After narrowly escaping a significant scare to advance in Europe, Fiorentina will shift their focus back to the Serie A survival battle this Monday, facing mid-table Udinese.
While the Viola are experiencing a resurgence in form, their opponents have endured three consecutive league defeats.
Match preview
Highlighting their season-long defensive vulnerabilities, Fiorentina squandered a 3-0 first-leg advantage during Thursday’s home leg of their Conference League playoff, eventually overcoming Jagiellonia Bialystok in extra time.
A superb display in Poland had put them firmly in control of a challenging tie; however, they suffered a second-leg collapse and only regained the lead through Nicolo Fagioli’s 107th-minute strike.
Both sides then scored again, leading to a tense finish, but the Viola ultimately triumphed 5-4 on aggregate, securing a last-16 encounter with another Polish opponent.
Before their upcoming clash with Rakow Czestochowa in UEFA’s third-tier competition, Paolo Vanoli’s squad must prioritize maintaining their Serie A status.
Since his arrival in November, Vanoli has consistently guided Fiorentina away from the unexpected threat of relegation; a 1-0 victory over Tuscan rivals Pisa last week finally lifted them out of the drop zone.
Indeed, 15 of their total 24 points have been accumulated this calendar year – including six from the last nine points available on the road.
Following their recent 2-1 win in Como, the Florence-based club now has the opportunity to achieve back-to-back Serie A away victories for the first time since November 2024.
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© Imago
Fiorentina’s improved fortunes began with their previous match against Udinese, a dominant 5-1 win in December’s reverse fixture, where the Bianconeri were reduced to 10 men within seven minutes of kickoff.
Monday’s hosts have also lost three of their last four home fixtures against the Viola – as many defeats as in the preceding 18 encounters – suggesting recent history is not in their favor.
Current performance is also a concern for Kosta Runjaic and his team. Consecutive wins against Hellas Verona and Roma had temporarily propelled them into Italy’s top 10, before being followed by a string of three straight losses.
After conceding a late goal in Lecce, they then fell at home to Sassuolo; most recently, the Friuli club suffered a 1-0 defeat against Bologna.
At home this season, Udinese have only managed four wins from 13 attempts, averaging just one goal per game.
Nonetheless, they appear on track to achieve their stated objective of mid-table security, with Runjaic successfully keeping the club competitive and away from relegation 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
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Having been forced to play 120 minutes on Thursday, Vanoli is expected to make several changes to his Fiorentina starting XI.
Three substitutions could be mandatory, as reserve goalkeeper Luca Lezzerini (thigh), German full-back Robin Gosens (face), and winger Manor Solomon (muscular) all sustained injuries during the midweek fixture.
Dodo is also suspended, but Albert Gudmundsson made his return as a late substitute against Jagiellonia and could now earn a starting spot supporting Moise Kean.
The latter, who scored two goals against Udinese earlier in the season, has recently found the back of the net in his last three Serie A matches.
Meanwhile, with top scorer Keinan Davis only recently back from injury and unlikely to start, Nicolo Zaniolo will be Udinese’s primary attacking threat.
Following a disappointing loan spell with Fiorentina last season, Zaniolo has netted five league goals this term – his personal best stands at six, recorded in 2020.
In addition to key defender Oumar Solet and long-term absentee Alessandro Zanoli being unavailable, Hassane Kamara remains 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
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Our Verdict: Udinese 2-2 Fiorentina
While Udinese can navigate the remainder of the season with less pressure, Fiorentina are compelled to perform, being one of six teams battling to avoid the final relegation spot.
Goals are almost certainly assured, as the last four league encounters between these sides have averaged 4.5 goals per game – and neither team frequently keeps a clean sheet.
For in-depth data analysis of the most probable outcomes, scorelines, and more for this match, please click here.