place at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday evening and both Lazio and Atalanta will be confident of coming out on top.

An exciting affair could be on the cards in Rome and, from a neutral perspective, it will be refreshing to see an Italian final without Juventus or Napoli involved.

Lazio won this competition in 2008/09 while Atalanta’s supporters have had to wait over 50 years since their most recent triumph.

At the time of writing, Atalanta are third in the Serie A table and Gian Piero Gasperini’s side sit seven points clear of their opponents. Winning the Coppa Italia would be the perfect way to end an impressive campaign.

According to the latest football betting odds, Lazio and Atalanta are BOTH priced at 6/4 to win inside 90 minutes on Wednesday night.

Atalanta may kick-off as slight favourites after completing a league double over Lazio but traders are having a tough time splitting the two teams. All signs point towards a thrilling encounter in Rome.

Over 2.5 goals is worth a punt here. This tip has landed in four of Atalanta’s last five games in all competitions as well as winning in Lazio’s previous three fixtures.

Currently available at 3/4, punters should snap that price up ahead of kick-off. On paper, this should be played at a fast space and outscoring opponents is the aim of the game.

By the same token, the 3/5 available for both teams to score is an absolute steal. With so much attacking talent on show, an open and expansive contest is expected and you won’t find many punters backing a goalless draw here.

Lazio are used to playing at Stadio Olimpico but will ‘home advantage’ help on Wednesday night? Only time will tell.

La Dea have had to wait a long time since their last Coppa Italia success in 1962/63 but fans could be celebrating long into the night come the final whistle.

Atalanta have won their last four league games and Gasperini will be demanding more of the same from his players here. The 6/4 for an Atalanta win could turn out to be a huge price.

Watch out for Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata. The Colombia international is currently second in the Serie A top goal scorer charts with 22 goals this season and plenty of punters will be backing him to get his name on the scoresheet.

33/20 to score during 90 minutes is a decent price given his exploits this season. Atalanta should create lots of chances for Zapata against this leaky Lazio defence.

Lazio are no slouches though and this will be their fourth Coppa Italia final appearance since 2013.

However, the Biancocelesti have won two of their last eight games in all competitions and that is not a good omen ahead of this clash. Momentum is important ahead of any big game but it is imperative for a cup final.

Despite their recent struggles, Lazio have the quality to make a game of it on Wednesday evening.

Atalanta may start to panic if Lazio notch an early goal and 19/20 for the six-time Coppa Italia champions to score in the first half is well worth considering. Watch this space, a Lazio opener will put the cat amongst the pigeons.

Atalanta have done the double over Lazio already this season and a third win looks likely. However, this one could go the distance – hence why I’m taking the shorter odds to lift the trophy.

Fingers crossed for a quality game of football and plenty of goals; the 4/1 for Atalanta to win and both teams scoring is also worth a punt.

TIP: Atalanta to lift the trophy @ 9/10

LONGSHOT: Atalanta to win and both teams to score (4/1 with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Lazio 1-2 Atalanta (17/2 with 888sport)

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

York Racecourse gets its season underway with the three day Dante Festival taking place this week starting on Wednesday through to Friday.

Prize money over the three days of the Dante Festival has risen for the eighth year in succession, increasing by £50,000 again this year to £1.5m. With a feature race taking place on each day of the Festival, the York season begins with a feast of top quality racing on the Knavesmire.

Wednesday’s £100,000 is just one of the races this week that offers a six figure sum to connections.

A feature race for three year old fillies, the Musidora has proved to be a greater pointer to the Investec Oaks, with six fillies going on to achieve Classic glory.  Typically, fillies from the Musidora return as older horses to contest the Group Two Middleton Stakes on Thursday.

Wednesday also sees the sprinters going to post in the Group Two Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes, run over six furlongs. This year’s renewal will see a whole host of top class speedsters battling it out down The Knavesmire.

The Dante, the race so named to honour the last Yorkshire trained winner of the Derby back in 1945, is held on Thursday.

This Group Two contest now offers a very lucrative prize fund of £165,000. The Dante winner has gone on to win the Investec Derby ten times, with Golden Horn the last to achieve that impressive feat in 2015.

