Serie A

Toro against Salernitana to continuing dreaming

Torino seek their fourth consecutive positive result to enter the race for a place in Europe, while Salernitana must secure points to keep their survival dreams alive

Torino need to secure points against Salernitana: the lunchtime match at the Olimpico Grande Torino pits two teams with contrasting form. Torino, who will recover the match not played against Lazio on February 22, have lost only once in the last eight matches (1-0 against Fiorentina on 29 December), earning 15 points in the process. Salernitana, however, is still in the last position and have not moved up the table since their victory against Verona on 30 December. Since then, they have suffered four consecutive 2-1 defeats. Pippo Inzaghi's team is obligated to secure points to avoid drifting too far from the safety zone.

DID YOU KNOW?

Salernitana have lost each of their last four league matches and they could record five defeats in a row in Serie A for the first time in their history. Torino have collected more than 30 points after their first 21 games of a Serie A season for the third time in the three points per win era (31, as in 2021-22 and only one less than the 32 in 2013-14). If they win this match, the Granata would set their best tally of points won after 22 matches in a single season in the top-flight since 1994-95 (the current one is 33 after 22 matches in the 2013-14). In addition to conceding only four goals in the first half of matches in Serie A this term (only Inter conceded fewer, 3), Torino have kept the most clean sheets in first halves (19/21), while Salernitana - 19 goals conceded in the first half, only fewer than Frosinone with 20 – have kept the fewest first-half clean sheets in Serie A this term (7).

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Torino are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Salernitana in Serie A (W5 D2): overall, only against Mantova (14) have they played more matches without ever losing. On the other hand, among teams they have faced at least three times in Serie A, Salernitana have recorded the highest ratio of defeats against Torino in the top-flight (71%). Torino have scored 12 goals in their three home matches against Salernitana in Serie A (4 on average per match): only against Casale (18 goals in four matches, 4.5 goals per match) have they have scored more goals at home on average than against the Campania team in the top-flight.

PLAYERS

Antonio Sanabria has scored in each of his three matches played against Salernitana in Serie A (3 goals) and against no team has he managed to find the net in four matches in a row in the big 5 European Leagues (a run of three also against Real Sociedad). Only against Inter (7) and Udinese (6) has Antonio Candreva scored more goals than against Torino in Serie A (5 goals in 20 matches). However, since he joined Salernitana (2022/23), Torino are the team against which Candreva has played the most minutes without ever being involved in a single goal in the competition (270 minutes).

DISCIPLINE

Suspended: Buongiorno (Torino) Cautioned: Tameze e Juric (Torino); Bradaric, Kastanos e Gyomber (Salernitana)

REFEREE

Chiffi (Bresmes-Scarpa), IV: Dionisi, VAR: Marini, AVAR: Valeri

UPCOMING MATCHES IN SERIE A TIM

Sassuolo-Torino (Saturday 10 February, 20:45 CET) Salernitana-Empoli (Friday 9 February, 20:45 CET) (Photo LaPresse)