Serie A Matchday 12: Champions Milan face tricky test at Torino

AC Milan will be looking to close the gap on table-toppers Napoli but face a tricky test at Torino this Sunday.

Stefano Pioli's men will likely need to pick up all three points to stay in touch with their in-form rivals, who host Sassuolo at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

But Il Toro should be full of confidence after ending a run of five league games without victory by beating surprise package Udinese 2-1 last weekend.

Elsewhere, strugglers Lecce take on Juventus, Inter Milan face relegation-threatened Sampdoria and Roma head to Verona on Monday evening.

Game of the week: Torino vs AC Milan (Sunday, 7.45pm)

AC Milan should fancy their chances in Turin — they are unbeaten in 17 Serie A away matches (won 12, drawn five) and have not lost to Torino in their previous seven encounters.

Sunday's hosts have failed to score a single Serie A goal against their upcoming opponents in 464 minutes after losing four league meetings in a row before registering a 0-0 draw last April.

The smart money might be on these teams sharing the points.

Torino have drawn seven of their last 11 home meetings with the Rossoneri — more than against any other team since 2006-07.

Napoli vs Sassuolo (Saturday, 2pm)

Napoli continue to steamroller all that come before them — and Sassuolo are next in the firing line.

The visitors will be hoping to avoid the 6-1 hammering they suffered at the hands of Luciano Spalletti's side last season but the form guide certainly favours the Neapolitans.

They have won 18 of their last 20 matches in all competitions and have not tasted defeat since last April.

Another triumph would equal Napoli's best start after 12 matches (32 points), as well as Spalletti's longest winning streak in Serie A (eight games).

Lecce vs Juventus (Saturday, 5pm)

Lecce will not want to consult the history books before this fixture — they have only won four of 32 Serie A matches against Juventus.

A draw may be a more realistic outcome though, with the hosts registering a 1-1 scoreline in each of their last four home league games.

But Marco Baroni's outfit will need to nullify Juve's threat from corners and free-kicks to get a result.

The Old Lady have scored an impressive eight set-piece goals in 2022-23, while Lecce have conceded a league-high nine times from such scenarios.

Inter Milan vs Sampdoria (Saturday, 7.45pm)

Inter Milan striker Edin Dzeko has gone seven home league games without scoring but should be confident of ending that run on Saturday.

The veteran striker bagged a brace against Viktoria Plzen on Wednesday night and has scored six Serie A goals against Sampdoria in his career.

Dejan Stankovic's team will be also need to be wary of in-form attacker Lautaro Martinez, who has been involved in four goals in his last two league appearances.

He has registered more shots (43) and efforts on target (15) than any other player in Italy's top flight this term.

Verona vs Roma (Monday, 5.30pm)

Things could not be going much worse for Verona, who have lost six Serie A games in a row for just the third time in their history.

And it will be a challenge to stop that run against Roma, who have won three successive league matches away from home.

The Giallorossi are specialists when it comes to picking up points against struggling teams.

They have recorded five victories and two draws from their previous seven encounters with sides in the bottom three — though their last defeat to a club in the drop zone was against Verona in September 2021.

The weekend's other games

Empoli vs Atalanta (Sunday, 11.30am) 

Cremonese vs Udinese (Sunday, 2pm) 

Spezia vs Fiorentina (Sunday, 2pm) 

Lazio vs Salernitana (Sunday, 5pm) 

Monza vs Bologna (Monday, 7.45pm)

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