The British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes for three-year-old sprinters is one of three Listed contests during the Festival to see its prize money rise to £50,000. This race also takes place on Thursday.

Friday’s feature race is the Yorkshire Cup with £165,000 on offer to the leading stayers over one mile and three-quarters, making it a valuable Group Two “Cup” race.

Friday’s renewal is part of the Qipco British Champions Series, the first of five York races that make up a special series of top races in Britain.

Let’s look at each day of the Dante Festival in some depth:

Dante Festival: WEDNESDAY

William Haggas has re-routed Frankellina (6/1) to York on Wednesday for the Musidora Stakes.

Haggas earmarked the Group Three prize as starting point for the daughter of Frankel after she was ruled out of the Oaks Trial at Lingfield on Saturday on account of the soft ground.

He said: "She is going to York. I just bottled out of it because of the ground and I didn't want her to have to hard a race. It was not as soft as I thought, but there was some rain forecast and I had to make a decision in the morning.

"She will run on Wednesday anyway."

Haggas has yet to decide whether to run stablemate Rainbow Heart in the Musidora or wait for the Listed Oak Farm Stables' Fillies' Stakes at the Knavesmire on Friday.

He said: "Rainbow Heart is also in the mile Listed race on Friday, so I don't know if she will run in the Musidora. I've got a bit of sorting out to do."

Henry Candy is watching the weather ahead of Limato's (10/1) scheduled return to action in the Duke of York Clipper Logistics Stakes on Wednesday.

The seven-year-old bounced back to form last summer, winning three on the bounce, although his season ended with defeat on Champions Day

That came in soft ground, though, and much more rain in Yorkshire could force Candy into a rethink.

"I'm delighted with the way he looks and he's certainly retained all of his old enthusiasm - he's in great form," said Candy.

"As ever with Limato, him running is entirely ground dependent. He scrambled home on good to soft ground in the Garrowby at York last year and he didn't like it much.

"I think in a race of that class he ought to have good ground or firmer."

Dante Festival 2019: THURSDAY

Too Darn Hot (7/4) had a pleasing workout in Newmarket on Friday morning ahead of his delayed comeback in the Dante Stakes at York.

Gosden said: "Too Darn Hot worked nicely under Frankie on what was perfect ground. Obviously we're trying to get him back to the sort of shape he was in a month ago.

"We've gone from getting him ready for the 2,000 Guineas to getting him ready for something else.

"We're pointing him towards the Dante at York where hopefully the ground won't be too soft."

Too Darn Hot features among 12 confirmations for the Dante, which is also the target for  leading Classic contender Japan. 

Japan's trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "The plan is to run Japan in the Dante once we're happy with him during the week. We had to give him a bit of time but he's coming along. He should come on for the run."

Dante Festival 2019: FRIDAY

Stradivarius (Evens) is among 12 remaining entries for the Yorkshire Cup.

The John Gosden-trained chestnut enjoyed an amazing season last year. After his victory in this race he went on to take the Ascot Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup, the Lonsdale Cup and rounded it all off with a win on Champions Day. In the process he also won the Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers' Million.

Aidan O'Brien is represented by 2017 Irish Derby winner Capri (9/2) and Southern France (11/1).

Last year's runner-up Desert Skyline (25/1) lines up again with Mootasadir (11/1) a possible for Hugo Palmer.

An interesting contender is Mark Johnston's Dee Ex Bee (6/1), second in the Derby last year and an impressive winner of the Sagaro Stakes. Stablemate Mildenberger (16/1) is also  entered.

Aircraft Carrier (66/1), Ispolini (7/1), Sevenna Star (66/1), Young Rascal (14/1) and Pilaster (16/1) make up the field.

Check out our latest horse racing betting odds ahead of the York Dante Meeting...

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The Premier League title race is going down to the wire. Liverpool and Manchester City have produced two of the all-time great Premier League campaigns, which has secured the 2018/19 campaign’s place in English football history.

Manchester City travel to Brighton knowing a win will see them retain the Premier League crown. Liverpool host Wolves needing a victory to take advantage of any potential slip up from Pep Guardiola’s men.

