In-depth Analysis
After their defeat to Napoli in the previous round, Torino still cannot escape the pressure of the Serie A relegation battle. At the moment, the Turin-based side are only six points clear of the relegation zone, which is far from a safe margin. Even more worrying, since the November FIFA international break, no team in Serie A has suffered more defeats than Torino, with a total of 11 losses.
Appointed last month, new head coach Roberto D'Aversa was given the important mission of keeping Torino in Italy’s top flight. After his first two matches in charge, he has collected three points. Earlier, D'Aversa also made a strong impression in his first home game, guiding Torino to a 2-0 win over Lazio, which should give the team some confidence ahead of Parma’s visit this weekend. This is clearly a crucial match, as another slip-up could drag Torino even closer to the danger zone.
On the other hand, Parma are highly motivated to repeat their positive result against Torino. After securing a 2-1 victory in the first meeting between the two sides back in September, Parma now have the chance to beat Torino in both league meetings of the same season for the first time in 13 years.
In terms of form, Parma are clearly the side inspiring more confidence at the moment. Carlos Cuesta’s men are on a five-match unbeaten run, including three victories. Although they were held to a goalless draw by Fiorentina last weekend, Parma have still shown impressive consistency. They currently sit 12th in the table and hold a 10-point cushion above the relegation zone, putting them in a strong position to secure survival.
Parma have not only been solid at home, but they have also looked extremely impressive on the road. In their last three away matches, they collected seven out of a possible nine points, defeating both Bologna and AC Milan while keeping clean sheets in all three games. Based on their current performances, Parma have every reason to be confident of earning a positive result against Torino.