The only team yet to win a single Serie A game this season, Monza will meet Hellas Verona at Stadio Bentegodi on Monday evening, aiming to finally get off the mark.
Stuck inside the relegation zone with just four points from seven matches, the Biancorossi trail behind their hosts in the standings.
Match preview
© Imago
Ending a three-match losing streak, Verona overcame regional rivals Venezia just before the international break, fighting back from conceding an early goal to win 2-1 thanks to Casper Tengstedt's equaliser and an own goal by visiting goalkeeper Jesse Joronen.
Victory edged the Gialloblu up to 12th place in the table, with nine points on the board, also continuing their improved scoring rate since Tengstedt and fellow striker Daniel Mosquera arrived in the summer.
Hellas have now won two of their first four home games in Serie A, losing the others, and they are yet to draw any matches this season - either home or away, in both league and cup.
One of two teams, alongside Napoli, to have scored the most goals (nine) during the second half this term, Paolo Zanetti's side certainly pose an increased threat after the break, meaning there is no need to panic if they fall behind against Monza.
Verona have held the edge over Monday's visitors in recent years, going unbeaten in six meetings at Stadio Bentegodi before losing the most recent one 3-1 last November.
© Imago
When the sides last met, they played out a goalless draw in Monza, meaning that the Biancorossi have yet to lose against Verona since arriving in Serie A two years ago, recording two wins and two draws.
Alessandro Nesta's side also settled for one point in their final fixture before international football intervened, as substitute striker Dany Mota drew them level at home to Roma and secured a 1-1 draw.
In isolation, that could be seen as a commendable result, but it extended Monza's winless start to the league season to seven games, leaving them in 19th place on four points.
While two of three teams still awaiting their first success at this stage last year ultimately went on to avoid relegation, Nesta will be acutely aware he was not hired to lead a fight against the drop - Monza finished in mid-table at the end of both Serie A seasons so far.
The former Italy defender has some credit in the bank by virtue of booking a place in the Coppa Italia's last 16, where Bologna will await in December, but his team are creating too few goalscoring opportunities.
Dating back to before Nesta's reign, the Biancorossi have failed to find the net in 12 away games since the start of last season - putting them level with Lecce at the top of that particular table.
Team News
© Imago
Verona will be without injured defenders Martin Frese and Pawel Dawidowicz on Monday evening, but central midfielder Suat Serdar is back in action after recovering from a thigh problem and could make the bench.
Reda Belahyane is set to continue in the hosts' engine room as Serdar completes his return to full fitness, while there is an ongoing battle to start up front.
Once again, Paolo Zanetti must choose between Casper Tengstedt and Daniel Mosquera, the Gialloblu's joint-top scorers in Serie A with three goals apiece.
Meanwhile, Monza's leading marksmen are Dany Mota and Milan Djuric, who have both scored twice in the league this term: Djuric played 48 times for Verona, scoring six goals before leaving at the start of last season.
He will be supported by either Mota or Daniel Maldini, the latter of whom scored his first Italy goal during the international period, when he followed in the footsteps of dad Paolo Maldini and grandfather Cesare Maldini by donning the famous Azzurri shirt.
The visitors have been burdened by a long injury list, but Stefano Turati has recovered from the bruised hand that forced him out of the draw against Roma, while Andrea Petagna, Stefano Sensi and Patrick Ciurria could return too. Roberto Gagliardini and Alessio Cragno are still sidelined.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Tchatchoua, Ghilardi, Magnani, Bradaric; Duda, Belahyane; Suslov, Kastanos, Lazovic; Tengstedt
Monza possible starting lineup:
Turati; Izzo, Mari, Carboni; Pereira, Bondo, Bianco, Kyriakopoulos; Pessina, Maldini; Djuric
We say: Hellas Verona 1-1 Monza
Monza's wait for a league win will go on, as Verona have shown signs that they can target mid-table security following some deft moves in the summer transfer market.
At best, the Biancorossi may pick up another point, as they tend to struggle in the final third - despite the emergence of new Italy star Daniel Maldini.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
