Torino face an uphill task against defending champions SSC Napoli this Saturday.
The Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino will play host to a compelling Serie A clash this Saturday evening as reigning champions SSC Napoli look to resume their title defence with a third consecutive victory when they travel north to face Torino FC.
While Antonio Conte’s men sit level on points with AS Roma at the top of the table, their hosts continue to struggle for rhythm under Marco Baroni, with just one league win to their name so far this season. Both sides have endured contrasting fortunes in front of goal, Napoli firing freely, Torino faltering badly, and the form guide heavily favours the visitors heading into the weekend.
Napoli’s season began with uneven form and back-to-back setbacks against Manchester City and AC Milan, but Conte’s side appear to have rediscovered their bite at the right time. In their last Serie A outing, the champions showcased the resilience and intensity that defined their title-winning campaign, clawing back from a goal down to defeat Genoa 2-1 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
A headed equaliser from Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa reignited belief before Rasmus Hojlund continued his sparkling form with a composed finish in the 75th minutem sealing three vital points and extending his scoring streak to four consecutive matches.
That comeback win followed Napoli’s first Champions League success since 2023, a hard-fought victory over Sporting Lisbon, once again orchestrated by Hojlund’s well-taken brace. For Conte, who demands perfection from his players, the return to winning ways brought both relief and renewed confidence. The Italian tactician’s high-pressing, physically relentless approach has begun to click, restoring the rhythm that went missing during their early-season slump.
The statistics also point firmly in Napoli’s favour. The Azzurri have won eight of their last ten league visits to Turin, conceding just once in their previous six encounters. They have not lost three successive away matches since Walter Mazzarri’s ill-fated second spell in charge nearly two years ago, a run Conte will be determined not to repeat.
For Marco Baroni, the early weeks of his Torino tenure have offered little comfort. Once a Scudetto-winning hero with Napoli as a player, Baroni has found life on the touchline in Turin far less forgiving. His side currently sit 16th in Serie A with only five points from their opening fixtures and a worrying defensive record that has them conceding more than two goals per game.
Just before the international break, Torino were involved in a chaotic 3–3 draw with Lazio, a match that encapsulated their fragility. Late goals from Che Adams and Saul Coco seemed to have secured a dramatic victory, only for a stoppage-time equaliser to snatch away two points. That result did at least mark Torino’s most productive attacking display in a year, the first time they had scored three goals in a Serie A match since 2023, but their defensive lapses continue to undermine any progress.
Equally troubling is Torino’s home form. Dating back to last season, they have failed to score in four consecutive home league games, and their last victory at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino came more than six months ago. With Napoli’s confidence rising and their attack in full flow, Baroni’s men face an uphill battle to contain the champions. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
Torino FC
Marco Baroni will be without several key players as Torino FC prepare to welcome the defending champions to Turin. The injury list continues to trouble the Granata, with Tino Anjorin, Ardian Ismajli, and long-term absentee Perr Schuurs all unavailable for selection. Anjorin remains sidelined with a persistent muscular injury that has limited his involvement since the start of the season, while Ismajli is still recovering from a hamstring issue sustained in training.
Schuurs, who has been out for several months with a serious knee injury, is not expected to return until later in the campaign. Fortunately, Baroni has no new suspension concerns to manage ahead of Saturday’s fixture. There was, however, a bright note before the international break, as Che Adams netted his 10th career Serie A goal in the thrilling 3–3 draw against Lazio.
Despite that milestone, Adams has been used exclusively as an impact substitute in all of Torino’s league matches so far. Giovanni Simeone, formerly of Napoli, continues to be preferred as the starting centre-forward, a decision based on his experience and work rate in leading the press from the front. Baroni is likely to keep faith with the Argentine striker against his former club, hoping his movement and familiarity with Napoli’s defenders can create opportunities in transition.
From a tactical standpoint, Torino are expected to line up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, with an emphasis on compact defending and quick vertical attacks through midfield. Franco Israel will retain his place in goal, protected by a back four comprising Valentino Lazaro at right-back, Saul Coco and Guillermo Maripan forming the central defensive pairing, and Cristiano Biraghi on the left side. This defensive unit will need to stay disciplined to contain Napoli’s wide rotations and overlapping full-backs.
In midfield, Cesare Casadei, Kristjan Asllani, and Adrien Tameze will form a hard-working trio tasked with controlling tempo and shielding the defence. Asllani’s composure in distribution and Tameze’s ball-winning abilities will be key to breaking up Napoli’s rhythm in central areas. Ahead of them, Cyril Ngonge and Nikola Vlasic will operate as dual attacking midfielders, linking midfield to attack and providing creative outlets on the break. Both possess the technical quality to exploit space behind Napoli’s advancing full-backs.
Leading the attack, Giovanni Simeone will spearhead the Torino frontline. His familiarity with Napoli’s backline and predatory instincts inside the box make him the logical focal point for Baroni’s system. Simeone’s positioning and pressing ability could also help Torino disrupt Napoli’s buildup phase and generate turnovers in advanced areas.
