Europa League finalists Roma head to Stadio Artemio Franchi to encounter Europa Conference League title-bidding Fiorentina in Saturday’s exciting Serie A match-up. While the encounter in Tuscany cannot change much for La Viola, the visitors still have an outside chance to make a late top-four push with a win.
Despite taking an early lead through Nicolas Gonzalez, Fiorentina found themselves on the receiving end of a 2-1 scoreline in Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final against Inter. Vincenzo Italiano’s team spurned a unique opportunity to claim the cup trophy for the first time since 2000/01, but they must recover quickly, with another title-deciding fixture waiting in the wings. La Viola will meet West Ham United in the Europa Conference league showpiece on June 7, seeking a first taste of continental glory in 62 years.
Although a 1-1 draw at Torino last weekend bookended Fiorentina’s rotten four-game league patch (W1, D2, L1), a third top-half finish in four seasons is still on the cards. Italiano’s men start the penultimate round in the lower reaches, albeit they’re level on points with ninth-placed Bologna. As such, the home side may not take this encounter lightly, even though a mid-table finish cannot compensate for all doom and gloom caused by the Coppa Italia heartbreak.
Like their hosts, Roma have a European final on the horizon, with Sevilla awaiting them in the Europa League showpiece on May 31. Saturday’s trip to Florence is, therefore, the Giallorossi’s final rehearsal ahead of their potentially history-defining journey to Budapest on Wednesday. Hence, Jose Mourinho, who could become the first manager to win the Europa League title with three different clubs, may not settle for another domestic upset amid Roma’s woeful run of form in Serie A.
Winless in their last six league outings (D4, L2), the visitors enter this round four points below fourth-placed Milan in the wake of Juventus’ point deduction. Unaware of the potential point dock, Mourinho has intentionally sacrificed his team’s Serie A ambitions in favor of their Europa League hunt, but he may still have enough time to turn Roma’s league fortunes around, given that the Rossoneri play the Old Lady on Sunday.
Match Preview
Fiorentina
Fiorentina’s 2-0 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico in the reverse fixture forms part of their underwhelming seven-game form against Roma in Serie A (W1, L6). A victory by that identical scoreline in this corresponding match-up in 2021/22 remains La Viola’s only H2H triumph in the top flight since the beginning of the 2018/19 season (D2, L6).
A lack of consistency could disrupt the hosts’ plans to get back at Roma for the recent beatings. None of their last seven league matches have seen the same result happen twice in a row (W2, D3, L2). Yet, last season’s triumph means Fiorentina could beat the Giallorossi in back-to-back home meetings for the first time since 1992-95. That’s perhaps the only glimmer of inspiration they can get going into this clash.
Player to Watch: Nicolas Gonzalez
Though his deadlock-breaker at the Stadio Olimpico went in vain, Gonzalez has recently been on a tear, with his match-winning brace against Basel in the return leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final tie firing Fiorentina into the grand final.
Roma
From Gameweek 31 onwards, only Roma and rock-bottom Sampdoria have picked up two points in Serie A, testifying to Mourinho’s bid to cover himself in Europa League glory. Playing on the road has been the Giallorossi’s Achilles heel in 2023, as they’ve managed just two wins on their 14 travels in all competitions (D6, L6), most recently beating Torino 1-0 in early April.
Their last three away matches have ended as a draw, including a brace of scoreless outings in the lead-up to this trip. Indeed, goals have been at a premium for Roma outside the Stadio Olimpico this calendar year. They only netted more than one goal once across those 14 away games, suggesting Fiorentina could complete their Serie A home campaign unscratched.
Player to Watch: Andrea Belotti
Time is running out for out-of-sorts Belotti to avoid his first-ever scoreless Serie A season. Despite recording 29 league appearances for Roma in 2022/23, the former Torino striker has yet to get off the mark. Maybe he can break his scoring drought on Saturday.
Team News
Besides long-term absentee Salvatore Sirigu, Fiorentina boss Italiano will have the remainder off his squad available for selection on Saturday.
As for Roma, Paulo Dybala has definitely joined Rick Karsdorp and Marash Kumbulla in the treatment room with an ankle injury. Mourinho is unlikely to risk fielding Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leonardo Spinazzola as both are struggling with minor fitness problems.
Fiorentina vs Roma Potential Lineups
Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Pietro Terracciano; Dodo, Nikola Milenkovic, Igor, Aleksa Terzic; Alfred Duncan, Rolando Mandragora; Christian Kouame, Antonin Barak, Riccardo Saponara; Luka Jovic.
Roma (3-4-2-1): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Filippo Missori, Edoardo Bove, Bryan Cristante, Nicola Zalewski; Georginio Wijnaldum, Ola Solbakken; Andrea Belotti.
Fiorentina vs Roma Prediction
Despite their recent setbacks, Fiorentina have only suffered four defeats at Franchi in Serie A this season. They have the opportunity to conclude their home campaign on a positive note. Meanwhile, Roma’s focus is likely on upcoming events in Budapest next week, and they have virtually abandoned hope of securing a top-four finish.
But we can still envisage a share of the spoils.
Prediction: Draw
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