Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A clash between Hellas Verona and Fiorentina, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Still looking for a return to Europe, Fiorentine aim to continue their recent revival at the expense of countries threatened with relegation Hellas Verona on Sunday.
La Viola will arrive at the Stadio Bentegodi having moved closer to another Europa Conference League final and with the intention of improving their chances of a top seven finish in Serie A.
Match Preview
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Last season’s Conference League runners-up, Fiorentina took a valuable one-goal lead into this year’s semi-final first leg against Club Brugge on Thursday evening, as M’Bala Nzola scored in injury time to claim a 3-2 victory at the Stadio Franchi.
Italian internationals Riccardo Sottil And Andrea Belotti had both found the target during a hectic first half, but after being caught twice, the Viola finally took advantage of their visitors falling to 10 men.
With a slim advantage to be had in Belgium for next week’s return match, Vincenzo ItalianThe Italian team can now focus on chasing seventh-placed Lazio for what will likely be the last available European place in Serie A.
Although Fiorentina have won their last two league matches – against relegated Salernitana and then against struggling Sassuolo, whom they beat 5-1 – they are still six points behind the Biancocelesti, albeit with two games in hand.
During an inconsistent domestic campaign, they have only won three consecutive games once this season – and not since December – but Italiano will now aim to repeat that feat against a club he has represented more than 200 times as a player.
His current side were recently dumped out of the Coppa Italia despite being top going into the semi-final second leg, but finishing in Italy’s top seven and winning European silverware would be a good way to end his time in Florence.
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While Fiorentina could now record successive away wins in Serie A for the first time this season, Verona will aim to win back-to-back home matches for the first time during a difficult 2023-24 campaign.
However, after a 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in December, the Gialloblu are winless in the last eight league meetings between the clubs; Furthermore, they have lost seven of their last nine matches against the Viola at the Stadio Bentegodi.
Marco BaroniThe men have just a two-point buffer separating them from Udinese in 18th place, so reversing that trend would help relieve pressure on a club who have only ensured their survival in the top flight. winning the relegation playoffs last season.
Last time, former Verona striker Mattia Zaccagni scored the only goal in their 1-0 defeat to Lazio, which saw the visiting side manage just one shot on target at the Stadio Olimpico.
While they will look to pick up points from final home games against Fiorentina, Torino and new champions Inter Milan, an upcoming trip to demoted Salernitana should prove Verona’s best chance of securing an eighth championship victory – although they can hope that Sunday’s opponents will be distracted by continental commitments.
Hellas Verona Serie A form:
Fiorentina Serie A form:
Fiorentina form (all competitions):
Team News
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After making a number of changes to his starting XI last weekend, Vincenzo Italiano fielded perhaps his strongest team in midweek; the extent of Fiorentina’s squad rotation on Sunday afternoon remains to be seen.
One player certain to drop out of the Viola’s XI is Thursday’s opening scorer, Riccardo Sottil, who fractured his shoulder against Club Brugge and will now miss the rest of the season.
Among the many men vying for promotion to the bench will be the Czech striker Antonin Barakwho scored four goals against former club Verona in Serie A, having scored 18 times in 64 league appearances for the Scaligeri.
While Jonathan Ikoné And Christian Kouamé Leading the queue to replace Sottil on the visitors’ left flank, Conference League hero M’Bala Nzola could supplant Andrea Belotti up front.
Whichever combination starts for Fiorentina, they must try to beat the goalkeeper with more saves than any other in the last three Serie A seasons: Verona’s Lorenzo Montipo has stopped 327 shots in that span, and he’ll once again start behind four defenders.
As Juan Cabal must serve a suspension, Rubén Vinagre is likely to replace the left side of this defensive unit, while Polish central defender Pawel Dawidowicz is back from injury and could potentially return to the hosts’ lineup.
Hellas Verona possible starting lineup:
Montipo; Tchatchoua, Coppola, Magnani, Vinagre; Duda, Serdar; Suslov, Folorunsho, Lazovic; Noslin
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Christensen; Faraoni, Milenkovic, Ranieri, Parisi; Duncan, Lopez; Ikoné, Barak, Kouamé; Nzola
We say: Hellas Verona 1-0 Fiorentina
Fiorentina’s away record has been below average this season, while Verona enjoy several extra days off. With the Viola often failing to finish chances and fielding an understrength team, the Gialloblu faithful could have a rare victory to celebrate this weekend.
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