Sports Mole previews Monday’s Serie A clash between Parma and Torino, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
With one league win between them, the pair are languishing in the bottom half of the early standings, so both will be aiming for all three points.
Match preview
After escaping relegation last season, Parma have made a slow start to their latest Serie A campaign, going winless through four fixtures so far.
Following last week’s 0-0 draw with newly promoted Cremonese, the Emilian club have picked up just two points and scored only once, leaving them inside the bottom three.
Three days on from that stalemate at Stadio Zini, Parma did progress through their second test in the Coppa Italia, edging past Serie B side Spezia on Wednesday evening.
Despite going down to 10 men and conceding a late equaliser, Carlos Cuesta‘s men ultimately won 4-3 in a penalty shootout, setting up an enticing last-16 tie against local rivals Bologna.
Before that clash takes place in December, the Crociati first return to home turf, where they have lost just one of their last seven league matches.
When they met Torino at the Tardini in early March, Parma twice fought back for a 2-2 draw – with Mateo Pellegrino bagging a brace – but they will target maximum points on Monday.
Toro are unbeaten through their last five Serie A meetings with Parma, who they sit two points above after four rounds of action.
However, it has been an underwhelming start to Marco Baroni‘s reign, as his team have registered just one league win so far, while conceding an average of two goals per game.
Only three have been scored across six outings this season, but one was enough to see Torino past Pisa in the cup, with Cesare Casadei‘s header sending them through to the last 16 on Thursday.
Last time out in the league, though, the Granata were beaten 3-0 by Atalanta BC, now coached by ex-Toro boss Ivan Juric.
While Baroni inherited a squad that finished weakly last term, he is expected to turn the club around, and a 1-0 win over Roma in their last away game at least suggests he could yet succeed.
Parma Serie A form:
L D L D
Parma form (all competitions):
W L D L D W
Torino Serie A form:
L D W L
Torino form (all competitions):
W L D W L W
Team News
After making numerous changes in the Coppa Italia, Parma will revert to their strongest XI on Monday, with Adrian Bernabe and Alessandro Circati leading the queue of players set to return.
Pellegrino should continue up front, though, after scoring the Gialloblu’s second goal against Spezia; he will aim to repeat his double strike against Torino in March.
Hernani and Lautaro Valenti are close to returning from injury, but Jacob Ondrejka and Matija Frigan are both ruled out for the long term.
Meanwhile, Toro will only be missing long-term absentee Perr Schuurs and his fellow defender Adam Masina, the latter of whom is still struggling with a muscular problem.
Baroni must again choose between Che Adams and Giovanni Simeone to lead the visitors’ misfiring attack, as Duvan Zapata has yet to regain full fitness.
Thursday’s matchwinner Casadei will partner Kristjan Asllani in the middle of the park, as Baroni brings back several regular starters.
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Delprato, Circati, Ndiaye; Lovik, Bernabe, Keita, Valeri; Oristanio; Cutrone, Pellegrino
Torino possible starting lineup:
Israel; Coco, Maripan, Ismajli; Lazaro, Casadei, Asllani, Biraghi; Ngonge, Vlasic; Simeone
We say: Parma 0-1 Torino
Torino’s two heavy losses have come against Champions League regulars Inter Milan and Atalanta, but they have fared better in their other matches.
A lack of firepower could hold both sides back this season, but Toro have greater quality in midfield and should beat flawed opponents.
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