Juventus vs Torino: Preview, Prediction, Team News & Lineups

Here’s a summary of the provided article about the Juventus vs. Torino match, including key takeaways and properly formatted paragraphs:

Key Takeaways

• Juventus aims to continue their dominance in the Derby della Mole, being unbeaten in the last 20 Serie A meetings with Torino.
• Luciano Spalletti, the new Juventus coach, is looking to defend the club’s proud home record and improve their recent form.
• Torino, led by Marco Baroni, is in solid form, unbeaten in their last five league matches, but faces a historically difficult task at Juventus.
• Key players like Dusan Vlahovic for Juventus and Giovanni Simeone for Torino will be central to their team’s attacking efforts.
• Injuries and fitness concerns affect both teams, potentially influencing team selections and tactical approaches.

Match Preview: Juventus vs. Torino

Juventus is set to host Torino in the Derby della Mole, a fixture steeped in history and rivalry. Juventus, Italy’s most successful club, will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak of 20 Serie A games against their city rivals. This edition of the derby marks a new era for Juventus, with Luciano Spalletti recently appointed as the head coach.

After a concerning run of eight games without a win, Juventus turned to Spalletti, who has been given a contract until the end of the season. His debut match in charge saw Juventus secure a 2-1 away victory against Cremonese, courtesy of goals from wing-backs Filip Kostic and Andrea Cambiaso. This win kept Juventus in the hunt for a top-four finish. However, their focus was quickly diverted to the Champions League, where they had endured a disappointing start.

Having collected only two points from their first three Champions League games, Juventus faced Sporting Lisbon. Despite conceding an early goal, Dusan Vlahovic leveled the score before halftime, testing the Sporting goalkeeper on multiple occasions. Ultimately, Juventus were unable to secure a victory. Despite a recent patchy run, Juventus’ home form remains formidable, having lost just one of their last 31 league games at the Allianz Stadium, keeping 17 clean sheets in the process. Spalletti will be keen to uphold this record in his first Turin derby, having previously experienced the Rome and Milan derbies.

Torino, on the other hand, have struggled in this fixture. Their last away win against Juventus dates back to April 1995. In the 21 subsequent away derbies, they have lost 16 times. Marco Baroni, the current Torino boss, previously worked in Juventus’ youth setup, winning two trophies. He now faces the daunting task of orchestrating a rare victory for the Granata.

Despite the historical disadvantage, Torino enters the match in decent form, remaining unbeaten in their last five league games since the end of September. After gathering eight points from four games, Torino had been steadily climbing the league table before drawing against newly-promoted Pisa. While they showed resilience by coming back from behind with goals from Che Adams and Giovanni Simeone, they missed the opportunity to secure a home win. Torino has conceded a league-high 16 goals, with 11 of those coming in the first half. Baroni will be eager to prevent a slow start in the derby.

Team News and Possible Lineups

Spalletti has maintained a three-man defense since taking over, though it incorporates midfielder Teun Koopmeiners for greater flexibility. This formation is expected to continue, with Koopmeiners potentially filling in for Lloyd Kelly if needed. Bremer and Juan Cabal are confirmed injury absentees. Vlahovic’s fitness is being assessed due to a minor flexor problem.

Torino’s main attacking threat is Giovanni Simeone, who has scored four goals this season and has previously netted six times against Juventus in Serie A. Marcus Pedersen has returned to training after recovering from illness, but Zakaria Aboukhlal is still sidelined with a muscular injury. First-choice goalkeeper Franco Israel is a doubt, potentially leading to another appearance for Alberto Paleari. Niels Nkounkou is expected to return to the lineup.

Predicted Outcome

The match preview predicts a 2-1 victory for Juventus. Juventus’ recent improvement under Spalletti, coupled with Torino’s poor away record and historical struggles in the Derby della Mole, makes them the favorites. While Torino is in solid form, Juventus’ home advantage and desire to impress their new coach are likely to be decisive factors.

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