The latest chapter of the storied Derby della Mole pits Torino and Juventus against each other at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino on Saturday. The 208th edition of this famous Serie A fixture comes at an opportune moment for the visitors while the hosts seek redemption for last weekend’s failure.
After back-to-back league wins without a reply against Monza and Udinese, Torino slumped to an unexpected 3-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Empoli last weekend. A disappointing result in Tuscany diminished Granata’s European ambitions, leaving them six points adrift of the top six ahead of this round.
For Ivan Juric’s side, it’s paramount to return to winning ways. To do so, Torino will have to defy a disastrous run of one win across their last 37 matches against Juventus (D8, L28). Otherwise, their hopes of securing European football for the first time since 2014/15 would be dead in the water, with sixth-placed Atalanta having a game in hand.
Unlike their bitter rivals, Juventus are on the cusp of fulfilling their seasonal goal after a narrow 1-0 home win against Fiorentina ended their four-game winless league run (D2, L2). Massimiliano Allegri’s men commence this matchday in third, seven points clear of fifth-placed Roma, meaning Champions League qualification is almost in the bag.
Nonetheless, Juventus must build momentum ahead of the return leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final tie against Lazio. That’s not to mention their eagerness to claim bragging rights, as they’ve done in their last three league meetings with Torino.
Match Preview
Torino
Goals have been at a premium for Torino in recent Derby della Mole editions. They have failed to get on the scoresheet in three of their last five matches against Juventus, including a 2-0 defeat in October’s reverse fixture. But they might not need to score to take a point from this fixture.
Juric’s airtight backline boasts the division’s joint-best record of only eight goals conceded in 15 home league outings this season. They’ve kept a clean sheet in five of their last six Serie A games at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino (W3, D2, L1). However, just one of those six contests came against a side positioned better than them in the standings.
Top-five opponents, on the other hand, have troubled Torino. Except for a 1-1 home draw against Roma in September, they’ve lost five remaining such assignments in 2023/24.
Juventus
This short crosstown journey comes amidst the visitors’ mini-revival. After only winning one of their nine Serie A matches (D4, L4), Juventus have racked up back-to-back competitive wins ‘to nil,’ beating Lazio 2-0 at home in Coppa Italia action before the abovementioned triumph against Fiorentina.
However, both those wins came at the Allianz Stadium. It’s been a different story on the road. Juventus haven’t won a league game away from home since January. Not just that, they’ve lost three of their last four Serie A travels (D1), including two without finding the back of the net. And it gets worse.
Allegri’s critics have a reasonable explanation for demanding his farewell at the end of the season. Juventus haven’t fared well against top-ten sides on hostile turf, generating an underwhelming 33% win ratio in such fixtures this term (W2, D1, L3).
Team News
Torino will be without several first-team stars this weekend. Koffi Djidji, Ivan Ilic, Perr Schuurs, Gvidas Gineitis, and Pietro Pellegri are out injured.
Juric will rely on free-firing Duvan Zapata to bail his side out of trouble after netting a brace against Empoli last time out. He’s no stranger to scoring against Juventus either, having tallied eight goals in 18 appearances against them.
As for the visitors, Nicolo Fagioli and Paul Pogba are unavailable for well-known reasons. Arkadiusz Milik is on the sidelines with a muscle injury, meaning Federico Chiesa will partner up with Dusan Vlahovic in the front third.
Oddly enough, Federico Gatti could be Allegri’s secret weapon. In addition to scoring his fourth goal of the season last weekend, he opened the scoring in the reverse fixture before Milik sealed Torino’s fate.
Torino vs Juventus Potential Lineups
Torino (3-4-3): Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Adrien Tameze, Alessandro Buongiorno, Ricardo Rodriguez; Raoul Bellanova, Karol Linetty, Samuele Ricci, Valentino Lazaro; Nikola Vlasic; Antonio Sanabria, Duvan Zapata.
Juventus (3-5-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Federico Gatti, Gleison Bremer, Danilo; Andrea Cambiaso, Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli, Adrien Rabiot, Filip Kostic; Federico Chiesa, Dusan Vlahovic.
Torino vs Juventus Prediction
One goal might settle this affair if the recent history of this match-up is anything to go by. Juventus have beaten Torino 1-0 in five of their last six encounters at this venue, and we wouldn’t put to past them to replicate that scoreline this weekend.
Prediction: Juventus Win
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