Genoa vs Torino – News and Probable Lineups

With both teams currently above the Serie A relegation zone, Genoa and Torino will seek all three points when they meet at Stadio Ferraris on Sunday.

Neither club has secured safety from relegation, as Genoa’s recent resurgence has hit a snag and Torino is slipping down the standings.

Match overview

After a run of matches that featured five goals in each, resulting in one victory and two heart-stopping losses, Genoa ended last weekend with a 0-0 draw away at Cremonese.

By keeping their rivals at Stadio Zini from scoring, the Grifone have achieved clean sheets in three of their last six Serie A outings, which is one more than in their previous 19 matches, adding to their unpredictable nature.

Although Daniele De Rossi made a swift difference after taking over for Patrick Vieira, his team now finds itself just three points above the relegation zone.

However, with improved defensive organization, De Rossi’s squad could be almost assured safety: they have squandered seven points from winning positions this year alone, totaling 20 for the season.

The Ligurian team heavily depends on set-piece opportunities, with center-back Leo Ostigard ranking among their top scorers; an impressive 48% of their Serie A goals stem from dead-ball situations.

While Genoa has only three victories from their 13 league games at the Ferraris this season, they have remained undefeated in their last three home fixtures against Torino, shutting them out in every match.

Indeed, it has been six years and 334 minutes of top-tier football since they last conceded a goal at home against Torino, a trend De Rossi will hope to prolong.

After winning 2-1 in the reverse encounter last October, Torino has secured 10 wins and only lost once in their last 16 matchups, with that single loss occurring nearly four years ago.

This record may suggest that the Granata are favored to win on Sunday afternoon, but their current form is troubling, having picked up just four points from the last six matches.

Coach Marco Baroni, who joined from Lazio last summer, had a promising start, but since the November international break, his side has let in 28 goals and faced nine defeats, both of which are the worst in the league.

The -19 goal difference is only better than the bottom two teams and marks Torino’s poorest showing at this point in a season in 23 years; heading into Genoa, they have conceded 10 goals in their last three away encounters.

Enhancing the atmosphere of crisis, their home ground was nearly empty as fans protested against club president Urbano Cairo during last week’s 2-1 defeat to Bologna.

This loss, against a side experiencing an even more disastrous run, left them only six points above the relegation zone, increasing the pressure ahead of this week’s trip to Marassi.

Team News

Genoa boss De Rossi might stick with a consistent lineup, despite their inability to beat a struggling Cremonese last time out.

Midfielder Ruslan Malinoxyi has found the net in three of his last four outings, while main striker Lorenzo Colombo has recently matched his personal best of six goals in a Serie A season.

Injury rules out only backup goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist, as Roma loanee Tommaso Baldanzi was deemed fit for last week’s match and should again be among the substitutes.

Like Colombo, Torino captain Nikola Vlasic also has six Serie A goals this season, having added to his tally against Bologna.

His involvement may be crucial on Sunday, as Che Adams has just been ruled out until next month with a thigh injury; ex-Genoa striker Giovanni Simeone will likely contest with Duvan Zapata, Alieu Njie, and Sandro Kulenovic for a starting position in attack.

While Rafa Obrador, Tino Anjorin, and Ardian Ismajli also remain sidelined, Ivan Ilic has returned to full training.

Genoa probable starting XI:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinoxyi, Ellertsson, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo

Torino probable starting XI:

Paleari; Marianucci, Maripan, Coco; Pedersen, Casadei, Prati, Lazaro; Vlasic; Simeone, Kulenovic

Two sides with shaky defenses are expected to provide a high-scoring match at Marassi, both aware that a victory could improve their chances of survival while damaging that of their opponents.

As Genoa boasts the more effective offense, a supportive home crowd is likely to push them toward victory.