Torino vs Cagliari preview - Ventura happy with form

Posted Saturday, February 14, 2015 by PA

Torino coach Giampiero Ventura is very happy with the way his team is playing heading into Sunday's home game against Cagliari.

Ventura's side looked as if they would be involved in a relegation scrap earlier this season following a slow start to the campaign.

However, the Granata have enjoyed an impressive run of form of late and last weekend's 3-1 triumph at Hellas Verona was their fourth straight victory.

Toro are riding a nine-match unbeaten run that has seen them climb to eighth place.

"I really want to compliment my players," Ventura told Gazzetta dello Sport. "The fact that we have taken nine positive results and won our last four games is down to the hard work done by them in recent months.

"Now they are being rewarded for their efforts and I could not be happier.

"This team never gives up.

"There is still room for improvement but our performance in Verona was confirmation that we are growing as a team."

Ventura is expected to rest some of his players on Sunday in view of next week's Europa League last 32 first leg encounter at home to Athletic Bilbao.

Meanwhile, Cagliari will have to keep an eye on Toro's veteran striker Fabio Quagliarella.

Quagliarella has scored four goals in his team's last two league games, including a hat-trick against Sampdoria earlier this month.

Cagliari make the trip to Turin on the back of a 2-1 loss to Roma.

The outcome followed their 2-1 defeat at Atalanta and dropped Cagliari to the relegation zone.

Cagliari are one place and two points clear of Chievo, who hold the last position of safety.

"You can lose against a strong team like Roma," Cagliari coach Gianfranco Zola said. "But I want my team to be more clinical in front of goal in our next games.

"We are not making the most of our chances and we must do better."

Cagliari have not won on the road since October 25 and will be without injured defenders Antonio Balzano and Francesco Pisano.