Torino FC Goal of the Season 2013/14 Video

The 2013/2014 season has been an incredible season for Torino fans, as their team challenged for a return to European football thanks to the goals of Alessio Cerci and Ciro Immobile (who feature heavily in this video).

Please take the time to vote for your favourite goal by voting on the poll on the right-hand side of this website.

Forza Toro!

Fiorentina 2-2 Torino

'If that game was a Hollywood movie, nobody would go and see it, because the ending is just too cruel.'

The above quote is taken from myself in the immediate aftermath of Sunday's game between between Fiorentina and Torino. They say time can heal all wounds, but the image of Alessio Cerci missing an injury time penalty that would have put Toro into Europe for the first time in 20 years is still ingrained in my memory, and probably will be forever. 

Giampiero Ventura made one surprising choice, as the suspended Cesare Bovo was replaced by Panagiotis Tachtsidis, and the experienced Giuseppe Vives moved into the back three.

Despite pre-match predictions that Fiorentina would take things easy on Toro, a club they are 'twinned' with, the Viola started much the brighter as Giuseppe Rossi forced Daniele Padelli into a great save. At the other end, a great run from Alessio Cerci ended with the former Viola winger being pulled back in the area, but Toro's appeals for a penalty were turned down.

On the hour mark, Juan Cuadrado, the home side's most threatening player was brought down in the area by Giuseppe Vives, although replays showed the Colombian may have initiated the contact. Giuseppe Rossi stepped up and sent Padelli the wrong way to give the Viola the lead. 

Giampiero Ventura brought on strikers Paulo Barreto and Marcelo Larrondo as Toro went in search of an equaliser, and within three minutes the latter scored his first goal of the season after excellent work from Alessio Cerci on the right wing.

Torino thought they had taken the lead when Emiliano Moretti prodded home from a corner, but the goal was disallowed due to an apparent push by Marcelo Larrondo. With Torino pushing men forward in search of a winning goal, they left themselves open to the counter attack, and Cuadrado supplied an inch perfect pass for substitute Ante Rebic to fire home. 

However, Toro were not ready to give up and with five minutes remaining Jasmin Kurtic fired an unstoppable free kick into the top corner to give the thousands of Torino fans who had travelled to Florence hope that they would witness an incredible comeback.

And then, in the third minute of injury time substitute Paulo Barreto was upended by Facundo Roncaglia and Torino were awarded a penalty. Former Viola player Alessio Cerci stepped up to take the spot kick, but almost unbelievably, his strike was save by Fiorentina keeper Antonio Rosati, and as has been the case so many times in Torino's distinguished history, the Granata had fallen at the final hurdle.

The atmosphere amongst the Torino fans after the final whistle is unlike anything I have ever witnessed in football, as the realisation of what they had just witnessed began to sink in, and thus the result was an eerie silence. 

That was until the Torino players, and a clearly distraught Alessio Cerci made there way over to the away fans for a deserved standing ovation for what has been an incredible season, and a 7th placed finish for a team who barely avoided relegation last season is an incredible achievment and every single member of the squad and coaching staff deserves immense credit for what they have achieved.

Sempre Forza Toro

Fiorentina v Torino Preview

Torino will have the opportunity to turn what has been an excellent season into a historic one when they face Fiorentina on Sunday evening.

The Granata will have up to 6000 fans cheering them on when they face the Viola, knowing that a victory will be enough to ensure a return to European football for the first time in twenty years.

After his red card against Parma, Toro will be without top scorer Ciro Immobile and he is expected to be replaced by Riccardo Meggiorini up front. Defender Cesare Bovo is also suspended so will miss the trip to Florence, but Uruguayan Guillermo Rodriguez should deputise.

Prediction
Fiorentina 0-1 Torino

Torino 1-1 Parma

Torino had the opportunity to secure sixth place and European football with a victory against Parma on Sunday afternoon, but could only take a point despite taking the lead.

Franco Brienza's sensational late strike for Atalanta to give them a victory against AC Milan meant this game was effectively a Europa League playoff, and once again Torino named an unchanged line up.

Ciro Immobile started the game nervously, but almost gave Toro the lead with an ambitious overhead kick from Alessio Cerci's cross, but it went over the bar. At the other end, Daniele Padelli had to be at his best to deny Marco Parolo from distance.

Three minutes before half time, Immobile forced Parma defender Gabriel Paletta into a mistake, as his poor back pass was collected by the former Genoa striker, and at the second attempt Torino's top scorer rolled the ball into the empty net.

