Torino vs Juventus

Stadio Olimpico di Torino forms the backdrop for the 160th Serie A edition of the iconic Derby della Mole between Torino and Juventus. 

Torino’s disappointing scoring form hit a new low last weekend as a 0-0 home draw against Parma condemned them to a fourth scoring blank in five Serie A matches on this ground since the start of November (D2, L3). Three consecutive failed attempts to find the net on home turf don’t bode well for Torino’s feeble effort to end a three-game scoreless run against Juventus (D1, L2) and avenge a 2-0 defeat in November’s reverse fixture. Adding to this sentiment, the hosts have failed to get on the scoresheet in six of their last seven home league meetings with Juventus (D2, L5). All that suggests Torino’s hopes of improving Serie A’s second-worst scoring record on home soil are far-fetched (6).

Meanwhile, Juventus return to their league duties following a gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat to AC Milan in their Supercoppa Italiana semi-final tie. Despite entering this matchday as the only team yet to lose a Serie A fixture this term, Juventus’ Scudetto hopes are nearly dead in the water, with table-topping Napoli 12 points away. Indeed, Thiago Motta’s men have drawn a league-high 11 matches this season (W7), including five of their last six (W1). The only exception was a 2-1 triumph at Monza on their most recent top-flight travel, which halted a dismal run of four consecutive away draws in all competitions. However, ‘I Bianconeri’ have historically been dominant in this match-up, losing just one of their last 39 encounters against Torino (W29, D9).