On Monday, September 29, at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, Carlos Cuesta’s Parma hosts Marco Baroni’s Torino in the penultimate fixture of Serie A Matchday 5. Two teams underperforming so far face off: the hosts are stuck on 2 points, while the visitors have 4 after the first four rounds. The Gialloblù are still searching for their first league win, having collected just two draws and two defeats. By earning their first three points of the season, Cuesta’s side would leapfrog Torino in the standings and relaunch their survival hopes. Baroni’s men, on the other hand, need a win not only to bounce back from the heavy defeat against Atalanta but also to distance themselves from the relegation zone. With tough fixtures against Lazio and Napoli coming up, Torino cannot afford to slip at the Tardini and will give everything to take the full points. Even though it’s only Matchday 5, both teams already face a crucial turning point: Parma can no longer delay their first win, while Torino must prove they can aim for more than just a safe mid-table finish.

Parma's recent form and key stats

Parma approach this Serie A Matchday 5 fixture after qualifying for the Coppa Italia at the expense of Spezia, overcoming them on penalties after a 2-2 draw in regulation. That result gave a morale boost but did not hide the fact that Parma are winless in their last five competitive matches, with three draws and two losses.

The young Carlos Cuesta’s side has only 2 points in the league so far, coming from draws against Cremonese and Atalanta and defeats to Juventus and Cagliari.

The real Achilles heel is their attack: with just one goal scored in four rounds (Cutrone against Atalanta), Parma currently have the worst attack in Serie A, tied with Torino. Defensively, they have conceded 5 goals (1.25 per game), not alarming numbers but not enough to compensate for the lack of goals.

A positive stat comes from their home record: Parma are unbeaten at the Tardini in four matches across Serie A and Coppa Italia (1 win and 3 draws) and have lost only once in their last nine home games overall, with 3 wins and 5 draws.

Torino's recent form and key stats

Torino arrive at the Tardini after a Coppa Italia win against Pisa (1-0), which restored some confidence following the heavy 3-0 league defeat to Atalanta. That was their second win in the last three official games, counting also the 1-0 away victory against Roma on September 14.

Marco Baroni’s side has collected 4 points in their first four Serie A games, with one win, one draw, and two defeats. Like Parma, Torino’s attack has been blunt: just one goal scored in Serie A, though it proved decisive in beating Roma. Far more concerning are their defensive stats: eight goals conceded, averaging two per game.

A positive sign, however, comes from their away form: their only league win so far came away from the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, in the Matchday 3 Lunch Match against Roma. Before that, however, Torino had lost four consecutive away matches, making this clash at the Tardini a crucial test to gauge their true consistency.

Parma vs Torino prediction and tactical overview

Since this match features the two worst attacks in Serie A, the BetMines prediction leans toward a low-scoring game, with fewer than three total goals expected.

Recent stats support this: Parma have seen Under 2.5 in their last four home league games, while Torino have registered the same outcome in five of their last six away matches.

Tactically, the hosts will try to exploit the wings to supply Pellegrino, strong in aerial duels, but facing Torino’s five-man defensive line in possession will be tough.

Torino, meanwhile, are expected to adopt a cautious approach, looking to recover the ball and launch Simeone in behind, though he risks being too isolated up front. In this scenario, the contribution of Vlasic and Ngonge in the attacking midfield will be key, but their defensive duties could leave them lacking sharpness in the final third.

All these elements point toward a tight, cagey affair, with both teams likely to cancel each other out.

• Parma vs Torino prediction by BetMines: Under 2.5 goals with 52% probability
  
  
• Parma vs Torino prediction by BetMines: Over 2.5 goals with 48% probability

Probable lineups Parma vs Torino

PARMA (3-5-2): Suzuki; Delprato, Circati, Ndiaye; Almqvist, Bernabé, Keita, Sorensen, Valeri; Cutrone, Pellegrino. Coach: Carlos Cuesta

TORINO (3-4-2-1): Israel; Coco, Maripan, Ismajli; Lazaro, Casadei, Asslani, Biraghi; Ngonge, Vlasic; Simeone. Coach: Marco Baroni