Pisa vs Turin – News and Probable Lineups

Holding the last place in the Serie A standings, Pisa aims for a resurgence following the international break, hoping to find some momentum in their battle against relegation when they face an erratic Torino at Cetilar® Arena on Sunday.

The Black and Blues find themselves seven points from safety with only eight matches remaining, while Torino sits 14th, six points clear of the relegation zone and a significant 21 points behind the top six.

Match overview

On the brink of a swift return to the second division, Pisa must break an unsettling historical pattern, as no team at the bottom of the Serie A table after 30 matches has managed to survive since the 1957-58 season.

This trend seems likely to hold, particularly as the Tuscan side has faced difficulties in gaining consistent form, having only achieved two league victories all season (D12, L16), even with a recent managerial shake-up.

Oscar Hiljemark took over for the dismissed Alberto Gilardino in early February and has only guided the team to one victory in seven games (D1, L5), with that lone success putting an end to a 17-match winless run against Cagliari.

However, the Black and Blues were unable to capitalize on that win, facing a disheartening 5-0 loss to Como just before the international break, a result that further emphasized the team’s struggles under their new head coach.

Currently, the Tuscan outfit has failed to score in five of their last seven matches, yet they may draw some optimism from netting three goals in their latest home match at Cetilar® Arena; a win on Sunday would mark Pisa’s first back-to-back Serie A home wins since 1990.

On the other hand, Torino has also faced its share of defensive woes, conceding two or more goals in each of their last eight away fixtures across competitions and failing to emerge victorious in the last six (D1, L5).

The Bulls have let in 53 league goals this season, with only Pisa (54) faring worse, indicating this match could feature plenty of action at both ends.

Torino’s defensive issues were again apparent in their last outing, where efforts from Giovanni Simeone and Nikola Vlasic weren’t enough to secure points in a five-goal thriller against AC Milan, further extending an inconsistent stretch.

Under the guidance of Roberto D’Aversa, who was appointed in late February, Torino has alternated wins and losses across four matches, managing to claim just four victories from their 13 top-flight matches since the year began (W4, D1).

Nonetheless, this fixture presents a chance for Torino to turn their fortunes around, as they have lost only once in their last 23 Serie A contests against newly promoted teams (W12, D10).

Torino is also unbeaten in their last four encounters with Pisa but did not secure victory in the earlier meeting this season, while their most recent visit to Cetilar® Arena resulted in a loss.

Team News

Pisa will continue to face several injury issues leading up to this weekend’s match, with Daniel Denoon (ankle) and Simone Scuffet (muscle) both out since January and February, respectively.

Marius Marin and Isak Vural remain sidelined due to knee injuries, while Juan Cuadrado is a significant doubt after missing the last two matches due to a stomach problem.

Forward Rafiu Durosinmi will be absent for the second match of his two-game suspension, but midfielder Michel Aebischer returns after serving a ban in the loss to Como.

For Torino, forward Zakaria Aboukhlal is dealing with various injuries, with the latest being a knee issue that will keep him out of Sunday’s match.

Veteran striker Duvan Zapata may be replaced in the lineup after starting alongside Simeone previously, with Che Adams looking to secure a starting position after coming on as a substitute in the last match.

Pisa probable starting XI:

Nicolas; Calabresi, Canestrelli, Caracciolo; Leris, Aebischer, Akinsanmiro, Angori; Tramoni, Moreo, Stojilkovic

Torino probable starting XI:

Paleari; Coco, Ismajli, Ebosse; Pedersen, Gineitis, Ilkhan, Vlasic, Obrador; Adams, Simeon

This matchup has all the hallmarks of a potentially high-scoring game between two teams with some of the weakest defensive records in the league, though any disparity in attacking efficiency could be critical.

Torino’s tally of 34 league goals outstrips Pisa by 11, and this additional attacking threat could give the visitors the edge in what is expected to be a tightly contested match.