Only two points apart in the Serie A standings, mid-table pair Torino and Parma will start 2025 with a meeting at Stadio Olimpico Grande on Sunday.
Toro are still just in front of their Emilian counterparts despite a significant downturn, while Parma are on course to fulfil their goal of top-flight survival.
Match preview
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A brave fightback salvaged one point for Torino from their final fixture of 2024, as second-half strikes by Che Adams and Samuele Ricci hauled them level against Udinese last week.
After failing to win their last match of a calendar year for an eighth straight season, the Granata sit 12th in the table, with 20 points from 18 matches so far.
Across their last nine top-flight outings, Toro have scored just four times, after netting 15 in their first nine under Paolo Vanoli; so, it is clear what the ex-Venezia boss needs to address heading into the second half of the season.
As a result of their modest goal haul, Vanoli's team have recorded just two wins from eight Serie A home games, and they are now aiming to end a winless streak in Turin that dates back to November.
When Torino last hosted Parma, in May 2021, Mergim Vojvoda scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win, and a repeat result would be warmly welcomed this weekend.
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Almost passing up a perfect opportunity to take points off a relegation rival, Parma fumbled a one-goal lead against 10-man Monza last week, before dramatically snatching victory in stoppage time.
Defeating one of the few teams below them in the table, the Gialloblu needed a last-gasp strike from centre-back Lautaro Valenti to secure a 2-1 home win, to the relief of their fans at Stadio Tardini.
That also put a halt to Parma's three-match losing streak, taking them up to 15th place and within one win of overtaking Torino.
Having kept just one clean sheet since winning promotion back to Italy's top tier from Serie B, Fabio Pecchia's side have often been punished for their naivety, costing them several points on the road.
Parma have taken only seven from 24 available on their travels this term, and after shipping eight goals across December defeats to Inter Milan and Roma, they will hope Sunday's trip to Turin turns out much better.
Team News
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Only long-term absentees Perr Schuurs and Duvan Zapata are unavailable for Torino, with the latter leaving a void that five-goal top scorer Che Adams and others have struggled to fill.
Antonio Sanabria has not found the net since October, so ex-Parma striker Yann Karamoh could continue to partner Adams in attack.
Toro's engine room will be run by Italy international Samuele Ricci, who followed up scoring last week's equaliser by signing a new contract until 2028.
Meanwhile, Parma's injury list is much longer, with captain Enrico Del Prato and joint-top scorer Dennis Man recently joining several teammates in the treatment room.
Fabio Pecchia will also be without Adrian Bernabe, Mateusz Kowalski, Gabriel Charpentier, Alessandro Circati and Yordan Osorio this weekend; Hernani suffered a minor muscular strain against Monza but could still be involved.
Ange-Yoan Bonny should lead the Gialloblu's front line; Matteo Cancellieri, Pontus Almqvist and Valentin Mihaila are all in contention to support him.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Vojvoda, Coco, Masina; Pedersen, Ricci, Ilic, Sosa; Vlasic; Karamoh, Adams
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Coulibaly, Valenti, Balogh, Valeri; Keita, Sohm; Man, Hernani, Mihaila; Bonny
We say: Torino 2-1 Parma
Torino rarely score more than once, but Parma concede goals at a rate of two per game when travelling away from home.
The Granata may therefore take the chance to claim maximum points on home turf, boosting their confidence before next week's Derby della Mole.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
