Hellas Verona's remarkable push for Serie A survival continues with a home fixture against Torino at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi on Sunday.
Having been written off just a few months ago, Verona now look likely to escape relegation following a sensational run of form to salvage their season.
Match preview
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Cyril Ngonge's winner at Lecce last Sunday evening has the Verona faithful dreaming of the great escape now.
Verona have been cut adrift in the bottom three for almost the entirety of the season, having ended 2022 with just five points on the board.
However, for the first time since October, the Gialloblu enter a weekend's action outside the drop zone.
Marco Zaffaroni's side recovered from a midweek 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Inter Milan to win 1-0 at the Stadio Via del Mare last weekend - the club's first away win in over a year.
Eleven points from their last six games have seen Verona come from nowhere to catch Spezia, who have fallen into the bottom three after picking up just one point from a possible 15.
With four games to go, Verona have opened up a three-point gap to Spezia, who are going backwards, but Cremonese in 19th are also finding form, so Zaffaroni will know his side cannot get complacent.
It will be nothing short of miraculous if they pull it off, even from this position, as only three sides have avoided relegation after taking 30 points or fewer from their first 34 games - SPAL in 2017-18, and both Sampdoria and Salernitana last season.
Their late season rally makes it look very realistic though, and form at the Bentegodi has been to thank for that.
Despite their 6-0 defeat here to Inter, Verona have won five of their nine home games in 2023, with free-scoring Fiorentina the only other side to win here this year.
Torino's season is all but over now with four games to go, as they are one of five sides marooned in mid-table tied on 46 points between eighth and 12th.
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There is no sign of the Granata slacking off though, as Torino have taken 10 points from a possible 12 in their last four on the road, having taken just nine in the 11 games which preceded this run.
No side in Serie A has won more points on the road during this time, as their last two trips resulted in wins to nil.
Not since 1970 have Torino recorded three straight away wins without conceding in Serie A, so an impressive record is on the line for Ivan Juric's men in this one.
Sitting in mid-table despite having more points away from home than AC Milan suggests their home form has not been up to scratch, and that has been the case.
A draw with Monza at the Olimpico Grande Torino last week means they have taken just two points from their last five home matches, while only the bottom two, Cremonese and Sampdoria, have scored fewer goals at home this season, so playing away may suit the side here.
Team News
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Kevin Lasagna remains doubtful for Verona having missed the last three games with a muscle injury.
Thomas Henry and Ajdin Hrustic remain on the long-term absentee list for the hosts, as the duo have played just 14 minutes between them in 2023.
Wilfried Singo is back for Torino after he missed the tie with Monza through suspension, but there remains injury concerns in defence.
Ola Aina, Perr Schuurs and David Zima are all currently sidelined for the Granata at the back, with Nemanja Radonjic also out in attack.
Toni Sanabria has alternated between scoring and blanking in the last 11 matches now for Torino following his goal against Monza and will hope to end that run with another goal in this encounter.
Ivan Ilic will face his parent club for the first time after joining Torino on loan from Verona in the January window, after his compatriot Sasa Lukic swapped Turin for London to join Fulham.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Magnani, Hien, Dawidowicz; Faraoni, Abildgaard, Duda, Tameze, Lazovic; Verdi, Djuric
Torino possible starting lineup:
V Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Singo, Ricci, Ilic, Vojvoda; Miranchuk, Sanabria, Vlasic
We say: Hellas Verona 1-1 Torino
Verona's resurgence should have them as slight favourites given they have much more to play for, but they have not kept back-to-back clean sheets in Serie A since April 2014 and remain susceptible at the back.
Eight of the last 11 meetings between the sides have ended in a draw, with four of the last six ending 1-1, and history could well repeat itself here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Andrew Delaney
