Torino and Monza are currently situated adjacent to one another in the Serie A standings as they approach the forthcoming gameweek 30 fixtures set to take place at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino this weekend. Ivan Juric’s squad recently secured victory prior to the international hiatus, whereas Raffaele Palladino’s side attained their fourth triumph in five matches against Cagliari.
Match preview
The international break arrived at an inopportune moment for Torino, who terminated their month-long winless streak with a 2-0 triumph over Udinese on March 16th.
This victory marked the end of a four-match winless spell following a similar success against Lecce on February 16th, signifying a positive turn for the Maroons. Their three-game unbeaten run gains further significance with the victory over Udinese.
The victory over Udinese was bolstered by Torino’s continuation of a strong defensive record, securing yet another clean sheet. In Serie A, only one team, Inter Milan, boasts a better defensive record than Torino.
Torino has prevented opposing teams from scoring on 14 occasions in Italy’s top division this season, a figure only surpassed by the champions-elect. Additionally, their nine clean sheets at home matches is joint-highest in the league.
With Juric’s team on the brink of matching their season-high tally of clean sheets at home, they should approach their upcoming match on Saturday with confidence, despite the formidable form of Monza.
Monza’s recent form poses a challenge to Torino’s ambitions, having secured four victories in their last five Serie A matches. However, Monza’s only defeat in this period was a 4-1 loss at home to Roma on March 2nd.
Monza aims to conclude the month with a positive result, wary of Torino potentially overtaking them in the standings. A victory for Monza would mark their fifth win in six matches, potentially mirroring their successful runs in April last year and between September and October 2022.
However, Monza’s historical record against Torino in Serie A, with one defeat and two draws, does not bode well for Palladino’s side ahead of their weekend encounter in Turin.
Both teams harbor aspirations of European qualification, with the visiting side trailing sixth-placed Atalanta BC by just five points, albeit having played one fewer game. Torino, on the other hand, find themselves six points behind Atalanta BC.
Team News
Torino is anticipated to be without several key players due to injury for their upcoming encounter with Monza. Koffi Djidji, Adrien Tameze, Perr Schuurs, and Ivan Ilic are all expected to be sidelined for the match.
Duvan Zapata, who demonstrated his prowess by both scoring and assisting in the recent fixture against Udinese, has been a standout performer for Torino in Serie A, netting a total of nine goals. Notably, Zapata’s first goal for the season came prior to his loan move from Atalanta, solidifying his status as the leading goal scorer for the Maroons in Serie A, with a five-goal margin over Antonio Sanabria, who has scored four goals.
In contrast, Monza will rely on the attacking prowess of Daniel Maldini, who has been in fine form, having scored three goals and provided an assist in the team’s last five Serie A outings.
However, Monza faces their own injury concerns, with Danilo D’Ambrosio nursing a thigh issue and doubts looming over his availability. Additionally, Gianluca Caprari and Samuele Vignato are both sidelined due to muscular injuries.
Furthermore, Papu Gomez will be absent from the squad due to an extended doping suspension, while Warren Bondo will miss the upcoming match after accumulating his fifth yellow card in the fixture against Cagliari prior to the international break.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Masina, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Ricci, Vlasic, Gineitis, Lazaro; Sanabria, Zapata
Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio, Birindelli, Mari, Izzo, Carboni; Pessina, Gagliardini; Colpani, Maldini, Mota; Colombo