The fixture between Torino and Atalanta at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico should be quite a calm match, thanks to their respective positions. The Granata and the Orobici are eight points clear the relegation zone, so they will be able to play without fear.
Toro’s Ciro Immobile will not be able to take part in the Sunday fixture because of his tendon injury. Coach Ventura probably will choose Belotti together with Maxi López, in good form after the win against Inter at San Siro. In fact, the Argentinian forward assisted the Molinaro goal, after the 1-0 lead by Mancini’s players.
“I think both of the coaches want to conclude this season in a good way, as their players want”, as the Torino and Atalanta ex-midfielder Daniele Fortunato said to Torino Granata. “Above all because they have been through a rather long period marked out by some supporter protests. Especially in Turin but also in Bergamo there wasn’t a calm environment”.
During the last Serie A fixture, Atalanta’s first goal against Milan was scored by the Chilean striker Mauricio Pinilla with a wonderful bicycle-kick. The South American forward, who has scored 5 goals this season, is not a novice of this kind of acrobatic kicks. “I had feeling I would score, I spoke about it with Coach [Edy] Reja before the fixture. I’ve always felt confident with bicycle kicks since I was a child”, he told Sky Sport. “We are happy to have achieved the second straight win after 14 games without wins, but we haven’t yet reached the Serie A survival.”
After having defeated Milan at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia, Coach Reja said: “We are happy, this win calms us. We have always played as I want, except in January. We have had to restructure the organisation of our play because of the signings of some player”.
Coach Reja has doubts over Alessandro Diamanti, because he doesn’t know yet if he will be able to be back involved after his ankle injury. The Chilean midfielder Carmona will be almost-certainly out too.
It’s time to judge the season’s work for both clubs. These remaining fixtures could give them an idea of how to build for next season.
Keep an eye on: Jasmin Kurtić (Atalanta) – The Slovenian winger played for Torino from January 2014 to the end of 2013-14 season. With Coach Giampiero Ventura he demonstrated his great speed with the ball at his feet and his dribbling skills, scoring 2 goals in 16 appearances. At the moment he is an Atalanta player, arrived from Fiorentina during the last football market session.
Form Guide: Torino (W L L D L) Atalanta (W W L L D)
Last season: 0-0
Stat fact: Since the new millennium, there has been only one goalless draw between these teams. It happened in the first round match of the 2014/15 season, at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico.
Torino (4-4-2): Padelli; Maksimovic, Glik, Moretti; Bruno Peres, Benassi, Vives, Baselli, Molinaro; Belotti, Maxi López.
Suspended: None
Atalanta (4-2-3-1): Sportiello; Masiello, Stendardo, Paletta, Dramé; Cigarini, De Roon; Kurtić, Diamanti, Gómez; Pinilla.
Suspended: None
Published in Football Italia on 08/04/2016.
