Serie A Preview: ACF Fiorentina – US Palermo
Viola Picking up pace
Fiorentina made a poor start to the season as the club failed to register a victory until their victory against Parma FC on the weekend. The 2 – 0 victory against a talented Parma side would have served as a confident booster ahead of this crunch tie against
a mightily talented Palermo outfit.
The side is still struggling at adapting to Sinisa Mihajlovic’s tactics following Cesare Prandelli’s appointment as the national team coach. Fiorentina is currently 15th in the league table with 5 points after 5 rounds of football. on surface,
this might seem a poor result but the cut throat competition in Serie A means the club is just 3 points off fifth placed Milan.
Rosanero soaring high
Palermo has one of the most talented squads in the League with the right blend of youth and experience. Following an indifferent start to the 2010/11 season, Palermo has started to show their credentials. The Rosanero defeated Juventus away from home by
a 3 – 1 score line and followed that up with a draw against Lecce.
Coincidentally, Palermo also has 5 points from opening five matches and stand 14th in the league, just above Fiorentina. Currently, 5 points separate the top 19 teams in the league, a fact that bears testimony to the competitiveness of the Italian
top flight.
Palermo will need to improve their defence as the club has conceded 8 goals in just 5 appearances. Continuation of such statistics will not help their Champions League ambitions.
Team News
Fiorentina: Stevan Jovetic Gulan and D’Agostino are all long term injury causalities. Fiorentina was dealt a severe blow on Friday as Juan Manuel Vargas ended the Friday’s training session with an injury. The Peruvian is one of the best
left wingers in the world and the Viola will severely miss his influence.
Gilardino will be the lone striker up front with Cerci, Ljajic and Marchionni playing behind him in a three-man attacking midfield system.
Expected formation
Mihajlović is likely to field a 4-2-3-1 formation with Alberto Gilardino playing as the lone striker. Adem Ljajic will play just behind the striker. Cerci and Marchionni will flank the Serbian Sensation. Marco Donadel and Ricardo Montolivo will form the
Central midfield duo. Sébastien Frey will look to continue the form that has made him one of the best goalkeepers in peninsula.
Probable line up
Sebastian Frey, Lorenzo De Silvestri, Alessandro Gamberini, Felipe, Per Kroldrup, Ricardo Montolivo, Marco Donadel, Marco Marchionni, Alessio Cerci, Adem Ljajic, Alberto Gilardino
Palermo: The Aquile have Fabrizio Miccoli, Brichetto and Rigoni unavailable due to injury. Miccoli had made his return after a four week layoff but the striker is out injured yet again.
Expected formation
Palermo will deploy a 4-3-2-1 formation. Pastore and Ilicic will play behind the lone striker Abel Hernandez. Ilicic has been an absolute revelation and the forward has already scored two league goals for the club. Liverani, Migliaccio and Nocerino will
look to hold the midfield together. Salvatore Sirigu will keep the gloves following his excellent performance against Lausanne in the Europa league match on Thursday.
Probable lineup
Salvatore Sirigu, Federico Balzaretti, Mattia Cassani, Ezequiel Muñoz, Cesare Bovo, Migliaccio, Fabio Liverani, Antonio Nocerino, Javier Pastore, Ilicic, Abel Hernandez
Prediction
Palermo and Fiorentina are two highly adventurous sides and there will be goals aplenty. Fiorentina will fancy their chances as they are at home but the Sicilians are on a good run of form. The match will end in a stalemate with a 2 – 2 score line.
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