Separated by one point in the Serie A standings, mid-table duo Torino and Genoa will go toe-to-toe in Turin on Saturday evening.
Toro lead their Ligurian counterparts by a slim margin after holding Atalanta BC to a draw last time out, extending their unbeaten streak in 2025.
Match preview
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Having recently reversed a significant slump, Torino have stopped their slide towards a multi-club survival fight - instead, they are back on track for a top-half finish.
Now trailing 10th-placed Udinese by just two points, the Granata are undefeated in six league games - albeit drawing five - and they could soon go seven without defeat in Serie A for the first time since 2019.
Last week, Paolo Vanoli's side fought hard for a point in Bergamo, where Guillermo Maripan equalised soon after they fell behind to high-flying hosts Atalanta - then, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic pulled off a crucial penalty save.
Previously, Che Adams found the net in both halves of a 2-0 home win over Cagliari that continued Toro's impressive clean-sheet record in Turin.
Since the start of last season, alongside mighty Real Madrid, Torino have posted the most home shut-outs of any club across Europe's top five leagues - 17 in 30 top-flight matches.
Furthermore, they head into Saturday's clash having won 26 and lost only one of their last 40 home games against Genoa in Serie A.
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After a 0-0 draw in December's reverse fixture, Genoa have won just one of their last 13 league meetings with Torino - in March 2022, at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
The Ligurian club will look to turn the tide this weekend, when victory would take them above Toro in the table - and potentially into the top half.
Genoa's last nine Serie A games have seen them record three wins, three draws and three defeats - both scoring and conceding eight goals in the process - and such symmetry has helped them pull clear of the drop zone.
Patrick Vieira's men had lost only two of the Frenchman's first 10 league games before suffering an increasingly rare setback last weekend: ex-Grifone star Albert Gudmundsson inevitably scored Fiorentina's winner in a 2-1 defeat at Stadio Franchi.
Even so, Genoa have still kept six clean sheets in their last 10 top-flight fixtures, putting them back on track to achieve their main aim of Serie A survival.
Team News
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Paolo Vanoli has bolstered his squad during the latter stages of the winter transfer window, so new signings Cesare Casadei, Eljif Elmas and former Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi could all be involved on Saturday.
Mergim Vojvoda left for Como, while Alieu Njie has just undergone surgery on a serious leg injury and will join long-term absentees Perr Schuurs and Duvan Zapata on the sidelines.
Behind a probable 4-2-3-1 formation, spearheaded by top scorer Che Adams, goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic has made the most saves (86) in Serie A this season.
Meanwhile, Genoa failed to offload unwanted striker Mario Balotelli - who does not see eye-to-eye with Patrick Vieira - but fellow fringe players Pierluigi Gollini and Alessandro Vogliacco have departed.
Jean Onana and Danish defender Sebastian Otoa recently signed for the Grifone - and both could be named on the bench - but another new boy, Maxwell Cornet, is ruled out by a thigh problem.
Vieira is also without Ruslan Malinovskyi due to injury, while Mattia Bani is a slight doubt. After picking up another booking last week, Koni De Winter must serve a suspension.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Pedersen, Maripan, Coco, Sosa; Ricci, Tameze; Lazaro, Vlasic, Karamoh; Adams
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Leali; Sabelli, Bani, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Badelj, Thorsby; Zanoli, Miretti; Pinamonti
We say: Torino 1-1 Genoa
As Genoa have actually accrued more points on the road than at the Ferraris, they should be capable of taking something home from Turin.
The Grifone have tightened up since Patrick Vieira took charge, while Toro still find it tough to produce wins.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
