After beating Napoli last weekend, AS Roma have gotten on the third spot of Serie A. They want to stay there but for that, they need to keep the good form going. This implies that a win against Torino on Friday is a must!
The good news for them is that the AS Roma vs. Torino game will take place at the Stadio Olimpico where “Giallorossi” have always been great. But will they be able to take all three points form the duel with Torino? Read this match preview and betting tips to find out!
Roma vs. Torino: Match Preview
Roma
Hoping to win the Serie A title seems like a lost cause, as only Juventus and Napoli have a real chance to win it. That’s why AS Roma’s goal for this season is to end up on one of the top 4 spots, as they lead directly to the Champions League. They’re currently on the 3rd spot, where they’d like to stay, as it also means that they’re better placed than their arch-rival SS Lazio.
The problem is that apart from Lazio, a few other teams have set their eyes on Roma’s position, most notably Inter Milan. Actually, Inter seems like the team that can seriously mess up Roma’s plans – Nerrazzuri have played a game less than Roma, as all of the Serie A games scheduled for last Sunday were canceled because of the death of Fiorentina’s captain, Davide Astori.
All of this means that in order to stay on such a high position on the table, Roma needs to keep playing on the same level as they did in the game with Napoli, which they won 4:2. That match saw a brilliant performance of Roma’s striker Edin Džeko, who scored twice in that game. Unfortunately for AS Roma, the player who scored 29 goals in the season 2016/2017 will have to miss the clash with Torino because of yellow cards.
But one player does not make a team. Although Džeko will surely be missed on Friday, I expect some other Roma players to shine. Turkish winger, Cengiz Ünder, for example, is playing better and better each game. In fact, he’s scored all of his 6 goals for Roma in the previous 6 matches.
Torino
Although Torino is on the top half of the table at the moment, the fans can’t be too satisfied with the team’s performances. This side is at a safe distance from the relegation zone, but at the same time, they have no chance of booking a place in Europa League. Furthermore, it seems that their form isn’t going to get better anytime soon, as they have a pretty tough schedule ahead.
Although February started well for them – they played 1:1 with Sampdoria and beat Udinese; this team lost two previous games. Losing to Juventus in a city derby was expected, but not many people thought they would lose to Hellas Verona, the team that’s on the 19th place on the table.
On the bright side, it seems that all of Torino’s key players are fit and ready for the Roma duel. The bad news is that this team isn’t famous for their performances away from home. Torino has won only 3 away games this season, but they did play draw 7 times so far.
Team News
AS Roma absentees:
- Edin Džeko (suspension)
- Federico Fazio (suspension)
- Daniele De Rossi (doubtful)
Torino absentees:
- Cristian Molinaro (doubtful)
- M’Baye Niang (doubtful)
Probable Lineups
AS Roma: Alisson – Manolas, Jesus, Florenzi, Kolarov – Strootman, Nainggolan, Perotti – El Shaarawy, Ünder, Schick
Torino: Sirigu – N’Kolou, Burdisso, De Silvestri, Molinaro – Obi, Rincon, Baselli – Falque, Ljajic, Belotti
Roma vs. Torino Match Prediction
AS Roma needs to win this one. Not only do their players have the quality needed to beat Torino, but they also have the necessary motivation – winning this game means staying at one of Top 4 spots!
Roma vs. Torino Betting Tip
Roma @1.72 (bet365)
