Serie A Preview: Fiorentina-Milan
Two of the sides who were struck by the Serie A scandals over the summer will look for the sunshine in Florence this Saturday.
When: Saturday December 16, 18:00 (CET)
Where: Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence, Italy
BACKGROUND
Fiorentina defeated Milan 3-1 in this fixture last season, but times have changed for both sides. With the Calciopoli penalties forcing them to play from behind to start the season, they have struggled to reach the standing or display the form that was expected coming into this term.
Fiorentina had amazingly qualified for the Champions League after their hugely-successful campaign last season. They played good attacking football, led by Luca Toni, who averaged nearly a goal per match.
Things changed, at least to start the season. They were handed a fifteen-point penalty, and were struggling after beginning with two losses. Clearly, the disappointment of not being able to compete in Europe’s premier club competition was affecting the team’s spirit. Fiorentina have now overcome this bad spell. They have not lost since the first weekend of November, with victories in their past two matches, over Chievo and Lazio.
Milan, too, had to feel they were slighted by the Calciopoli verdicts, given their limited involvement after the findings came out. Nevertheless, they were resigned to recovering the eight points they were docked from the start. The Rossoneri quickly wiped out this deficit, with three wins to begin the season.
This confident play was lost almost immediately, though. Their next three matches were draws (two finished scoreless), and this was soon followed by three losses in the span of four matches.
They have recently begun to play better, but injuries an overall lack of confidence in their play has seen them continue to find victories hard to come by.
CURRENT FORM
Fiorentina (D W W, 11 points, 16th place in Serie A)
The Viola are on fire at the moment. Luca Toni is back to his goal-scoring ways, and he is also receiving a lot of help from a talented supporting cast. Add to that the managerial prowess or Cesare Prandelli (who was recently given the Golden Bench award for being voted as the top manager in Serie A for last season), and you have a winning formula.
Milan (W D D, 13 points, 15th place in Serie A)
While Internazionale have stormed most Italian sides, the other half of Milan has seen the clouds form right over their own heads this season. The attack has not rained goals like they did last term, and Milan have too often relied on the midfielders, and even the defenders, to score vital tallies in order to earn points.
As the thunder rolls from virtually every press outlet, lightning has not yet struck for this side, though it soon could if manager Carlo Ancelotti is not able to get things turned around.
TEAM NEWS
There are not many injury concerns for Fiorentina, but they are several players who will be game-time decisions. Alessandro Gamberini, and midfielders Michele Pazienza and Mario Santana are not quite fully-fit, but could each feature in this match. There is just one certainty to be missing, and that is goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont.
Milan are starting to get back some of there players from long injury spells, such as Gennaro Gattuso, who will most likely play on Saturday. Also, Kakà and Kakhaber Kaladze have recovered from their fitness problems. They do still have some key squad members missing, in the form of Alessandro Nesta, Serginho, Giuseppe Favalli, Alessandro Costacurta, Massimo Ambrosini, and Nelson Dida. Andrea Pirlo returns from the red-card suspension he received after being sent-off against Cagliari two weeks ago.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina) – He has overtaken Luca Toni as the leading goal-scorer this season, and is finally making good on the potential he showed years ago as a youngster.
Alberto Gilardino (Milan) – After missing a penalty-kick last weekend in the scoreless draw versus Torino, he must come out with his guns blazing. He still has not taken the role as leader of the Milan goal-scoring department which seemed to be reserved for him at the start of the season.
POSSIBLE STARTING XI’s
Fiorentina (4-3-3): Frey; Ujfalusi, Dainelli, Gamberini, Pasqual; Pazienza, Liverani, Donadel; Jorgensen, Toni, Mutu
Milan (4-3-1-2): Kalac; Cafu, Simic, Maldini, Jankulovski; Gattuso, Pirlo, Gourcuff; Kakà; Oliveira, Gilardino
PREDICTION
This match could go either way, really. Fiorentina are hot, but the Milan midfield could be what is necessary to cool them down. A good performance is needed by Milan’s defense also, as the home side will definitely take it to them with fury.
Fiorentina 1-2 Milan
Joel Whitehead
