TORINO FC

[Forza_Roma]

1-0 Torino goal by Rosina

[Forza_Roma]

HT 1-0 Torino

[Forza_Roma]

FT 1-0 Torino

[Forza_Roma]

Great result for Torino.

Serie A Week 35 - 6/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Torino 1 - 0 Ascoli
Rosina 18 (T)
Stadio Olimpico

Alessandro Rosina's solo effort dooms Ascoli to relegation and gives a major boost to Torino's own hopes of safety.

Ascoli were virtually in Serie B even before kick-off, but the Granata faced a late battle against the drop. Both sides had lost four of their previous five games. Oscar Brevi was suspended for the home side. Ascoli's last top flight win in Turin was in 1986 and they were without the injured Gigi Di Biagio, Paolo Foglio and Sasa Bjelanovic.

Torino took the lead after 18 minutes on the counter-attack. Roberto Stellone and Alessandro Rosina risked getting in each others' way, but Rosinaldo won out and kept his cool to slide with the outside of his left foot into the far corner.

Rosina's free kick drifted over the bar, but in the first half Ascoli never looked remotely dangerous upfront.

After the break Stellone's header from a Fabio Gallo cross skimmed the upright and Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos had his work cut out to beat away fierce long-range strikes from Stellone and Rosina.

Christian Abbiati finally got some work to do on 68 minutes, as he had his palms stung by a fierce Andrea Soncin strike on the counter.

Rosina went on one of his slaloms, skipping past three defenders to place a delicate angled drive inches wide of the upright.

Torino: Abbiati; Comotto, Di Loreto, Franceschini, Balestri; Lazetic, Ardito, Gallo (Barone 74), Rosina; Muzzi (Abbruscato 63), Stellone (De Ascentis 73)

Ascoli: Eleftheropoulos; Vastola (Pesce 72), Corallo, Melara, Minieri; Giampa' (Soncin 63), Zanetti, Boudianski, Bonanni (Guberti 46); Perrulli, Paolucci

Ref: Farina

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Forza_Roma]

Serie A Week 37 - 20/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Torino - LivornoStadio OlimpicoTorino’s flirt with relegation appears to have kick-started them into action as the mad dash to avoid being sucked through the Serie A trapdoor reaches fever pitch. Eight teams are still in danger of falling into the murky depths of Serie B, although Torino’s run of two consecutive wins looks like it could just about be enough to ensure they will get their long awaited derby with city-rivals Juventus next season.

Livorno meanwhile have slipped into the quicksand after being early contenders in the race for European places. The Tuscan outfit have suddenly found themselves no more than three points from the bottom three and will be desperate to get the triumph that will surely guarantee another season in the top flight – pending other results. Even a draw would secure safety for both sides if either Chievo or Reggina lose.

Both sides recorded a 1-0 win in Week 36 and a result either way would most likely solve the relegation headache for the winner while sending panic through the hearts of the loser’s fans. Torino are in better form, having two wins in a row under their belt, while Livorno’s three-point pick-up ended a treble of straight defeats. A run which saw them fall into their current position hovering dangerously above the relegation scrap.

The first meeting this season ended in a 1-1 tie at the Stadio Armando Picchi, with Cristiano Lucarelli netting for the Amaranto while Gabriele Cioffi struck for the Granata. The goals were not the final word on the game though. With the match at 1-0 to the home side – who were looking to end a five-match losing streak – Lucarelli saw his header scooped off the line by Toro savemaker Christian Abbiati. However, TV pictures clearly showed that the ball had crossed the line and the fallout from that incident may be the spark that will fire up Nando Orsi’s boys just a little more than Gianni De Biasi can raise his troops.

Goals are the currency the Bulls need to invest in, with just three net-ripplers to their name in their last eight outings. However, their defence has been solid – five conceded in the 10 games since Fiorentina handed them a 5-1 beating in Week 27. The team from the coastal leghorn also could do with finding their scoring boots. Since beating Catania 4-1 back on April Fools' Day they have only scored more than one on a solitary occasion. Conversely, at the back their shutout against ‘Doria was their first clean sheet in 10.

There is no Serie A history between the sides in recent years, but back in 2003-04 the clubs faced off in Serie B with Livorno taking a 3-1 win at home and playing out a 1-1 draw in Turin. Lucarelli had an unhappy spell in the northern city, while Diego De Ascentis, Nikola Lazetic and Matteo Melara all wore the colours of Livorno last season.

