Opta Focus – Stats and facts ahead of the trip to Torino
Napoli travel to Turin to face Paolo Vanoli’s Torino in Serie A Week 14. Sunday’s clash on 1 December at 15:00 CET will mark the 141st meeting between the two teams, who face off in the Piedmontese capital for the first time since 7 January when the hosts secured a 3-0 victory. That result was unusual, given that Napoli had won seven of their previous eight trips to face Torino and drawn the other. The Partenopei have only twice suffered consecutive away defeats without scoring against Torino in March and December 1936, and between November 1938 and October 1939. The overall Serie A record favours Napoli, with 51 wins (their third-most against any team, behind Fiorentina with 52 and Lazio with 54) compared to Torino’s 33. There have also been 56 draws. Despite the 14-point gap between the sides (29 v 15) and Torino earning just four points from their last eight matches (one win, one draw, six defeats) after taking 11 in their first five (three successes, two stalemates), Napoli cannot underestimate a Torino side eager to bounce back. Sunday's match will also mark Torino's 2,700th in Serie A, a milestone that the team will aim to honour.
Aerial prowess
Torino have scored 16 goals this season, five of which were headers. The Granata have demonstrated notable proficiency in aerial duels, ranking second in headed goals behind Udinese (six), alongside Atalanta, Inter, Lazio, and Milan (five each). Against Monza in the last league match, Torino again scored via a header (Adam Masina). However, this strength faces a tough challenge against Napoli, who share a record with Atalanta and Udinese as the only three teams not to concede a headed goal in the first 13 matches of the season. Torino have also recorded 57 high recoveries and ten direct attacks, with 194 touches in the opposition penalty area.
Lazaro in top form, Sanabria chasing a record
Two players have been directly involved in the most goals for Torino this season (four each): Che Adams (three goals and one assist) and Valentino Lazaro. The Austrian wing-back is in excellent form. In the last league match against Monza, although he did not display his usual explosive wing play, Lazaro set up Masina to register his fourth assist in 13 league appearances this season, matching his total from the previous campaign (four in 35 matches). Lazaro remains the only defender to have provided at least four assists in the last two Serie A seasons. He is yet to reach five assists in a single Serie A campaign. Notably, one of his 12 career assists in the league came against Napoli, delivered to his team-mate back then and now-opponent Alessandro Buongiorno. Lastly, Antonio Sanabria deserves attention as he approaches his 50th Serie A appearance. The Paraguayan striker has scored in three of his last four appearances against Napoli (three goals in total), including both meetings between Torino and Napoli last season. If Sanabria scores on Sunday, Napoli would become his outright favourite target with Torino in Serie A, surpassing his current tally of three goals against five other teams.
Article by the Opta Editorial Team
