Both sides will be aiming to continue their impressive seasons when Palermo host Genoa at Stadio Renzo Barbera on Sunday in Serie A.
Despite their relatively mediocre standings in the league table, the Rosanero and the Grifone have both exceeded expectations at times this season and with safety assured every point from here on in is a bonus.
The hosts come off the back of a 3-1 victory away to Udinese in a game which ended a six-match win-less run and will now look to return to their early season form when they showed they could cope with life back in Serie A.
Main man Paulo Dybala’s goals have dried up somewhat in recent weeks and the home side will be hoping that the 21-year-old can add to his tally of 13 league goals.
However, if any proof were needed that the young Argentinian is more than just a goalscorer it can be found in the Serie A assists chart where he sits joint-top with team-mate Franco Vazquez.
The visitors have also put together some impressive runs of form through the season including a nine-game unbeaten streak that ended with a 1-0 defeat to Roma in December.
Ultimately some equally poor runs are the reason they currently sit in seventh position in the table and not even higher but they have proven they can compete with anyone and indeed inflicted one of only two defeats suffered by Juventus this season.
Historically there is nothing to choose between the two sides as there have been nine draws and five victories each from nineteen previous meetings.
The most recent meeting in November finished in a 1-1 draw with goals from Dybala and the now departed Luca Antonelli.
Aquile coach Giuseppe Iachini has no suspensions for Sunday’s game but is missing the injured Michel Morganella, Edgar Barreto and Emerson Palmieri.
Gian Piero Gasperini on the other hand will have to make do without injured goalkeeper Mattia Perin as well as midfielder Tino Costa and defender Lorenzo Ariaudo.
Form Guide: Palermo (D-D-L-L-L-W) Genoa (D-L-L-D-W-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Palermo: Sorrentino; Andelkovic, Gonzalez, Vitiello; Lazaar, Chochev, Jajalo, Rigoni, Rispoli; Dybala, Vazquez
Genoa: Lamanna; De Maio, Burdisso, Roncaglia; Marchese, Bertolacci, Rincon, Edenilson; Perotti, Niang, Iago
