Torino will hope to end the first half of the 2014/15 season on a high note as the Granata host Genoa on Sunday. Torino are winless in their last six Serie A matches, though the team have qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Meanwhile, Genoa are coming off a bitter loss to Roma, a loss that ended the Grifone’s nine match unbeaten run. That match not only saw Roma’s Rudi Garcia receive a two-match touchline ban, but also saw the sending off of Mattia Perin, Gian Piero Gasperini and a wrongly ruled out Genoa equaliser in the last minute of stoppage time.
Genoa will be without two key players as Perin will serve his suspension following his straight red card for taking down Radja Nainggolan. In addition, the club will be without Diego Perotti, whom turned in another fantastic performance for the Ligurian’s last weekend prior to his outburst at match official Luca Banti. Perotti will not only miss this match, but he will also miss Genoa’s first three matches of the new year due to his choice words for Banti.
Torino will have several players available for Sunday’s match that Giampiero Ventura did not have against Empoli last Monday. Ventura himself is also recovering from a bout of flu. Juan Sanchez Mino, Salvatore Masiello and Beppe Vives have returned to training for the Granata. In addition, Marco Benassi could make his return to the side. The former Inter man has been suffering from a right thigh strain. Finally, captain Kamel Glik should return as he was withheld against Empoli due to fatigue.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s men are still in the hunt for third place and the Champions League qualifying spot. Genoa are tied with Lazio and Sampdoria with 26 points, but are behind both clubs due to goal difference.
Genoa strikers have found the back of the net elusive in their last three matches in all competitions. Alessandro Matri has six goals and four assists this season. All six goals have come away from the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, which gives Genoa supporters hope he will break out of his current two match run of no goals.
Meanwhile, Genoa will have Eugenio Lamana filling in for regular goalkeeper Perin. Lamana, whom made his first ever Serie A appearance last weekend moments before saving Adem Ljajic’s penalty kick, will receive his first Serie A start of his career.
Neither team needs a slip up as the Christmas break approaches. Genoa must win to keep pace with the top three while Torino need to distance themselves from the relegation zone.
Expected Starting XIs
Torino: Gillet, Maksimovic, Glik, Moretti, Peres, Vives, Gazzi, El Kaddouri, Darmian, Quagliarella, Martinez
Genoa: Lamana, De Maio, Izzo, Burdisso, Edenilison, Greco, Bertolacci, Antonelli, Fetfatzidis, Falque, Matri
