Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Serie A clash between Fiorentina and Empoli, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Still in the hunt for European qualification, Fiorentina will welcome Tuscan rivals Empoli to Stadio Franchi on Sunday.
The Viola are seeking a top-six finish, while their visitors – unbeaten in two prior editions of the Derby dell’Arno this season – are scrapping for Serie A survival.
Match preview
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In a game hastily postponed by two days due to the death of Pope Francis, Fiorentina visited Cagliari on Wednesday evening, when they fought back from behind to beat their hosts 2-1 in Sardinia.
Without absent top scorer Moise Kean, the Viola were spearheaded by Albert Gudmundsson and Lucas Beltran up front, and the latter netted what turned out to be their winner after Robin Gosens had equalised.
Having previously booked their spot in another Conference League semi-final by beating Celje, the Tuscan side are fighting for a return to Europe via Serie A, but they sit eighth with only five rounds remaining.
Fiorentina will travel to Seville next week, for the first leg of their last-four tie with Real Betis, but first they must keep applying pressure to several clubs stacked above them in Italy’s top flight.
Even fourth-placed Bologna are just four points ahead, after Raffaele Palladino‘s men collected 11 from five games to halt a worrying springtime slump.
However, following a goalless league draw in September – and a subsequent cup exit on home turf – the Viola have won none of their last six meetings with old foes Empoli.
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While their hosts are on a high, Empoli come into this derby with confidence at a low, having dropped like a stone down the Serie A standings before their groundbreaking Coppa Italia run was ended on Thursday.
The Azzurri’s first-ever run to the semi-finals memorably featured penalty shootout wins over both Fiorentina and Juventus, but Bologna simply swept them aside over two legs, winning 5-1.
Defeat came as little surprise, as coach Roberto D’Aversa selected several young players for both games, clearly indicating his priority: Serie A survival.
When they met Fiorentina in the cup almost five months ago, Empoli safely sat 10th in the table, having narrowly avoided relegation last term. However, they have since swapped comfort for crisis.
Stuck inside the drop zone after 17 top-flight games without a win, following last week’s 2-2 draw with fellow strugglers Venezia, Empoli’s last success anywhere was way back in December.
Still, they only trail 17th-placed Lecce by one point, so salvation is not beyond them – particularly if, for the second time this season, they can shock Fiorentina at the Franchi.
Fiorentina Serie A form:
Fiorentina form (all competitions):
Empoli Serie A form:
Empoli form (all competitions):
Team News
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Citing confidentiality, Fiorentina have yet to indicate whether Moise Kean will return after his unexpected absence in midweek – the in-demand striker reportedly flew to Paris for personal reasons.
In his possible absence, Lucas Beltran and Albert Gudmundsson would most likely be paired in attack, though Nicolo Zaniolo is another contender.
Ahead of an important few days – featuring the Derby dell’Arno and the Conference League clash with Real Betis – Raffaele Palladino is otherwise only missing Dodo, who has undergone surgery for appendicitis.
Meanwhile, Empoli will recall first-team regulars such as Sebastiano Esposito, Jacopo Fazzini, Emmanuel Gyasi and Saba Goglichidze, having named a much-changed team to face Bologna in the Coppa Italia.
Roberto D’Aversa is still without several men – Youssef Maleh, Szymon Zurkowski, Nicolas Haas, Saba Sazonov, Pietro Pellegri and Fiorentina loanee Christian Kouame – due to injury.
Centre-back Ardian Ismajli is also a doubt, while versatile New Zealand international Liberato Cacace must serve a suspension.
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Pongracic, Mari, Ranieri; Folorunsho, Mandragora, Cataldi, Fagioli, Gosens; Gudmundsson, Beltran
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Vazquez; Goglichidze, Marianucci, Viti; Gyasi, Anjorin, Grassi, Pezzella; Esposito, Fazzini; Colombo
We say: Fiorentina 1-0 Empoli
Even though Empoli rested key players with this game in mind – and Fiorentina may have one eye on next week’s Conference League semi-final – the Viola should have too much guile for their regional rivals.
With an average goals-per-game rate almost twice that of the ailing Azzurri, the home side are surely set to prevail.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
