Torino play host to Club Brugge on Thursday evening at the Stadio Olimpico in matchday five of this season’s Europa League.
Both sides played out a goalless draw when they met in Belgium in matchday one of the competition. However the Italians, under the guidance of Giampiero Ventura, come into this fixture after conceding four goals in two games in the Serie A, losing 1-0 and 3-0 to Sassuolo and Roma, respectively.
The Belgians, who are coaches by Michel Preud’homme, however, start the game having convincingly won their last two Belgian Pro League games, scoring nine goals and conceding only two, with victories at home to Westerlo and Waasland-Beveren, which means the Blauw-Zwart are a point clear of second placed Anderlecht at the top of the table.
Neither club can boast confidence heading into this match though. Torino lost their most recent Europa League game, a 2-1 defeat away to HJK Helsinki, meanwhile Brugge have drawn two of their last four games.
Torino, though, are yet to lose in five matches against Belgian opposition, winning three and drawing two, so perhaps they will feel an air of confidence ahead of this fixture.
These two clubs are the stand out teams in Group B though, with Brugge edging Torino by one point at the top of the table. The Belgians can confirm their qualification into the knockout stages of the competition with a win over the Italians on Thursday, while Torino will still have work to do if they lose, and Copenhagen are victorious over HJK.
There could be records broken on both teams during the match; Club Brugge’s Israeli midfielder Lior Refaelov is set to make his 50th appearance in European competition, while Torino’s Emiliano Moretti would set the same milestone on Thursday evening.
The Granata have an almost clean bill of heath with just a few selection issues as the look ahead to the Derby del Mole with Juventus on Sunday.
Fabio Quagliarella is set to be rested in favour of Josef Martinez, who is likely to partner Amauri in attack. Meanwhile Cesare Bovo is expected to replace Nikola Maksimovic at the back.
Expected Starting XIs
Torino (3-5-2): Padelli; Bovo, Jansson, Moretti; Darmian, Benassi, Gazzi, El Kaddouri, Molinaro; Martinez, Amauri
Club Brugge (4-2-3-1): Ryan; Meunier, Duarte, Mechele, De Bock; Vormer, Simons; Refaelov, Vazquez, Gedoz; De Sutter
