Preview: Torino vs. Empoli - prediction, team news, lineups

Seeking a top-half spot in the Serie A standings, mid-table Torino host lowly Empoli on Saturday evening.

While a win would take Toro into the top 10, their visitors need points to pull themselves out of the relegation zone.

Match preview

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Following a 3-0 defeat of Atalanta BC in their most recent home fixture, Torino travelled to Frosinone last weekend with back-to-back victories in their sights, as they sought to keep pace with Italy's top-six contenders.

Their hosts may have a fine record at Stadio Stirpe, but coming away with a 0-0 draw still left coach Ivan Juric frustrated - particularly as Toro's goalscoring woes returned just days after star striker Duvan Zapata had bagged a brace against his old club.

After failing to find the net against promoted opponents, the Granata have still scored just 13 times in Serie A this season, which is their worst such record since 2014, when they registered just 10 goals after 15 matches.

More positively, Torino have not conceded in their last two games and would keep three top-flight clean sheets in a row for the first time in four years if they shut out Empoli's misfiring strikeforce on Saturday.

Having lost just one of their last eight league meetings with the Tuscan side - and none since 2019 - Juric will expect nothing less than three points from his team this weekend, when victory would take them above 10th-placed Lazio for a few hours at least.

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Empoli will arrive in Turin searching for a first success since upsetting reigning champions Napoli early last month - a result which caused the ailing Scudetto-holders to switch coaches.

In three games since, the Azzurri have lost a seven-goal thriller to Sassuolo and subsequently drawn their two most recent outings 1-1: after holding Genoa at Marassi, they picked up a point at home to Lecce on Monday evening.

That left Aurelio Andreazzoli's men just inside the drop zone on goal difference, level on points with Udinese and only one behind resurgent Cagliari.

Much like this week's hosts, Empoli have failed to find their rhythm in the final third this season, managing a meagre 10 league goals so far - five at home and five away.

Only Ligue 1 side Clermont (nine) have scored fewer times throughout Europe's top five leagues, and the Tuscans also have the third-lowest shot conversion rate (6.1%); therefore, the pressure is on Francesco Caputo and co to start finding the net.

Team News

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Dutch defender Perr Schuurs is out for the long term with an ACL injury and Nemanja Radonjic's participation is unlikely due to a disciplinary issue, but Torino should otherwise have a full squad to choose from this weekend.

Karol Linetty returns to contention in central midfield after serving a one-match ban against Frosinone, so Samuele Ricci's place is under some threat.

After his brace against former club Atalanta last time out in Turin, Duvan Zapata could score in successive Serie A home matches for the first time since November 2021; the Colombian striker should partner Antonio Sanabria up front.

Meanwhile, Empoli's Tommaso Baldanzi may make his return from an ankle injury, but full-back Bartosz Bereszynski remains a major doubt and Giuseppe Pezzella is out of action until early next year.

Veteran striker Francesco Caputo will have to overcome muscular fatigue if he is to lead the Azzurri's front line again, but Nicolo Cambiaghi is virtually certain to start despite attempting the most shots without scoring in Serie A this season (25).

Torino possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Tameze, Buongiorno, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Linetty, Ilic, Vojvoda; Vlasic; Sanabria, Zapata

Empoli possible starting lineup:

Berisha; Ebuehi, Ismajli, Luperto, Cacace; Fazzini, Grassi, Maleh; Cambiaghi, Caputo, Cancellieri

We say: Torino 1-0 Empoli

A goal-fest should not be expected in Saturday's late kickoff, as both teams are far from prolific and average less than one goal per game. Instead, a single strike may decide matters, with the hosts most likely to produce it.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.