Torino host AC Milan on Saturday evening in Serie A as Alessio Cerci makes an immediate return to the Stadio Olimpico di Torino.
The Granata have a superior head to head record against the Rossoneri at home having won twenty league matches to seventeen, but since the turn of the century have struggled with their victory coming at the Stadio delle Alpi during the 2001-02 season courtesy of a solitary Cristiano Lucarelli goal.
The Diavolo have since won on four of their last six visits to Torino, but had to rely on a 97th minute penalty from Mario Balotelli last season to rescue a point after coming from two goals down with just three minutes remaining.
Cerci had scored the second goal for the Granata in the 2-2 draw, but attention has now turned to whether he can become the first former Toro player to score against them for the Rossoneri in Turin since Diego Fuser in another 2-2 draw on April 1992.
However, Cerci revealed that he would not celebrate following his arrival at Milan on an eighteen-month loan from Atletico Madrid, after joining the Spanish champions from Torino last summer.
“No, how could I celebrate? I have a tattoo that is dedicated to Torino, it’s a club and a place that has stayed in my heart,” the 27-year-old admitted at his official unveiling earlier this week.
“I hope for a good reception, I think I gave my heart and soul to that club. That’s what I expect, but if that’s not what happens there won’t be a problem because I have a clear conscience.”
Cerci is expected to start the match on the bench as he looks to return to full fitness, but Filippo Inzaghi’s side are boosted by the return of Nigel de Jong and Pablo Armero from suspension as they look to improve on their record of only two wins in their last ten Serie A matches.
Toro extended their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions with a 0-0 draw at Chievo on Tuesday with coach Giampiero Ventura claiming his side “were in an emergency situation” with several players missing through injury and suspension.
Amauri was injured in the warm-up at the Stadio Bentegodi, and will undergo further tests in order to understand the magnitude of a muscle problem.
Jean-Francois Gillet, Salvatore Masiello and Omar El Kaddouri are also to be evaluated, while Emiliano Moretti returns from suspension.
Expected Starting XIs
Torino: Padelli; Maksimovic, Moretti, Glik; Peres, Vives, Gazzi, Farnerud, Darmian; El Kaddouri, Quagliarella.
AC Milan: Lopez; Abate, Rami, Alex, De Sciglio; Poli, De Jong, Montolivo; Bonaventura, Menez, El Shaarawy.