Torino will adopt a 4-3-3 with Jacopo Balestri dropping into the back four to replace Ivan Franceschini. Nikola Lazetic comes in to join Roberto Muzzi and Alessandro Rosina as the attacking triumvirate. Emanuele Manitta continues in goal for Livorno – who keep an identical line-up to the one that defeated Sampdoria a week prior.

Cesare Bovo, Giuseppe Pancaro and Fabio Gallo are all ruled out with injuries for Toro, although there are no players suspended. For Livorno the treatment room has claimed ‘keeper Marco Amelia and Portuguese midfielder Jose Vidigal.

Man on fire: Christian Abbiati (Torino) – With three clean sheets in his last four games, and only a single goal conceded against Milan in the fourth of that quartet, it is clear that the Diavoli-owned net minder has played a big part in Torino’s up-turn in fortunes recently.

Last season: Not played

Form guide: Torino (L D L W W) Livorno (W L L L W)
Torino (probable): Abbiati; Comotto, Brevi, Di Loreto, Balestri; Barone, Ardito, De Ascentis; Rosina, Lazetic, Muzzi
Livorno (probable): Manitta; Grandoni, Pavan, Galante; Balleri, Morrone, Passoni, Filippini, Pasquale; Fiore, Lucarelli
Ref: To follow...

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Both teams need the win, should be interesting.

[Forza_Roma]

They would be smart to split the points.

[Forza_Roma]

HT 0-0

[Forza_Roma]

FT 0-0

[Forza_Roma]

Not much went on here! A draw suited both clubs!

Serie A Week 37 - 20/5/07 (14.00 UK)

Torino 0 - 0 Livorno
Stadio Olimpico

This dull stalemate proved enough to keep both teams in Serie A for another season.

Both sides were mid-table, but not entirely safe from relegation yet, as together on 39 points they were just three clear of the drop zone.

There were many familiar faces, as Cristiano Lucarelli, Diego De Ascentis, Nikola Lazetic, Matteo Melara and January signing Stefano Fiore all played for Toro. Lucarelli suffered an injury during the warm-up and made way for Paulinho.

The Brazilian stung Christian Abbiati's palms after just four minutes, then Fiore's slalom was cut short for a corner.

Fiore was determined to make a point and had another effort palmed round the post by Abbiati.

Roberto Muzzi tried to redirect a deflected Alessandro Rosina strike and substitute Elvis Abbruscato went close, but neither side ever really looked like scoring.

Torino: Abbiati; Comotto, Brevi, Franceschini, Balestri; De Ascentis, Barone, Ardito (Di Loreto 46); Rosina, Lazetic; Muzzi (Abbruscato 63)

Livorno: Manitta; Grandoni, Pavan, Galante, Pfertzel (Balleri 54), Morrone, A Filippini (Coppola 83), Passoni, Pasquale (Knezevic 68); Fiore; Paulinho

Ref: Saccani

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Walter Novellino is set to be the new head coach of Torino.
channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

De Biasi is gone.
channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Torino have signed 18 ear old striker Dominique Malonga from Monaco.
tribalfootball.com - Torino clinch deal for Monaco kid Malonga

[D-Kin]

Vincenzo Grella has joined Torino on a free transfer.
channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Torino have completing the signings of Paolo Zanetti and Sasa Bjelanovic from relegated Ascoli.

The Granata have been one of the most active clubs in the transfer market and have now announced the arrival of two more men to strengthen their squad for next season.

Zanetti, a 24-year-old midfielder, started his career at Vicenza, making his Serie A debut in the 2000-01 season.

In 2003 he joined Empoli, becoming one of the Tuscan outfit’s key players before being sidelined for most of the 2005-06 campaign because of injury.

Zanetti then moved on to Ascoli last summer and will now wear the Granata outfit, fuelling speculation that Simone Barone is be close to leaving Turin.

Striker Bjelanovic, 28, spent the last two seasons at Ascoli, after having played for Dinamo Zagreb, Varteks Varazdin, Chievo, Como, Genoa and Lecce.

Torino have already secured the services of Eugenio Corini, Vincenzo Grella and Nicola Ventola, who joined the outfit on free transfers earlier this week.

channel4.com - Football Italia