30 May 2015
A spot-kick from former Bianconero Luca Toni and Eros Pisano's own goal allowed Hellas Verona to kick off their Serie A campaign on home soil with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Palermo in mid-September.
Genoa were next to make the trip to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi nine days later, pulling off a 2-2 draw in which current Juventus forward Alessandro Matri bagged a brace.
The Gialloblu immediately got back to winning ways at the start of the following month, loan signing Panagiotis Tachtsidis scoring a minute from the end in a 1-0 triumph against Cagliari.
Even though it seemed Hellas were becoming a tough nut to crack in front of their own faithful, Milan managed to become the first team to leave with all three points when they ran out 3-1 winners after the October international break.
Toni’s penalty then salvaged a 1-1 stalemate versus Lazio on Halloween weekend, before Fiorentina (2-1), Sampdoria (3-1) and Chievo (1-0) all recorded vital victories in the remaining matches of 2014. The latter result, decided by Alberto Paloschi’s goal nine minutes from time, was only the fifth top flight Derby della Scala.
Determined to put their derby day disappointment behind them, Andrea Mandorlini’s Gialloblu made it an unbeaten start to the new year by dispatching Parma (3-1) and Atalanta (1-0).
February proved an indifferent month as Hellas first suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Torino before then demonstrating their mettle against title challengers Roma in a 1-1 stalemate.
After Napoli were made to feel the force of the Gialloblu’s unpredictability in March, losing 2-0 courtesy of Toni’s brace, Mandorlini’s men subsequently let a three-goal lead slip, ultimately drawing 3-3 with Serie A strugglers Cesena.
Inter then came and conquered the Bentegodi with a 3-0 success, before Hellas edged a five-goal thriller against Sassuolo; Toni once again at the double to down the Neroverdi and ensure his side all but sealed their top flight survival for another season.
The beginning of May saw Udinese rule triumphant in a 1-0 win, with the Gialloblu claiming all three points during their following encounter: a 2-1 victory versus Empoli.
Despite having nothing to play for on Saturday evening, Hellas will attempt to register their tenth all-time Serie A success over Juventus when they lock horns with the newly-crowned champions in Veneto.
