England’s Joe Hart will face a baptism of fire on Sunday when he makes his Serie A debut in front of Italy’s most fearsome fans.
Hart, deemed surplus to requirements by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, completed his move to unfashionable Torino on a season-long loan deal last week.
Amid reports Torino could be given the chance to snap the 28-year-old ‘keeper up on a permanent basis, Hart was put through his paces during a maiden training session with the “Granata” on Thursday.
Yet hopes of a first Serie A win for the England shot-stopper have been dealt a signficant blow.
After hitting a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over Bologna, striker Andrea Belotti is sidelined for three weeks after suffering a thigh injury with Italy on what was his maiden call-up.
And Torino suffered another blow when Venezuelan striker Josef Martinez returned from a 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw against Argentina with a right thigh injury.