Torino - AC Monza predictions and free betting tips [30/03/2024]

On Saturday, 30 March, as part of the 30th round of the Italian Serie A, Torino will welcome Monza on their home turf. Ivan Juric's team ended their losing streak against Udinese (0:2) before the international break, whereas Raffaele Palladino's mentees clinched their fourth victory in their last five matches.

Torino

Having been mired in the bottom half of the league table for the past few years, Torino currently sits in 11th place overall in Serie A and most likely won't be eligible for the European zone. Juric's squad has been progressing slowly, winning only 2 of their last 8 matches, drawing 4 times and losing twice. Nevertheless, before the international break, the "bulls" managed to break their four-match losing streak, triumphing over Udinese (0:2) away from home. Duvan Zapata kicked off the score in the first half, and already at the 53rd minute, Nikola Vlasic, assisted by the Colombian, doubled the advantage for the white-browns. Moreover, the victory over "bianconeri" marked another "clean sheet" for Torino, a feat only surpassed by Inter Milan in Serie A.Furthermore, Torino's nine "clean sheets" is a record for home matches in the current Italian championship. Torino's defence is weakened due to injuries to defenders Giggi and Schuurs, as well as key midfielders Tameze and Ilic. Centre-back Buongiorno plays a pivotal role in their defensive solidity and is likely to be in the starting line-up this time as well. Experienced forward Duvan Zapata (9 goals and 4 assists) showed an excellent performance in the last round and will link up with Croatian playmaker Vlasic (3 goals and 2 assists) in the attack. The attacking trio is rounded off by last season's top scorer Sanabria (4 goals) and winter recruit Okereke – the latter could amplify their game, coming off the bench in the second half.

Monza

In their second consecutive season in the elite division, Monza currently occupies 10th place in the Serie A table, one point ahead of Torino. The gap to the European zone is just five points, meaning the visitors have plenty of motivation. The team is currently on the rise and has lost only to Roma (1:4) in their last 8 rounds, winning 5 times and drawing twice. After their defeat to the "giallorossi", Monza triumphed over Genoa (2:3) and Cagliari (1:0) before the international break – the latter's only goal was scored by Daniele Maldini.

Monza will still be missing experienced D'Ambrosio (defender) and Caprari (forward), who are rehabilitating in the infirmary alongside Bettella (defender) and Vignato (forward), who usually feature as substitutes. Furthermore, Argentine World Cup winner Papu Gomez continues to serve a lengthy ban for doping, whilst midfielder Bondo is also sidelined due to an accumulation of yellow cards. Attacking midfielder Daniele Maldini (3 goals and 1 assist in 6 matches) has been in fine form since his transfer this winter and is set to start alongside the seasoned Colpani (7 goals and 4 assists). Monza's main hope in defence is goalkeeper Di Gregorio, who is assisted by towering centre-backs Mari and Ittzo.

Head-to-Head

The "biancorossi" (Monza) have never defeated Torino in Serie A – one loss and two draws set a bleak precedent for Palladino's team ahead of the match in Turin. The first-round encounter ended in a 1:1 draw.

Match prediction for Torino - Monza

Both teams still harbour hopes of finishing in the European zone; hence, dropping points against a direct rival is not an option. Torino recently snapped a four-match losing streak but did so against struggling Udinese. On the other hand, Monza has performed quite well away this season. The teams have drawn their last two head-to-head efforts, and I anticipate a repeat result this time.