Chievo vs Torino preview - Radovanovic warning for Chievo

Chievo and Torino bmay have secured morale-boosting victories just before the winter break but the Serie A relegation zone still yawns wide beneath them.

The Flying Donkeys climbed out of the bottom three and into 16th place by winning the Verona derby 1-0 against Hellas, while Torino edged out in-form Genoa 2-1 to reach 14th.

With respective two and four-point cushions above the drop zone, optimism has crept into the soon-to-be-refurbished Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi, but Chievo midfielder Ivan Radovanovic knows another five months of hard work lie ahead.

Speaking to Chievo's official website following the derby win, the Serbian said: "We've earned some valuable points and we mounted a good performance, but the season is long.

"We will have to suffer for a lot longer, even if we are playing well.

"The squad is in good shape and united, we are all very happy with what we are doing, but we are aware that we have to stay focused and work hard to secure our survival."

Radovanovic comprises one of three absentees from the squad preparing to face Torino, with injury also scuppering defender Alessandro Gamberini's hopes of participating.

Argentinian midfielder Ruben Botta is serving a two-match suspension while the visitors are without the services of Jean-Francois Gillet, Salvatore Masiello, Omar El Kaddouri and Emiliano Moretti.

The triumph over Genoa snapped a six-match winless streak for Giampiero Ventura's Toro and a third straight league victory over Chievo could boost the club into 12th place.

Torino's last defeat in this fixture came back in February 2007, when Erjon Bogdan scored twice in a convincing 3-0 win for the Gialloblu.