After both slayed a Rome giant last time out, Torino and Atalanta BC return to action on Saturday, when they meet at Stadio Olimpico di Torino.
While Toro toppled Lazio to inch closer to the top half of the Serie A standings, their latest visitors were 3-1 winners against Roma and remain in the mix for European football next season.
Match preview
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Keeping themselves in contention for a Champions League return, Atalanta saw off Roma's challenge on Monday evening, with a 3-1 home win coming thanks to goals from Mario Pasalic, Rafael Toloi and Teun Koopmeiners; leaving them just four points shy of fourth-placed Milan.
It was the latter's strike - capitalising on an error from Giallorossi goalkeeper Rui Patricio - that effectively secured the points late on, and the Bergamaschi appear to be building some much-needed momentum for the run-in.
Having wobbled in previous weeks to slip down the standings, they have now won three of their last five matches; recording as many victories as they had managed in nine games beforehand.
Occupying seventh spot with seven games left, though, Gian Piero Gasperini's men could yet end up facing a second straight season without European football - particularly as Juventus and Inter are still to come on the schedule.
Recently linked with a big-money move to England, Koopmeiners made Serie A sit up and take notice when Atalanta last met this week's opponents, as his hat-trick in September's reverse fixture with Torino earned victory back home in Bergamo.
As they attempt to do the double on Saturday, the portents are in La Dea's favour: not only do Atalanta boast a better record away than at home this season, they have also taken maximum points from their last three league visits to Stadio Olimpico di Torino.
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In fact, Torino have lost four of their last six Serie A meetings with Atalanta without winning once, so precedent is stacked against them this weekend.
More recently, the Granata have picked up just one point from their last three home games - their worst such run for a year - but events in Rome last week will certainly offer their fans some hope.
An Ivan Ilic strike split the sides in Toro's contest with in-form Lazio, and the Serbian's first league goal for over 600 days leaves his team in contention for a top-half finish.
Possessing the league's sixth-best away record demonstrates their potential, but notoriously demanding coach Ivan Juric - who served as Gasperini's assistant at several Serie A clubs - will expect better on home soil between now and the end of the season.
Juric steered Torino away from what had become a recurring relegation battle to take 10th place last term and is surely determined to improve on that in his second year in Turin.
Team News
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Still without wing-backs Hans Hateboer and Matteo Ruggeri due to injury, Atalanta will also have top scorer Ademola Lookman sidelined on Saturday.
Up front, then, Duvan Zapata and in-demand striker Rasmus Hojlund could be paired, with Luis Muriel consigned to the bench. Twenty-five of Muriel's 99 Serie A strikes have come as a substitute, and the Colombian has scored eight times against Torino in the past.
Earlier this week, Teun Koopmeiners became the first Dutch midfielder to record seven goals in a Serie A season since Clarence Seedorf in 2007-08, and he will now aim to be the first to reach eight since Ruud Gullit back in 1994-95.
Torino, meanwhile, are without Ola Aina, Ronaldo Vieira and David Zima again, and Pietro Pellegri's thigh problem is still a concern; Nemanja Radonjic has sustained a hamstring injury and could miss several matches.
As Pellegri still seeks a return to full fitness, Antonio Sanabria continues as the Granata's focal point in attack, though only two of his nine league goals this term have come at home.
With Samuele Ricci now returning to peak condition, Ivan Juric may drop Karol Linetty to make way in midfield.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Gravillon, Schuurs, Buongiorno; Singo, Ricci, Ilic, Rodriguez; Vlasic, Karamoh; Sanabria
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Sportiello; Toloi, Djimsiti, Scalvini; Maehle, De Roon, Koopmeiners, Zappacosta; Pasalic; Hojlund, Zapata
We say: Torino 0-1 Atalanta BC
This season, Torino have won only five of their 15 games at home, scoring a mere 12 goals in the process. As Atalanta are apparently clicking into gear at just the right time, they can complete the double over their hosts and pile pressure on teams just above them in the Serie A standings.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
