Palermo v Hellas Verona – Preview: Rosanero look to relaunch unexpected Euro surge

Date: 30th January 2015 at 9:01am
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Palermo welcome an improving Hellas Verona to the Stadio Renzo Barbera on Sunday afternoon hoping to reignite their push for an unexpected European spot.

The Rosanero have proved a hugely entertaining and impressive addition the Italy’s top flight since their promotion from Serie B last season and enter this fixture after having held both Roma and Sampdoria to 1-1 draws.

Their home form has been formidable thus far – the fifth best in Serie A – and the goals of Franco Vazquez and Paulo Dybala have given them ample threat going forward.

Their partnership has proved to be one of the revelations of the season so far and their recent form suggests the Verona defence could be in for a testing afternoon, as they have both produced three goals and three assists in their last five games.

Giuseppe Iachini’s side come into the match in eighth place and only one point behind Genoa above them, but they will be without the injured midfielder Enzo Maresca.

Despite enduring a torrid week in which they were beaten heavily twice by Juventus and conceded ten goals in the process, Verona have enjoyed some better league form in recent weeks.

A 1-0 win at home to Atalanta last weekend was their second win in the last three games and this form has helped lift Hellas up to 14th place and six points clear of their rivals Chievo in the drop zone.

However, their away form has not been impressive and they have picked up only two wins on the road all season long.

Javier Saviola broke his Serie A duck with his goal against Atalanta last week and coach Andrea Mandorlini will be hoping to see his partnership with Luca Toni begin to flourish.

Verona will arrive in Sicily without some key personnel, as Leandro Greco is suspended and Bosko Jankovic and Mounir Obbadi are suffering from injury problems.

Despite a difficult season so far, Mandorlini will be buoyed by the fact that a win on Sunday would see his side draw level on points with Palermo as there are currently only three points between the two sides despite the fact that there are six league places between them.

Form Guide: Palermo (W-D-W-L-D-D) Verona (W-L-D-W-L-W)

Expected Starting XIs

Palermo: Sorrentino; Vitiello, Gonzalez, Andelkovic; Morganella, Bolzoni, Rigoni, Barreto, Lazaar; Vazquez, Dybala

Verona: Benussi; Martic, Moras, Marquez, Marques, Brivio; Sala, Tachtsidis, Hallfredsson; Saviola, Toni

 

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