Torino-Cremonese is a Serie A Week 23 match to be played on Monday at 20:45: odds, predictions, TV and streaming.
Ivan Juric’s Torino can beat Cremonese, who are at the bottom of the Serie A table, to move up to seventh place and overtake three teams, including Juventus, who will face Juventus in next weekend’s derby della Mole.
The Granata are fresh from a narrow defeat at the San Siro against AC Milan, a game in which – despite holding their own against Pioli’s men for much of the 90 minutes – they were unable to repeat the feat of the Coppa Italia, when despite being outnumbered they eliminated the Rossoneri thanks to a goal from Adopo in extra time. However, Torino remain in touch with the European zone and the slowdowns of direct competitors such as Udinese, Monza and Empoli have been good news for the Croatian coach, who after the summer turmoil is trying to make the leap in quality to a team that comes from anonymous championships, in which participation in continental competitions has always remained a mirage.
Cremonese still winless
The low-scoring tendency – in five of Torino’s last seven matches they have never scored more than one goal – is further confirmation of the granata’s constipated attack, the least prolific of the top ten teams in the table: Rodriguez and his team-mates have scored just 22 goals in as many league matches.
Advanced department that could break free with the second most beaten defence: worse than Cremonese, only Salernitana have done. The grigiorossi have conceded a total of five goals in their last two matches against Lecce and Napoli, without scoring any. The arrival of Davide Ballardini has not had the desired effect, except in the Coppa Italia. If we exclude the two passages of the round against Napoli and Roma in the national cup – which brought a historic semi-final – Cremonese have not made significant progress in the championship and the only point four matches ago came in the away match against Bologna. The Lombardi remain the only team not yet to have won a match in this Serie A.
Torino-Cremonese: latest line-up news
Juric is without Lazaro, Zima, Ricci and Pellegri: in midfield, the Granata coach will have to make a virtue out of necessity, fielding Linetty in a pairing with former Verona man Ilic. On the right flank, Aina is favoured over Singo, while Miranchuk and Karamoh should play in the back three. In front there will be space for Sanabria, while at the back the defensive trio will consist of Schuurs, Buongiorno and Djidji: captain Rodriguez will be on the bench.
Three heavy absences for Ballardini, who has to give up both starting strikers: Dessers and Okereke. It will be up to Ciofani and Afena-Gyan to try and trouble the Torino defence, and former Cittadella man Tsadjout will be the weapon in the game. At the back Vasquez is disqualified: in his place is the Georgian Lochoshvili.
The prediction
Torino should be able to return to success after the – somewhat predictable – defeat at the San Siro. Cremonese are in dire straits, but have little chance of scoring on a difficult pitch and against the solid defence of Juric’s team, who rarely lose in front of their home crowd and have only conceded six goals. The total goals should be less than three in the post-match that closes the 23rd round.
Torino-Cremonese matchday squad
- TORINO (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Schuurs, Buongiorno; Ola Aina, Linetty, Ilic, Vojvoda; Miranchuk, Karamoh; Sanabria.
- CREMONESE (3-5-2): Carnesecchi; Ferrari, Chiriches, Lochoshvili; Sernicola, Pickel, Castagnetti, Meité, Valeri; Ciofani, Afena-Gyan.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-0