Torino v Fiorentina – Preview: Both teams look to build upon impressive starts

Date: 28th August 2015 at 4:15pm
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It is another big game for Fiorentina this Sunday fiorentina Milanas Paulo Sousa’s promising start to life in Tuscany is tested with a trip to Torino in Serie A.

Six of the last seven meetings between the sides have ended in draws, including last season’s 1-1 tie in Turin that saw Khouma Babacar snatch a late point la Viola.

With nine draws in 24 meetings, it is the Gigliati who hold the advantage overall with 11 wins to Torino’s paltry four, who last beat their rivals in the league in March 2002, while La Viola last won at the Stadio Olimpico back in 2008.

Il Toro came from behind to beat newly-promoted Frosinone 2-1 on the opening weekend, Bruno Peres and Danilo Avelar impressing from the wing-back positions as an invaluable three points kicked off the Granata’s campaign against a promising Frosinone who led last season’s 9th-placed side for almost an hour.

Back in Piedmont Giampiero Ventura’s side face a different kind of test, away from the hostile Stadio Matusa the onus will be on the hosts to show their credentials for a top-six finish by taking on a Viola side that many had disregarded.

The visitors, meanwhile, come north having won six straight league games, the latest of which under new coach Sousa’s debut, who has so far confided critics with a strong pre-season and comfortable defeat of AC Milan last weekend, Marcos Alonso and Josip Ilicic netting in the 2-0 win.

Torino are still missing Alexander Farnerud and new signing Joel Obi, so are likely to stick with an unchanged XI after the Frosinone victory.

La Viola are also at near-full strength, with just Marko Bakic and Real Betis-bound Joaquin unavailable, but Sousa could bring in Giuseppe Rossi as the Italian forward nears full fitness after missing the entirety of last season.

Form Guide: Torino (W-W) Fiorentina (W)

Expected Starting XI-

Torino: Padelli; Maksimovic, Glik, Moretti; Peres, Benassi, Gazzi, Baselli, Avelar; Quagliarella, Lopez.

Fiorentina:  Tatarusanu; Tomovic, Rodriguez, Roncaglia, Gilberto, Valero, Badelj, Alonso, Ilicic, Bernadeschi, Rossi.

 

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