With relegation and top four Champions League positions sorted, all eyes will be on the Amex Stadium and Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Brighton & Hove Albion vs MANCHESTER CITY

Vincent Kompany’s screamer against Leicester might be the moment Manchester City won the title. It was a strike from another planet from a Manchester City icon and rescued a night when it looked like the Premier League trophy was slipping through City’s fingers.

City have won 13 Premier League matches on the bounce. There has never been a late-season push for the title quite like this.

Pep Guardiola was awarded Manager of the Month earlier this week – his side are 2/13 to make it 14 straight victories in 888sport’s Premier League odds.

Brighton saw Cardiff lose to Crystal Palace last Saturday to guarantee their Premier League status for the 2019/20 campaign.

Chris Hughton’s side played with a sense of freedom away to Arsenal on Sunday as a result, ending the Gunners’ hopes of a top four finish with a spirited defensive performance.

The south coast team can be a challenging opponent at the Amex, but they have lost three of their last four at home.

Few will expect Brighton to upset the odds here, but the 19/4 on the hosts to avoid defeat will undoubtedly get some backing (particularly from Merseyside).

Manchester City, for all the admiration of their possession-based football, have been rock-solid at the back in the latter part of this season.

They have conceded a solitary goal in their last six away Premier League matches, putting Brighton at 22/25 to fail to score on Sunday afternoon. Pace is the biggest threat to City, which is not something Brighton have an abundance of.

Despite being nullified by Leicester on Monday, Sergio Aguero is 11/20 to score anytime. The Argentinian has 20 Premier League goals this season and could yet snatch the Golden Boot from Mohamed Salah’s grasp.

Aguero is no stranger to final day drama – he’s 4/1 to win the Premier League Golden Boot for the second time in his decorated Manchester City career.

It felt like Leicester were Liverpool’s final chance. Brighton will make it difficult, but their recent home form and the fact they have nothing to play for makes it hard to see past a comfortable away victory.

Once they take the lead, this could become a party match for City. The Evens price on City to win on the -2 handicap is one of the best bets ahead of the final day of the Premier League season.

TIP: Manchester City to win by three or more (Evens with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Brighton 0-3 Manchester City (13/2 with 888sport)

LIVERPOOL vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

On Monday night, Liverpool looked set for a cruel end to the campaign. Despite a record-breaking points haul, second place is probable, and they were staring down the barrel of Champions League elimination.

Then, Anfield witnessed one of the all-time great European comebacks as braces from Divock Origi and Georginio Wijnaldum knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League.

Liverpool are 6/1 to win the title, but Tuesday night’s thriller will have some believing it really is their year.

Kompany’s goal was a heartbreaker for the red half of Merseyside when former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers looked like he was about to change the course of the title race, but Origi, Wijnaldum and co. altered the whole feeling around the club on Tuesday.

Liverpool have won all but two of their home Premier League matches this season. The 8/25 price on a home victory is decent value despite Wolves’ success away to top six sides this term.

Nuno Espirito Santo joined Jurgen Klopp on the Premier League Manager of the Season shortlist on Tuesday. Santo has worked wonders with Wolves, and a run of three straight victories has helped the Midlands club confirm seventh spot.

The combination of an organised defence, gifted midfielders and clinical finishing has seen Wolves upset the odds on several occasions this season. The 5/2 on the visitors to avoid defeat will attract plenty of interest.

Wolves last away match saw a crucial 2-1 win against Watford. In Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez, they pose a threat on the counter-attack and will fancy their chances of scoring at Anfield on Sunday.

Jimenez has arguably been the signing of the season – the Mexican is 17/5 to score anytime and a very good price at 10/1 to open the scoring.

Roberto Firmino and Salah missed out on the victory against Barcelona, and it remains to be seen if they return for the visit of Wolves.

Sadio Mane is in the form of his life right now, however, and was a constant problem for Barcelona. The former Southampton man is 3/1 to score the first goal.

Barring a five-day hangover from Tuesday’s win, Liverpool are the team to back in this one. Avoiding slip ups in matches like these is what has kept Liverpool and Manchester City so far ahead of the rest. The 2/1 on Liverpool to win and both teams to score is the best option.

TIP: Liverpool to win and both teams to score (2/1 with 888sport)

PREDICTED SCORE: Liverpool 3-1 Wolves (13/2 with 888sport)

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*