Following four straight defeats to end October, Hellas Verona will try to stop the rot on Sunday, when they host Monza at Stadio Bentegodi.
In addition to a series of Serie A setbacks, Hellas were dumped out of the cup in midweek; meanwhile, Monza sit comfortably in mid-table.
Match preview
© Reuters
After avoiding demotion by virtue of a relegation playoff last season, Verona seem set for another struggle to defy the drop this term, having lost seven of their last nine matches in all competitions and failed to win in the process.
Marco Baroni's men opened their campaign with a Coppa Italia victory over Ascoli, before taking six points from their first two league fixtures against Empoli and Roma - one more Serie A win than they had managed after 16 games last year - but it has been all downhill ever since.
A 1-0 reverse to Juventus last Saturday left Hellas just outside the bottom three, and only one team has scored fewer goals in Italy's top flight this season.
Verona have also picked up fewer points than any other club since September, and even their Coppa Italia run was cut short on Tuesday, when they suffered a 2-0 defeat in Bologna, with Suat Serdar capping a miserable night for fans of the Gialloblu by being sent off in the second half.
All of which leaves Baroni under pressure to produce better results, so a series of fixtures featuring Genoa, Lecce and Udinese over the next month surely represents his last chance to turn things around.
© Reuters
First, though, Verona welcome Monza to the Bentegodi this weekend, seeking a first Serie A success against their visitors, who only sealed their first promotion to the top tier of Calcio in 2022.
Monza took four points from the clubs' two meetings as they ultimately cruised to safety last season, and an impressive start this time around suggests another mid-table finish is on the cards.
Led by much-admired coach Raffaele Palladino, the Biancorossi hold one of the best defensive records in Serie A and have lost only once over the past two months.
Still unbeaten on home soil following last week's 1-1 draw with Udinese - in which in-form Andrea Colpani scored the opener but Monza could not quite hold on for victory - they sat within two points of both Rome clubs and in range of the top six.
Stretching back to the end of last season, though, Palladino's side - who were knocked out of the Coppa in August, so could rest in midweek - have lost four of their last six Serie A away matches. Visiting Verona, then, could offer an opportunity to improve such a record.
Team News
© Reuters
After Marco Baroni shuffled his pack for Verona's Coppa Italia clash with Bologna, the former Monza defender will revert to his strongest available XI this weekend - Pawel Dawidowicz, Josh Doig and goalkeeper Marco Silvestri are among those set to return.
Amid an ongoing struggle for goals, Milan Djuric battles it out with Federico Bonazzoli to start up front: the latter has recorded eight shots on target in Serie A this season - at least double the tally of any teammate - but has scored just once.
Aside from a slight hamstring issue for Colombian defender Juan Cabal, Hellas have no injury concerns ahead of Sunday's early kickoff.
By contrast with their hosts, Monza have had a reliable source of goals since the 2023-24 campaign commenced: Andrea Colpani has averaged one every other game so far; however, he is yet to find the net away from home.
With five Serie A strikes to his name already, the former Italy Under-21 international should start in support of lone striker Lorenzo Colombo, as part of a familiar 3-4-2-1 formation.
While Danilo D'Ambrosio could return to the Biancorossi's back three following suspension, Armando Izzo remains sidelined, having undergone surgery on a foot injury.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Dawidowicz, Hien, Magnani; Faraoni, Duda, Folorunsho, Doig; Lazovic, Ngonge; Djuric
Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; D'Ambrosio, Mari, Caldirola; Ciurria, Pessina, Gagliardini, Kyriakopoulos; Colpani, Vignato; Colombo
We say: Hellas Verona 1-2 Monza
Verona's woes are deepening by the week, with a lack of firepower prompting their tumble towards the drop zone. Monza may be less effective on the road than at home, but they are capable of breaching their hosts' leaky backline more than once and could leave with all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
