Torino V Genoa Preview

 

Torino face their most important game of the season when they face fellow strugglers Genoa at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday evening.

The Granata are just four points clear of the bottom three, and just one point above opponents Genoa, so this match is crucial in their attempt to avoid relegation. Giampiero Ventura is likely to switch back to his trusted 4-2-4 formation, although don't be surprised if Alessio Cerci remains upfront after impressing in that role against AC Milan.

Genoa have fought against relegation for much of the season, but have finally come into some form after consecutive victories against Chievo and Pescara to bring them within touching distance of Toro.

Prediction
Torino 2-1 Genoa

AC Milan 1-0 Torino

Torino once again conceded in the final ten minutes as they fell to a fourth consecutive defeat against AC Milan on Sunday afternoon.

Giampiero Ventura made a surprising tactical decision by lining the Granata up in an unfamiliar 5-3-2 formation, which clearly signalled that their main intention at the San Siro was to avoid defeat.

However, it was Torino who could have taken the lead within two minutes when an excellent Matteo Darmian interception and then through ball found Alessio Cerci, but the Italian international's shot was easily saved by Christian Abbiati. 

At the other end, Jean Francois Gillet was forced into action - first to deny Sulley Muntari's long range effort, and then to save Kevin Prince Boateng's shot with his legs. But Torino were still counter attacking efficiently, and a lovely piece of skill from Cerci put Paulo Barreto through on goal with only Abbiati to beat, but somehow the former Torino keeper was able to deny the Brazilian striker.

Whilst AC Milan were not at their best, they were still creating good opportunities, and Toro were fortunate when Philippe Mexes's header deflected off Gillet's back and went narrowly wide of the post.

In the second half, Toro were continuing to frustrate the home side and also had another great chance to take the lead when Cerci once again found Barreto in space, but the former Bari striker was once again denied by Abbiati when it had seemed easier to score.

Cerci was continuing to create havoc in his more advanced position, and he gave Valerio Di Cesare a chance to become an unlikely goalscorer, but the former Chelsea defender drilled his shot wide of the post.

However, with six minutes left the Rossoneri did take the lead when Antonio Nocerino's floating cross found Mexes, and the Frenchman unselfishly headed the ball across goal to give Mario Balotelli a tap in. 

That goal was enough to push Milan closer to Champions League qualification, and inflict a fourth consecutive defeat on Torino - although like the three previous matches, a draw would not have been an unjust result. The Granata must now re-group ahead of two winnable fixtures in the next seven days (Genoa at Home and Chievo Away) and they will know that four points from these two matches should be enough to secure their Serie A status for another season.

Forza Torino

AC Milan v Torino Preview

 

After three successive defeats Torino travel to the scene of one of their most impressive performances of the season, in desperate need of points to secure their Serie A status.

Back in January, Toro achieved a creditable 2-2 draw with Inter at the San Siro, and every Torino fan would certainly take a similar result on Sunday afternoon. This weekend marks the 64th anniversary of the Superga tragedy, and the memories of 'Il Grande Torino' will hopefully bring the best out of the current Torino squad.

Kamil Glik misses out because of suspension after being sent off in last weekend's heartbreaking defeat in the derby against Juventus, whilst Matteo Brighi could also be included in the starting eleven after returning to full fitness. 

AC Milan are also looking for points, as they look to ensure a finish in the top 3 to guarantee qualification for the Champions League next season. However, the Rossoneri suffered a scare against Catania last weekend, and have only won one of their last four games.

Prediction

AC Milan 2-1 Torino

Il Grande Torino - Never Forgotten

Tomorrow marks the 64th anniversary of the Superga air disaster, when the must successful team in Torino's history tragically died in a plane crash.

Despite this being a well-known story within Italy, I am aware that in other countries (England especially) the tale of 'Il Grande Torino' is largely unknown. Therefore, I have created the below video as an attempt to spread the word of Torino to the English speaking community.

I hope you enjoy my tribute.

 

If you are unable to view this video, then please let me know and I will try and see whether it will be possible to host the video on a different website. If you would like to learn more about 'Il Grande Torino' then feel free to read this article I wrote two years ago - which can be found here.

Forza Il Grande Torino 

Torino 0-2 Juventus

Torino's long wait for a victory in the Derby della Mole will go on as they conceded two late goals to neighbours Juventus on Sunday afternoon.

As expected Salvatore Masiello and Migjen Basha replaced the suspended Matteo Darmian and Giuseppe Vives, however Riccardo Meggiorini was surprisingly preferred to Paulo Barreto upfront.

In the early stages, captain Rolando Bianchi - playing in what is likely to be his last Turin derby - got on the end of a long ball from defence but was unable to get a shot away. In dreadful conditions, both teams were struggling to create chances in what was always going to be a tense affair.

