Torino - injuries & suspensions October 2026

Torino finished last season’s Serie A campaign in 12th place with 45 points. Although the team did not have to worry about relegation until the final rounds, there was plenty of room for improvement in their play. Their defence was particularly poor: 63 goals conceded is a tally that is hard to ignore. The club appointed a new coach over the summer and made a host of changes to the squad. Ignazio Abate is now in charge, and several key players have joined the team.

A new coach, new responsibilities

Abate signed a contract until 2028. After retiring, he worked with young players at Milan, coaching their Primavera team, before moving into senior football. He managed Ternana and Juve Stabia, and will now take charge of a Serie A team for the first time. Torino is familiar to him: he played for the club in the 2008/2009 season.

Abate’s main task is to organise the defence. Torino scored 44 goals in the previous campaign, but too often allowed opponents to create good chances. Simply changing the formation will not be enough if the new players do not work well together. The coach must get the defence in order while also finding a way to make the most of the players’ attacking qualities.

Perri to replace Milinković-Savić

The biggest change in goal is the arrival of Lucas Perri. The Brazilian has joined on loan from Leeds United, having previously played for Lyon, among other clubs. He will replace Vanja Milinković-Savić, who left for Napoli. The Serbian was an important player for Torino, so the new goalkeeper will have to prove he can offer the team similar reliability.

There have also been changes to the defence. Pietro Comuzzo arrived from Fiorentina, while Eray Cömert joined after leaving Valencia. Torino also brought Ricardo Rodríguez back; he knows the club and Italian football well. Nathan Patterson from Everton and Rafik Belghali from Hellas Verona have joined at full-back. Meanwhile, Sebastian Walukiewicz, Marcus Pedersen and Ivan Ilić have left. Abate will therefore have to establish a new pecking order in defence.

More options in midfield

Rolando Mandragora has returned to Torino after a transfer from Fiorentina. The midfielder knows the club from his previous spell and should not need a long period to adapt. He can help both with winning the ball and building play, and his experience will be useful for a team undergoing so many changes.

Daniel Bragança is another new face, arriving on loan from Sporting with an option to buy. The Portuguese midfielder is comfortable on the ball and can help build attacks through the middle. Kian Fitz-Jim has also joined from Ajax. The squad also includes Cesare Casadei, Gvidas Gineitis and Emirhan İlkhan, as well as Nikola Vlašić, who remains one of the players responsible for creating chances. Abate should therefore have no shortage of options in midfield.

Several options in attack

Torino have retained forwards with different strengths. Giovanni Simeone can take his chances in the penalty area, Ché Adams offers a different profile as a centre-forward, and Duván Zapata can be dangerous thanks to his strength and ability to hold the ball up under pressure. Zakaria Aboukhlal, meanwhile, is expected to bring pace on the wing.

Gaetano Oristanio has also joined the team on loan from Venezia. He can play behind the striker or out wide, giving the coach another option when changing the formation. Tino Anjorin has left Torino on loan for Göztepe, while Alieu Njie has moved to Fiorentina. The forwards’ finishing will be crucial in the new season.

Improving the defence

Torino are not starting the season from scratch, but the scale of the summer changes means Abate will need time to shape the team. The club wants to finish higher than 12th and avoid getting dragged into a relegation battle. To do so, Torino must become a tougher opponent, especially in matches where they have previously lost control of the game. The forwards will also need to be in good form, but it may be the defence that determines how successful Abate’s first season in Serie A proves to be.