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Torino announce 21-man squad for Sunday

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Torino announce 21-man squad for Sunday
Torino announce 21-man squad for Sunday
Torino announce 21-man squad for Sunday

Torino boss Giampiero Ventura has named a 21-man squad for Sunday’s derby day clash with Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Granata matchday selection is as follows:

Bakic, Barreto, Basha, Bianchi, Birsa, Brighi, Caceres, Cerci, Coppola, D'Ambrosio, Di Cesare, Gazzi, Gillet, Glik, Jonathas, Masiello, Meggiorini, Menga, Ogbonna, Rodriguez, Santana.

Ventura has so far selected veteran Belgian shotstopper Jean-François Gillet in all 33 league matches of the current campaign. Next on the list is Alessandro Gazzi, who has chalked up 32 appearances since his 2.5 million euro summer transfer from Siena. Other frequent names in the starting line-up include Kamil Glik (30), Alessio Cerci (30) and Rolando Bianchi (29).

Bianchi has undoubtedly been the Granata’s most potent attacking weapon this season, having registered ten goals to date. However, Cerci is next in line and trails the club’s leading marksman by just four.

Cerci has also been a prominent figure in the final third thanks to his passing ability, weighing in with seven assists so far. Valter Birsa follows with four to his name.

During last weekend’s 4-3 loss to Fiorentina, Matteo Darmian became the fifth Torino player to be given his marching orders in a championship game this season. In the first half of December’s reverse fixture against Juventus, Glik received a straight red card for a sliding challenge on Emanuele Giaccherini. Abou Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Gianluca Sansone (who has since moved to Sampdoria) are the other three to be sent off during the current campaign.

Darmian has been the most booked player for Torino, having gone into the referee’s book on nine occasions. Giuseppe Vives follows closely behind on eight while Gazzi and Glik have each been cautioned seven times.

While the Granata, who currently sit in 16th place with just five fixtures remaining, are still by no means mathematically assured of top flight action next season, they do lie seven points clear of the relegation places presently occupied by Palermo and Genoa.

Their position of relative safety is in no small part down to a seven-match unbeaten run either side of the winter break, when they recorded victories over Chievo, Siena and Pescara.

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