However, Juve should have taken the lead when Paul Pogba's delightful through ball found Mirko Vucinic, but the Montenegrin striker surprisingly shot wide. Granata keeper Gillet was twice forced into two saves, firstly from Claudio Marchisio's shot, and then from Stephan Lichtsteiner's teasing cross.

Just before half time Toro had their best chance of the half, when Gigi Buffon tipped Mario Santana's long range shot over the bar.

In the second half chances were even harder to come by, and Toro brought on Jonathas in search of a historic winning goal, whilst Valerio Di Cesare also came on to replace the injured Danilo D'Ambrosio.

Torino were grateful for an outstanding interception from Alessandro Gazzi to deny Leonardo Bonucci what would have been a certain goal. And then, with ten minutes remaining the home side and an outstanding chance themselves to end their goal drought in this fixture.

Alessio Cerci received the ball on the right wing after combining with Jonathas and Rolando Bianchi before delivering a right footed cross which the former just failed to make contact with. However, on the replays, it was clear to see that the Brazilian striker had in fact been pulled back by Bonucci, and that the Granata had been denied a certain penalty.

At the other end Paul Pogba missed an incredible chance to give Juve the lead, as he somehow diverted Kwado Asamoah's floated cross wide of the post from three yards. However, with five minutes remaining, the league leaders finally got the breakthrough as Arturo Vidal's 25 yard volley beat Gillet to break Torino hearts.

There was still time for Kamil Glik to be sent off - for the second time this season against Juventus  - after the Polish international received a second yellow card for a foul on Fabio Quagliarella. And to make things even worse, in injury time Juventus doubled their lead thanks to Claudio Marchisio's half volley.

Whilst it is beginning to get tiresome to write this after every match, Toro probably deserved at least a point from this game, and it took a world class striker from Arturo Vidal to break the deadlock. In addition, had Toro (rightfully) been awarded a penalty with ten minutes remaining and the scores level, then who knows we may have been celebrating our first victory against Juve since 1995. However, instead we must focus on the fact that Torino are now undoubtedly involved in a relegation battle, and are just four points above the drop zone, and face another tough fixture at AC Milan next week.

Forza Torino

Torino V Juventus Preview

 

The narrative of the 227th edition of the Derby della Mole will be largely dependent on what happens in the Pescara-Napoli match on Saturday evening.

If the Partenopei fail to beat the league's bottom side, then Juventus will be able to capture their 29th scudetto by beating the Granata on Sunday afternoon. Given their recent form in this fixture, Torino fans are extremely worried that they could suffer the double blow of being plunged further into relegation trouble, and also simultaneously see their hated neighbours celebrate title success in their own stadium.

Therefore, every Toro fan (and also the Italian police) will be keeping fingers and everything else crossed that Napoli will beat Pescara tonight, and ensure that this scenario is not possible.

It is also very difficult to ignore Torino's recent form against Juventus, as they haven't beaten La Vecchia Signora since April 1995, and have not even scored against them in the last seven fixtures. These two stats do make troublesome reading for those of a Granata persuasion, but they may be buoyed by the fact that in the first derby of the season, they held their own before Kamil Glik's harsh red card before half time. Torino eventually lost 3-0 after second half goals from Turin born Claudio Marchisio (2) and Sebastian Giovinco.

Toro's recent league form (and poor defensive record) is also a worry, and with Matteo Darmian suspended, the inclusion of mistake-merchant Salvatore Masiello is enough to give every fan a sleepless night. One possibility could be to move Angelo Ogbonna - a rumoured transfer target of Juventus - over to left back, and bring in Guillermo Rodriguez to renew his successful defensive partnership with the reliable Kamil Glik.

In midfield, the inclusion of Matteo Brighi in the squad is certainly a boost, and whilst the former Juventus  player's best days may be behind him, Torino do seem to do better with him in the starting eleven. His return from injury could tempt Giampiero Ventura into switching from his usual 4-2-4 formation, and choosing to play Brighi, Migjen Basha and Alessandro Gazzi in a 4-3-3.

In attack, after his impressive performance in the 4-3 defeat at Fiorentina (where Toro fought back from 3-0 down before succumbing in the final five minutes) Paulo Barreto should have done enough to ensure that he will be included in the starting eleven. Ventura does seem to prefer the mobility of hardworking but goal-shy Riccardo Meggiorini, but if he does decide to play two strikers, many Toro fans will hope that captain Rolando Bianchi is given the nod - in what is likely to be his last Derby della Mole appearance.

A huge task is certainly ahead of the Granata to gain anything from this match, and in all honesty they would probably need a number of Juve players to seriously under perform in order to even earn a draw. However, that is what makes derby matches so special, in that every fixture is unique - and whilst it may be a massive cliché, the form book truly goes out of the window.

However, I think I speak for every Toro supporter when I say that as long as every player gives everything they have on the field tomorrow afternoon, then realistically - given the vast difference in budgets between the two teams - nobody will be too surprised if they fail to win.

