Chievo in the Derby della Scala at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi on Saturday evening.
Hellas Verona are absolutely desperate for a win and need to bounce back from their 5-2 drubbing at the hands of Lazio last time out. Prior to that defeat, they had been unbeaten in five but they still lie at the foot of the table and need to make up the 10 point gap to 17th, with just 13 games to go.
They do come up against a Chievo side with a reasonable away record, winning five games on the road so far this season and having no trouble finding the back of the net. The away team sit in 11th place and look destined to finish comfortably in mid-table.
Earning a respectable 1-1 draw at home to Sassuolo last weekend, they appear to have consolidated their position within the top flight.
It is still a rather new derby in Serie A, the two sides have faced each other just seven times in Italy’s top flight, with five of those coming in the last three seasons.
Classically these, like most derbies, are games of small margins and this showed in early October when it was all square between the two at 1-1. Chievo sneaked a 1-0 draw in this corresponding fixture last term with a 81st minute winner from Alberto Paloschi.
Luigi Delneri has a few injury doubts with both Federico Viviani and Samuel Souprayen facing late fitness tests. Michelangelo Albertazzi is likely to come back in for Mohamed Fares at left-back as part of a major reshuffle. Luca Toni and Giampaolo Pazzini also look set to start together upfront.
Ivan Radovanovic is serving a one-match suspension for Chievo after picking up a booking against Sassuolo, and Nicola Rigoni is tipped to drop in to midfield with Lucas Castro coming in on the right.
Form Guide: Hellas Verona (L-D-W-D-D) Chievo (D-W-L-L-L)
Expected Starting XIs
Hellas Verona: Gollini; Pisano, Helander, Moras, Pisano, Rebic, Ionita, Marrone, Wszolek, Toni, Pazzini
Chievo: Bizzarri; Frey, Spolli, Cesar, Gobbi, Castro, Rigoni, Pinzi, Birsa, Inglese, M’Poku