Just after the hour mark, Parma captain Alessandro Lucarelli was caught out by Immobile's pace and hauled the Italy international to the ground - and as he was the last man, he received a red card.

However, ten minutes later the away side had an excellent chance to equalise after midfielder Afriyie Acquah was brought down by Kamil Glik after an inspired run into the penalty area. Antonio Cassano's initial penalty was saved by Padelli, but winger Jonathan Biabiany was quickest to react to pull the gialloblu level.

Things got even worse for Torino two minutes later when top scorer Ciro Immobile received a second yellow card for an alleged dive in the Parma area. Biabiany then had a great chance to win it for the away side, but in all honesty, both sides seemed happy with the draw.

That result means that Europa League qualification is still in Torino's own hands, but they must beat Fiorentina on the final day in order to guarantee a sixth place finish.

Forza Toro!

Torino v Parma Preview

With just two games of the Serie A season to go, Torino and Parma meet at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, both with European aspirations.

Both clubs have exceeded expectations this campaign, and are currently the front runners for the final Europa League space, ahead of both Milan and Lazio.

Torino did have an injury scare over striker Alessio Cerci this week, but the former Fiorentina man is included in the squad for tomorrow's game. The Granata have won 6 of their last 8 games and are the form team in Serie A at the moment.

Opponents Parma had lost two games in a row before returning to winning ways with an victory against Sampdoria last weekend. The Crociati have not won away from home since an impressive 4-2 win at Milan in March, but they did beat Torino 3-1 in the reverse fixture this season.

Prediction
Torino 1-1 Parma

Chievo 0-1 Torino

Torino continued their outstanding recent form with a convincing 1-0 victory over Chievo on Sunday afternoon, a result that means Toro are only two games away from European football.

As expected, Giampiero Ventura named an unchanged starting eleven from the side that beat Udinese last weekend. Before the game, a moments silence was held in hour of 'Il Grande Torino' as this game was being played on the 65 year anniversary of the Superga disaster.

Daniele Padelli was forced into action to deny Ivan Radovanovic's long range free kick, whilst at the other end Alessio Cerci forced Michael Agazzi into making a save. Ciro Immobile harshly had a goal disallowed for an apparent foul on the goalkeeper, but on the replays it appeared as though Agazzi had just dropped the ball.

Torino had even more reasons to be aggrieved at the officials when Alessio Cerci's cross was blatantly handled by Dario Dainelli inside the area yet no penalty was awarded. The veteran defender was then lucky to stay on the pitch as it appeared as though he elbowed Ciro Immobile on two separate occasions, but he only received a yellow card.

Ten minutes after half time the Granata took the lead when Alessio Cerci's corner was flicked on by Jasmin Kurtic and then diverted into his own net by Gennaro Sardo. Torino task was then made somewhat easier when one of their former players, Sergio Pellissier was sent off just six minutes after coming onto the pitch after he received two yellow cards in quick succession - the second of which for dissent.

Toro had chances to make their margin of victory even more convincing, but Ciro Immobile and then Riccardo Meggiorini missed chances to extend their lead. However, Torino were never in danger of losing their lead and remain in 6th position with just two games remaining of an outstanding season.

Forza Toro!

Chievo V Torino Preview

On the 65th anniversary of the Superga air disaster, Torino will be hoping to pay a fitting tribute to 'Il Grande Torino' with a victory against Chievo on Sunday afternoon.

The Torino hierarchy did ask for this game to be moved so that the team did not have to play on the anniversary of the tragedy, but the Lega Calcio refused this request due to the fact Chievo are embroiled in a relegation battle, and their game has to kick off at the same time as the other relegation strugglers.

However, Urbano Cairo has chartered a private jet to allow the players to take part in the memorial service at Superga later that evening. Captain Kamil Glik will also pay his own personal tribute to those who died in the tragic plane crash, with a personalised captain's armband that features the following quote from Italian journalist Indro Montanelli :

"The heroes are always immortals in the eyes of those who believe in them. And so the kids will believe that Torino has not died: it is just away"

The Granata are in excellent form having won four of their last five games, and it is this form that means they currently occupy the final Europa League position. Toro have no injury worries, as both Giuseppe Vives and Cesare Bovo have recovered from slight injuries, therefore Giampiero Ventura is expected to name an unchanged side from the team that beat Udinese last weekend.

By contrast, opponents Chievo are in miserable form having lost four of their last five games, and have not beaten a side in the top half of the table since November.

Prediction

Chievo 1-2 Torino