Forza Torino

Maratona and Elsewhere #10 : "Balzaretti gets the bird"

Torino 1-2 Roma 14.04.13

I was talking with my dolce metà (literally, “sweet half”) about having difficulties composing this piece, if you’ll forgive me for using a verb as grandiose as “compose” to describe my ramblings. She asked me what the English expressions were for “ blocco dello scrittore” and “sindrome pagina bianca”. The fact they translate perfectly into English did not help much. I thought for a moment that writer’s cramp would have been preferable, but then it occurred to me that I wasn’t actually writing. Writer’s cramp probably no longer exists in the twenty-first century in the developed world, having been superseded by carpal tunnel syndrome and texter’s thumb. The travails of a blog hijacker…

Yet another Sunday afternoon that left an unpleasant aftertaste: there was violence before the match; during, a homecoming that Federico Balzaretti will not remember with much fondness aside from Roma’s three points; and Angelo Ogbonna suffering from foot-in-mouth disease in an interview afterwards.

The Maratona chanted: “you only have knives… we’ll fight you with our hands whenever you like.” It transpired that two Toro fans were stabbed outside the stadium during disturbances before the game. The Corriere dello Sport reported that the injured Toro fans were attacked by other Toro fans. This is highly unlikely, to put it mildly. There were fans of at least one other club present, camouflaged in Torino FC shirts. This was certainly disquieting on the day, and bodes ill for the derby.

Federico Balzaretti. Torino-born, Torino-bred. Ten years in a Torino shirt. Captain of the Primavera. Ninety-four appearances for the first team. Twenty-seven appearances for the national team at U-20 and U-21. A player of considerable talent. A future Granata legend-in-the-making. And then when the club collapsed in 2005, he joined… Juventus. For this lapse of judgement (betrayal, sacrilege, call it what you will), extenuating circumstances notwithstanding, he will never be forgiven.

His reception left no room for doubt.  My regular reader will be perfectly aware of the welcome given to ex-Juventini and the selections from the Maratona songbook reserved for special guests. Said songs were delivered with particular malice on this occasion, and his dismissal after 80 minutes was celebrated with quite some relish. Which, as Marina Beccuti pointed out in her article at www.toro.it, may serve as a warning to Angelo Ogbonna, who has still not given a straight answer to the Juventus question.

In the aforementioned interview, it was put to him that Toro could win the derby and he laughed. As one can imagine, reaction to this gaffe was swift and brutal. Facebook, for example, lit up like a Christmas tree, with many angry comments, of which perhaps the most eloquent went approximately as follows (my translation):

“More than 10 years with us. Vice-Captain. And when a journalist hypothesises a remote chance of winning the derby you burst out laughing? "… but for the people it’s important." GOD! SURELY IT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU TOO! Enough, for me it's over. Our colours are not to be mocked by anyone. Good luck for a lousy career.”

There has certainly been growing appreciation and support for Guillermo Rodriguez’ performances in Ogbonna’s injury- and suspension-enforced absences this season. The figures tell part of the story:

Our record this season to date with Ogbonna in the starting 11:

P 16  W 3  D 5  L 8  F 22  A 29  Pts 14  GD -7

Our record this season to date without Ogbonna in the starting 11:

P 16  W 5  D 8  L 3  F 18  A 15  Pts 23  GD +3

Part of me wonders if Cairo has been telling Ventura to pick Ogbonna when and wherever possible, regardless of Rodriguez’ form, in the hope that his performances improve and his transfer value increases. Problem is, if his poor performances continue the value of the team decreases. Watch the rats mercenaries players leaving sinking ships at Pescara, Palermo and Genoa/Siena when relegation hits them over the next few weeks in order to avoid the €300k Serie B salary cap next season, and think “that could be us”.

Our next home game is, of course the small matter of the derby.  We haven’t won a derby in a generation. We haven’t even scored in one since the 2001/2 season. And there is the nightmarish possibility that they could win the scudetto at the Olimpico. My worst-case scenario: they win the scudetto, their fans invade the pitch to celebrate, we invade the pitch to (shall we say) remonstrate with them, we are handed a points deduction and are relegated as a result. I will be a Napoli supporter when they take on Pescara, as a Napoli victory would (at the time of typing) postpone the seemingly inevitable. As will a Juventino of my acquaintance who told me he won’t attend the derby if Juve can win the scudetto, as he knows that there is violence planned before the game. Lucky the extra stewards drafted in are temps from Manpower, ne? (Local dialect for “innit?”)

***

I said upon winning promotion last May that I would quite happily settle for 17^th in Serie A this season. Fortunately my hair had already turned white and/or fallen out. We’re doing this the hard way. Rumours of my allegiance changing to Duck Farm Chieri women’s volleyball team are not totally untrue. I will be taking more of an interest in them in future, as they are fine athletes and I now have a shirt autographed by four of their players. That said, I was given a signed Ogbonna shirt about a month ago. Will wait until September before deciding what to do with it.