Football Previews
Torino want their upset of three-time defending champions Juventus to be a launchpad to achieve Europa League football for next season. The Granata travel to Sicily to face Palermo on Wednesday after beating city rivals Juve in Serie A for the first time in two decades. Toro had lost their previous seven meetings against Juve. “This is the icing on the cake,” Toro coach Giampiero Ventura said to Gazzetta dello Sport. “We’ve had a solid season. “A very long time had passed since Toro last won against Juve. “We hope this win will open a new cycle. “Right now our aim is to qualify for the Europa League and with six games remaining, why not try?” Toro are in the midst of a five-match unbeaten run in Serie A and last weekend’s win lifted the Granata to eighth in the standings, just three points adrift of Sampdoria, who are fifth and hold the last Europa League qualifying spot. Toro are unbeaten on the road in the league since March 8 while Palermo have won just one of their last four league games at La Favorita. The Sicilian outfit lost 1-0 at bottom-side Parma on Sunday having won their previous two games. The loss, Palermo’s 11th of the campaign, dropped the Sicilian outfit to 12th place. “We could have and should have done better at Parma,” Palermo coach Giuseppe Iachini said. “Now we must turn the page and hand a better performance against Torino.” Palermo, who have not kept a clean sheet since March 8, will have to keep a close eye on Torino’s veteran forward Fabio Quagliarella, who is expected to lead the Granata’s attack alongside Josef Martinez. Quagliarella has scored in three of his team’s last four league games, including the winner against his former club Juve. The visitors are without defender Emiliano Moretti and midfielder Alessandro Gazzi, both suspended.
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Team
MP
W
D
L
F
A
G
P
1
SSC Napoli
12
8
2
2
19
9
+10
26
2
Atalanta
12
8
1
3
31
15
+16
25
3
Fiorentina
12
7
4
1
25
10
+15
25
4
Inter Milan
12
7
4
1
26
14
+12
25
5
Lazio
12
8
1
3
25
14
+11
25
6
Juventus
12
6
6
0
21
7
+14
24
7
AC Milan
11
5
3
3
20
14
+6
18
8
Bologna
11
4
6
1
15
13
+2
18
9
Udinese
12
5
1
6
15
18
-3
16
10
Empoli
12
3
6
3
9
10
-1
15
11
Torino
12
4
2
6
15
18
-3
14
12
Roma
12
3
4
5
14
17
-3
13
13
Parma
12
2
6
4
16
18
-2
12
14
Verona
12
4
0
8
17
27
-10
12
15
Como
12
2
4
6
13
23
-10
10
16
Cagliari
12
2
4
6
12
22
-10
10
17
Genoa
12
2
4
6
9
22
-13
10
18
Lecce
12
2
3
7
5
21
-16
9
19
Monza
12
1
5
6
10
15
-5
8
20
Venezia
12
2
2
8
11
21
-10
8
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