Gabriele Maltinti
Things are getting tight and tough to call in the bottom half of the table.
Two of last season's Serie B successes lock horns once again. Pescara may have beaten Torino to the title bragging rights, but the Granata cruised to a 3-0 victory back in Week 2 of this season.
Pescara have finally found some stability under Cristiano Bergodi. In recent weeks, they've become the first side to win at Fiorentina in the current campaign and have won their last two home games, against Genoa and Catania respectively. Everyone's favourite pre-season tip for a swift return to Serie B currently sit pretty in 16th, three points clear from the drop zone. Three wins from five games isn't exactly relegation form either.
Their opponents are three points better off and four places higher up in the standings. Torino have been a hard nut to crack on the road, drawing seven out of their ten games thus far. Despite losses at AS Roma and Juventus, Torino have held Lazio and Napoli in successive fixtures.
The away side's one travelling victory may have been way back in Week 6, but it was an emphatic 5-1 demolition over Atalanta. Torino will have their tails up after last weekend's morale boosting 3-2 win over basement team Siena.
Both sides will be without key players. Pescara playmaker Juan Fernando Quintero is away with Colombia at the Under-20 Championships, while Torino's seven goal top scorer Rolando Bianchi is suspended.
Pescara have drafted in Gaetano D'Agostino from Siena to shore up the midfield and a €20m price tag has been slapped on the head of Mattia Perin. The in-form and very much in demand young goalkeeper is currently on a seaon's loan from Genoa. The 20-year-old's recent displays and heroics against Fiorentina have not gone unnoticed, with both AC Milan and Russian club Zenit keeping tabs on him.
Pescara injuries and suspensions
Out: Uros Cosic (injured) Juan Fernando Quintero (international duty)
Torino injuries and suspensions
Out: Angelo Ogbonna, Abou Diop, Mario Santana (injured) Rolando Bianchi (suspended)
Match Date/Time: Sunday 20th January 2013 3:00 p.m. local, 9:00 a.m. ET
Venue: Stadio Adriatico, Pescara, Italy
TV: Sky Calcio 4
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