Having escaped a huge scare to secure progress in Europe, Fiorentina will return to their Serie A survival fight on Monday, when they visit mid-table Udinese.
While the Viola are returning to form, their hosts have lost three consecutive league matches.
Match preview
Summing up their defensive flaws this season, Fiorentina threw away a 3-0 first-leg lead in Thursday’s home leg of their Conference League playoff, before edging past Jagiellonia Bialystok in extra time.
A stunning performance in Poland had put them in control of a tricky tie; however, they suffered a second-leg collapse and only regained the lead with Nicolo Fagioli’s 107th-minute strike.
Both teams then scored again, making for a nervous finale, but the Viola went through 5-4 on aggregate and booked a last-16 clash with more Polish opponents.
Before meeting Rakow Czestochowa in UEFA’s third-tier competition, Paolo Vanoli’s side must focus on retaining their Serie A status.
Since arriving in November, Vanoli has steadily led Fiorentina away from the unexpected threat of relegation; last week’s 1-0 win over Tuscan rivals Pisa finally took them out of the drop zone.
Indeed, 15 of their 24 points have been gained this calendar year – including six from the last nine available on the road.
Following their recent 2-1 victory in Como, the Florence club could now win consecutive Serie A away fixtures for the first time since November 2024.
© Imago
Fiorentina’s revival was stirred by their last encounter with Udinese, a stunning 5-1 success in December’s reverse fixture, when the Bianconeri were reduced to 10 men within seven minutes of kickoff.
Monday’s hosts have also lost three of their last four home games against the Viola – as many defeats as across the previous 18 – so recent history is not on their side.
Current form is also an issue for Kosta Runjaic and co. Back-to-back victories over Hellas Verona and Roma had momentarily lifted them into Italy’s top 10 before a run of three straight defeats.
After losing to late goal in Lecce, they lost at home to Sassuolo; last time out, the Friuli club were beaten 1-0 by Bologna.
On home turf this term, Udinese have only won four times from 13 attempts, averaging one goal per game.
Nonetheless, they are on course to achieve their stated aim of mid-table safety, with Runjaic keeping the club competitive and steering them clear of danger.
Udinese Serie A form:
L W W L L L
Fiorentina Serie A form:
W L L D W W
Fiorentina form (all competitions):
L D W W W L
Team News
© Iconsport / LiveMedia
Left to rue playing 120 minutes on Thursday, Vanoli will make several changes to his Fiorentina lineup.
Three could be enforced, as reserve goalkeeper Luca Lezzerini (thigh), German full-back Robin Gosens (face) and winger Manor Solomon (muscular) all sustained injuries in midweek.
Dodo must also serve a suspension, but Albert Gudmundsson returned to action as a late substitute against Jagiellonia and could now start in support of Moise Kean.
Scorer of two goals against Udinese earlier this season, the latter has recently found the net in his last three Serie A matches.
Meanwhile, with top scorer Keinan Davis just back from injury and unlikely to start, Nicolo Zaniolo will pose Udinese’s main threat.
After a fruitless loan spell with Fiorentina last season, Zaniolo has scored five league goals this term – six is his personal best, dating back to 2020.
In addition to key defender Oumar Solet and long-term absentee Alessandro Zanoli being ruled out, Hassane Kamara is still a doubt due to plantar fasciitis.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Okoye; Kristensen, Kabasele, Bertola; Ehizibue, Ekkelenkamp, Karlstrom, Atta, Zemura; Zaniolo, Buksa
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Fortini, Comuzzo, Pongracic, Ranieri; Brescianini, Fagioli, Mandragora; Harrison, Kean, Gudmundsson
We say: Udinese 2-2 Fiorentina
While Udinese can coast to the finish line, Fiorentina are under pressure to produce, as one of six teams vying to avoid the last relegation place.
Goals are surely guaranteed, as the last four league meetings have seen an average of 4.5 per game – and both teams rarely keep a clean sheet.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
