Torino welcome Udinese to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino on Saturday, keen to record success in their penultimate Serie A fixture in 2023.
The gameweek 17 encounter sees the Turin outfit aim to prolong their ongoing undefeated run, while their relegation-threatened visitors look to end an extended run without winning.
Match preview
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Ivan Juric's team made the most of last week's encounter against an Empoli side battling relegation, as a 1-0 triumph saw the Bull secure maximum points at home for the third straight game.
The round 16 triumph followed wins over Sassuolo (2-1) and Atalanta (3-0), and Torino seek a fourth consecutive triumph on their turf this weekend.
Juric's side have typically kept things tight in front of their fans, with the 3-0 defeat suffered against league-leading Inter Milan their only loss in Turin, and the goal scored by Sassuolo's Kristian Thorstvedt the last they have let in at home.
The upshot of the Maroons' results leaves them in European contention in a crowded table, four points shy of sixth-placed Fiorentina, and they could rise into a higher position in the table with maximum points on Saturday.
While the side that have not conceded a goal in 180 minutes of action are favourites heading into this weekend's clash, Juric's troops must earn the result and not expect Udinese to accept defeat without putting up a fight.
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The Udine-based outfit have endured a challenging season in which only one league victory has been secured, with the campaign almost at its halfway point.
However, that triumph was a shock 1-0 success over AC Milan at San Siro, but not even success against the Rossoneri proved to be the fillip for the 17th-placed side.
While the unexpected victory was Gabriele Cioffi's first since replacing Andrea Sottil at the club, the White and Blacks have not built on that triumph, failing to register a second league success since the November 4 encounter.
Be that as it may, Udinese's lack of results have been a succession of defeats — the Little Zebras have lost fewer games (five) than all but Lecce (four) in the league's bottom half — but must turn draws into victories.
With 10 draws outdoing everyone else in the league, Cioffi must get his 17th-placed side winning imminently to avoid falling into the bottom three — they have a one-point lead over Empoli in 18th.
Team News
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Torino are without long-term absentee Perr Schuurs, while Ange Nguessan and Saba Sazonov are not expected to feature on Saturday.
Duvan Zapata and Antonio Sanabria have jointly netted five of the Maroons' last six goals at home, and the forwards should lead the line as Juric's men seek a fourth straight triumph in front of their fans.
As for Udinese, the away side's injury worries mean they are not expected to have Keinan Davis, Brenner, Gerard Deulofeu, Enzo Ebosse, Domingos Quina and Jaka Bijol available this weekend.
Martin Payero is suspended after last week's dismissal against Sassuolo.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Lazaro, Linetty, Ilic, Vojvoda; Vlasic; Sanabria, Zapata
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Kristensen, Kabasele, Perez; Ebosele, Pereyra, Walace, Lovric, Zemura; Thauvin, Lucca
We say: Torino 1-1 Udinese
Despite Udinese's struggles for wins, this season's defeats have come against Juventus, Fiorentina, Napoli, Roma and Inter, pointing to another draw for the Little Zebras at Torino this weekend.
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