Fiorentina’s initially promising season has run into difficulties in the last two months and may be about to get a lot worse as they face a triple header against runaway Serie A leaders Juventus.
Beset by injuries and bogged down in a controversy over referees, Fiorentina face the daunting prospect of a trip tomorrow to Juve who have a 100 per cent home record in the league and are 11 points clear at the top.
After that, they must face Antonio Conte’s side twice more in a Europa League round of 16 tie.
It is probably the last thing coach Vincenzo Montella wants as he battles to keep his side in the race for a third place finish in Serie A which would earn a place in next season’s Champions League final qualifying round.
Fiorentina, who memorably beat Juventus 4-2 at home in October to hand the leaders their only league defeat so far, have managed only two wins in their last eight games and suffered to a shock 1-0 home defeat against Lazio on Sunday.
Their slump has followed a knee injury to forward Giuseppe Rossi, who was Serie A’s leading scorer with 14 goals until he limped out of the 1-0 win over Livorno in the first game of the New Year.
That came on top of an injury to striker Mario Gomez, who is now back to fitness but is still struggling to re-find his prolific scoring form, something the former Bayern Munich forward warned would take time.
“Everyone thinks that when I come on as a substitute, I’m going to score two goals but it’s not like that,” the German told reporters.
“I need to have patience, I lack match practice, I need to play and get some minutes under my belt.”
Gomez also said that Fiorentina, rather than a place in the World Cup squad, was his priority.
“I haven’t thought about Brazil. I want to qualify for the UEFA Champions League with my Fiorentina team-mates, I want to win the Coppa Italia and I want to play more games in the Europa League,” he said.
Fiorentina will also be without playmaker Borja Valero after the Spanish midfielder’s four-game ban for pushing a referee was cut by one match.
“The ban ... has been reduced to three matches,” the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said yesterday.
Valero was sent off in the 2-2 draw at Parma on Feb. 24 and accused of pushing referee Andrea Gervasoni, an allegation the player denied.
The initial ruling sparked a furious reaction from the club, with honorary chairman Andrea Della Vale saying referees had it in for the Tuscan side and Valero suggesting Gervasoni’s version of events was “not even close to reality”.
The midfielder missed last weekend’s 1-0 defeat by Lazio. Fiorentina fans boycotted the first 10 minutes of that match in protest at the ruling.
Valero will return for the trip to Napoli on March 23.
Fiorentina, who have 45 points from 26 games, have fallen seven points behind third-placed Napoli, a gap that would have been even greater if Rafael Benitez’s side did not keep dropping points against mid-table opposition.
Napoli (52 points) host second-placed Roma (58) tomorrow hoping for a repeat of their recent 3-0 win over Rudi Garcia’s side which took them to the Coppa Italia final.
Gonzalo Higuain returns for Napoli attempt to reduce the six-point gap which separates them from Roma, who remain favourites to follow Juventus into the Champions League next season.
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing Today
Udinese vs Milan 18.00
Catania vs Cagliari 20.45
Tomorrow– 15.00
Bologna vs Sassuolo
Chievo vs Genoa
Inter vs Torino
Juventus vs Fiorentina 12.30
Lazio vs Atalanta
Napoli vs Roma 20.45
Parma vs Verona
Sampdoria vs Livorno
Standings: Juventus 69; Roma 58; Napoli 52; Fiorentina 45; Inter 41; Parma, Verona 40; Lazio 38; Torino 36; Milan, Genoa 35; Sampdoria, Atalanta 31; Cagliari, Udinese 28; Bologna 22; Chievo, Livorno 21; Catania 19; Sassuolo 17.
Serie B
Played Yesterday
Empoli vs Avellino 0-1
Today – 15.00
Bari vs Lanciano
Brescia vs Latina
Carpi vs Reggina
Crotone vs Cittadella
Novara vs Spezia
Padova vs Modena
Pescara vs Cesena
Ternana vs Varese
Trapani vs Siena
Monday
Juve Stabia vs Palermo 20.30