Serie A: A Turin Derby for the Old Lady to Enjoy

Juventus vs Torino  

All roads lead to the Allianz Stadium in Turin this weekend for another highly anticipated derby, when this Serie A match is the box office action on offer.

These matches are intense to say the least, and there is plenty at stake in this one. Thiago Motta’s Juventus, currently sixth in the league table, are just four points behind leaders Napoli, while Torino are four places and seven points back and on a bit of a slide.

Juventus have been stuttering a little in recent weeks, but Torino head coach Paulo Vanoli has a real problem to solve with just one win from six after a very bright start to the campaign when they briefly held the lead.

I Bianconeri come into the game on the back of a hard-earned 1-1 draw away to Lille in the Champions League, and last week they earned a 2-0 win away to Udinese.

Torino, meanwhile, lost 1-0 at home to Fiorentina, and I’m predicting another good day for Juve and more misery for Il Toro.

 

Talking Points

50 up for Vlahovic  

Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic has led the Juventus line superbly since his transfer from Fiorentina in 2022, and the 24-year-old scored his 50^th goal for the club to earn a valuable point against Lille in midweek. The goal underlines his importance to the team, which is defencively robust and relies on a clinical strike force.     

I Bianconeri are third favourites to win the 2025 Scudetto at a SBOTOP price of 9.00, and they need Vlahovic’s goals to keep them in the hunt. He’s scored six in 11 games so far, including the Old Lady’s opener in the recent Derby d’Italia, which was a breathtaking affair which ended in a 4-4 draw.

Vlahovic’s speed of movement and thought can tear open a defence, and his eye for goal makes him a real danger.

With the box-to-box midfielder Manuel Locatelli sitting in behind and Turkish 19-year-old sensation Kenan Yildiz and Brazilian Douglas Luiz buzzing around, this is a frontline for a defence to fear if they are not 100-per cent on their game.  

I Bianconeri rode their luck in a recent 1-0 win over Lazio, as they relied on an own goal to win the game, so they can scrap it out.

But they are likely to line up with an aggressive 4-3-3 formation on Saturday, and when Vlahovic gets a chance, he will more than likely make Torino pay. 

 

Sanabria is Torino’s danger man  

The visitors are likely to play much of the derby on the back foot but, when they break out, they have their own hitman to target in the shape of 28-year-old Paraguay star Antonio Sanabria.

He had a good season last term, and Sanabria has been in strong form again this time around. And in the absence of the injured Che Adams, out with a thigh strain, he will be a key man to face the Old Lady on Saturday.

With 30 goals in over 100 games for Il Toro, Sanabria is not prolific, but his powerful running and clever link-up play can open the door for a shot on goal.

The creative Nikola Vlasic will sit in just behind Sanabria, and if he can find the killer pass, then his striker will more often than not test the keeper.

Arsenal were interested in signing the Paraguayan last year, so there is little doubt around his quality.      

Another player to watch is the impressive Samuele Ricci. The 23-year-old is a cultured midfielder with excellent technique and a superb range of passing. If Ricci can exert some control in midfield, then Il Toro have a chance.   

 

History

With 29 wins to three, I Bianconeri have totally dominated the head-to-heads. And last season, this fixture ended in a 2-0 home win with goals from Federico Gatti and Arek Milik, who is currently out injured.

While Motta will be keen to turn draws into wins, Juventus have been solid in recent weeks with two wins, one loss, and three draws from the last six.

In contrast, Torino have worse Serie A 2024 results in that stretch with one win and five losses.

 

Betting Tip

Torino have failed to win on their last 20 visits to the Allianz Stadium, and the pre-match Serie A 2024 betting odds are pointing firmly towards a home win.

The Old Lady is priced at 1.55, and Il Toro are at 5.32, with the draw available at 3.39. I can’t disagree with that and, with a big home advantage, I expect the hosts to come out on top with a bit to spare.

   

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