Roma, choosing to back their head coach Ivan Juric for now, face Serie A rivals Torino at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday night. Juric, meeting his former club after surviving crisis talks, is eager to recover from last weekend’s heavy 5-1 defeat to Fiorentina, which has left Roma in the lower half of the league table and raised questions about his futureRoma’s struggles continued after a narrow loss to Inter Milan and a Europa League win, marking an uneven start for Juric, who took over from club icon Daniele De Rossi. October began poorly for the Giallorossi with a loss to Elfsborg and a draw with Monza, and they’re determined to avoid three consecutive Serie A losses for the first time since 2020. While top scorer Artem Dovbyk has begun finding the net, Roma’s attack has yet to fully connect, averaging just one goal per game, placing them 14th in the scoring ranks.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Historically, Roma have a strong record against Torino, winning 12 of their last 14 league meetings at the Olimpico and scoring a total of 35 goals in those matchups. They are also unbeaten in six Serie A encounters with Juric’s former team and face pressure to extend this streak and appease their fans.Meanwhile, Torino head coach Paolo Vanoli has enjoyed a positive start, initially guiding the team to a solid position in the standings. Despite recent losses to Lazio and Inter and a Coppa Italia elimination by Empoli, Torino halted their slide with a 1-0 win over Como, courtesy of teenage substitute Alieu Njie. After conceding three goals in three consecutive matches for the first time in years, Vanoli was relieved to secure a clean sheet and lift Torino to ninth place. With 14 points, Torino has made their best start to a season since 2016, and a win in Rome could give them a comfortable buffer over a potential top-six contender.The manager carousel in Rome continues?Roma will be without Alexis Saelemaekers and Mario Hermoso, who is suspended, though Stephan El Shaarawy may return after a calf injury. Juric may rotate his squad following the 5-1 loss, though Dovbyk is expected to start. Matias Soule returns from injury to vie for a spot against Paulo Dybala, who boasts a strong record against Torino, having never lost to them in 19 Serie A appearances.On the other hand, Torino are missing Ivan Ilic, Borna Sosa, and captain Duvan Zapata for the season, while Perr Schuurs remains sidelined with a knee injury. Che Adams and Antonio Sanabria will likely lead the attack, with Karol Linetty captaining in Zapata’s absence.Stalemate specialists hold the Old Lady to a two-a-piece drawThe other Roman giant, expectedly, plays away this Thursday evening. Lazio, fresh from consecutive wins, will visit Como eager to close October on a high. The Biancocelesti have won four of five matches this month in both Serie A and Europe, while their promoted opponents have struggled. Tijjani Noslin, absent from Lazio’s recent Europa League triumph due to suspension, redeemed himself partially by scoring the opening goal in their weekend win over Genoa.🎃 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 🎃#ComoLazio#CMonEagles 🦅 pic.twitter.com/qi8rwYKScN— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) October 31, 2024 Lazio now boast a 10-game unbeaten run in Serie A at home, reflecting their success across competitions under manager Marco Baroni. With six wins in their last seven matches, they’ve scored 17 goals at an average of 2.4 per game, putting them in a favorable position both domestically and in Europe. They could also achieve three consecutive clean sheets for the first time in 2024, which would reinforce the progress under Baroni despite early doubts about his appointment. However, Lazio’s away form is less convincing, with three losses in four away league matches.Como, promoted last season, are hoping to replicate past success against Lazio, but their recent form has been inconsistent, losing two of their last three games. Veteran midfielder Cesc Fabregas will be eager to return home to Stadio Sinigaglia, where Como are unbeaten this season. However, they’ve yet to record a clean sheet, which could prove challenging against an in-form Lazio.😳🇵🇹 Nuno Tavares (24) is having an incredible season so far with Lazio. ⚡️Tijjani Noslin with a fantastic finish too. pic.twitter.com/CisvLD9daU— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) October 31, 2024 Lazio will welcome back defensive stalwart Alessio Romagnoli from suspension, giving Baroni more rotation options. Right-back Manuel Lazzari remains injured, but regular starter Nuno Tavares, who has seven assists, is thriving in his role. For Como, Alieu Fadera, Gabriel Strefezza, Nico Paz, and top scorer Patrick Cutrone are expected to lead the attack, with Cutrone and Strefezza featuring in all nine league games so far. Spanish full-back Alberto Moreno and midfielder Luca Mazzitelli will likely play crucial roles, though Sergi Roberto is doubtful with a thigh issue. Belgian defender Ignace Van der Brempt is also sidelined.SERIE A – MATCHDAY 10Tuesday Cagliari – Bologna 0-2 (0-1)/Orsolini 35, Odgaard 51/Lecce – Verona 1-0 (0-0)/Dorgu 1/Milan – Napoli 0-2 (0-2)/Lukaku 5, Kvaratskhelia 43/Wednesday Empoli – Inter 0-3 (0-0)/Frattesi 50, 67, Martinez 79/Venezia – Udinese 3-2 (1-2)/Pohjanpalo 41 pen, 86 pen, Nicolussi 56 – Lovric 19, Bravo 25/Atalanta – Monza 2-0 (0-0)/Samardzic 70, Zappacosta 88/Juventus – Parma 2-2 (1-2)/McKennie 31, Weah 49 – Del Prato 3, Sohm 38/Thursday 20.30: (4.80) Genoa (3.50) Fiorentina (1.78)22.45: (2.85) Como (3.30) Lazio (2.50)22.45: (1.80) Roma (3.70) Torino (5.00)***odds are subject to change***