Probable Lineup (4-3-2-1): Israel; Lazaro, Coco, Maripan, Biraghi; Casadei, Asllani, Tameze; Ngonge, Vlasic; Simeone
SSC Napoli
Antonio Conte faces a few fitness concerns ahead of his side’s trip to Turin. Both Stanislav Lobotka and Matteo Politano picked up muscular injuries during the hard-fought win over Genoa before the international break, ruling them out of national team duty. While Lobotka has not yet recovered fully and will miss the game, there is cautious optimism that Politano could return in time to make the matchday squad. His involvement, however, will depend on a late fitness assessment.
In defence, Alessandro Buongiorno, formerly of Torino, has returned to full training following his recent layoff and is pushing for a return to the starting lineup. However, Conte may be reluctant to risk him from the outset against his former club, with the player still working toward full match sharpness. Fellow central defender Amir Rrahmani remains unavailable due to a continuing injury problem, leaving Napoli somewhat light at the heart of the defence. The champions have no suspension issues to worry about, giving Conte some flexibility in midfield and attack.
With Lobotka sidelined, Billy Gilmour is expected to take over the deep-lying midfield role. The Scottish playmaker, on loan from Brighton, offers excellent positional awareness and distribution, making him a natural fit for Conte’s possession-oriented approach. Further up the pitch, Rasmus Hojlund will continue to lead the line in the absence of Romelu Lukaku, who remains unavailable. The Danish striker has been in red-hot form, scoring four goals in six league appearances and maintaining the same tally across his last four games for Denmark.
Conte is expected to line up in his preferred 4-1-4-1 formation, which allows Napoli to maintain defensive compactness while pushing numbers forward in attack. Alex Meret will start in goal, protected by a back four comprising Giovanni Di Lorenzo at right-back, Sam Beukema and Juan Jesus as the central defensive pairing, and Leonardo Spinazzola on the left flank.
In midfield, Billy Gilmour will anchor the base, orchestrating play from deep. Ahead of him, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Scott McTominay will provide box-to-box presence and late runs into the area, while David Neres and Kevin De Bruyne will occupy the wide and central attacking midfield positions, respectively. De Bruyne’s creativity between the lines and McTominay’s goal threat make them vital components in Conte’s attacking structure.
Leading the line, Rasmus Hojlund will serve as the focal point, tasked with pressing Torino’s defenders, stretching play, and finishing off the chances created by the dynamic midfield unit behind him. With Conte’s tactical balance between aggression and control, Napoli will look to dominate possession, overload the flanks, and sustain pressure throughout the match.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Beukema, Jesus, Spinazzola; Gilmour; Neres, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund
Key Stats
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SSC Napoli have been virtually unbeatable away to Torino in recent years, winning eight of their last ten Serie A visits to the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino. During that run, the champions have conceded only one goal in their previous six trips to the venue.
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Torino have struggled badly in front of goal on their own turf. They have failed to score in each of their last four Serie A home matches, their longest such drought in nearly a decade.
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The Granata currently hold the worst defensive record in Serie A, conceding an average of over two goals per game this season. They have let in 15 goals across their last six matches, highlighting their persistent structural issues at the back.
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Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund has been in unstoppable form, scoring four goals in six league matches and adding another four in as many games for Denmark. He has now scored or assisted in five consecutive competitive fixtures for club and country combined.
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Torino have managed just one win in their last nine league meetings with Napoli (D1 L7). The champions have scored at least two goals in seven of those nine fixtures, reaffirming their dominance in this fixture.
Player to Watch
Rasmus Hojlund
Few players in Serie A have hit the ground running this season quite like Rasmus Hojlund. The Danish striker has rapidly evolved into the focal point of Antonio Conte’s high-intensity Napoli side, combining raw athleticism with clinical precision in front of goal. With four goals in six league appearances and another four strikes for Denmark during the international break, Hojlund’s form has been nothing short of sensational.
What makes Hojlund particularly dangerous is his ability to thrive in Conte’s vertically direct system. His pace and intelligent movement allow him to stretch defences, constantly dragging centre-backs out of position to create space for the advancing midfielders like Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay. He is not just a finisher, his link-up play and willingness to press aggressively from the front embody the modern No.9 Conte demands.
Physically imposing yet technically refined, Hojlund excels at timing his runs between the lines and finishing with minimal touches. His goal against Genoa before the break, a composed near-post strike, perfectly showcased his instincts and confidence. Against a Torino defence that has struggled to contain pace and aerial strength all season, Hojlund’s presence could prove decisive once again.
If Napoli are to sustain their title challenge, maintaining Hojlund’s rhythm will be vital. Expect him to be at the heart of everything Conte’s side create in Turin, pressing, poaching, and punishing mistakes with trademark ruthlessness.
Prediction
Torino FC 1-3 SSC Napoli
On paper, this looks like a mismatch between two clubs heading in opposite directions. Napoli have regained their balance and sharpness under Antonio Conte, combining structure with attacking fluency, while Torino remain a side searching for stability amid defensive chaos.
If Rasmus Hojlund maintains his current form and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa continues to control midfield, Napoli should dominate proceedings. Torino’s spirited performance against Lazio will give them belief, but their leaky defence and poor home record are likely to prove costly against one of Italy’s most ruthless outfits.
