Sunday’s Serie A action concludes at the Stadio Artemio Franchi as Fiorentina and Atalanta go head-to-head in an exciting match-up. After claiming a comfortable 3-0 win in Bergamo in the reverse fixture, La Dea will be looking to secure a top-flight double over La Viola for the first time since the 1992-93 campaign.
Curiously, Atalanta have won their last two league matches against Fiorentina by an aggregate score of 5-1 and can now post three consecutive victories over this opposition for the first time since 1942. Although they won this exact fixture 2-1 back last season, it remains the visitors’ lone Serie A success at Artemio Franchi in their previous 19 top-flight games at this venue.
With Napoli winning 2-0 at Sampdoria earlier today, Gian Piero Gasperini’s men need to pick up all three points to return to fourth in the table. Meanwhile, Giuseppe Iachini’s side head into proceedings harboring an eight-point lead on 18th-placed Cagliari and are confident of securing top-flight status for another season.
Artemio Franchi has been a venue of entertainment lately, as Fiorentina’s last three Serie A matches here have featured at least three goals, with both teams scoring in each. However, the hosts have grabbed just five points against the sides currently sitting in the upper half of the table, which could be a reason for concern.
Fiorentina’s hopes of winning will hinge on whether or not they can prevent Atalanta from breaking the deadlock. They have failed to pick up a single victory from 16 Serie A games in which they conceded first this season.
Easier said than done, considering that free-scoring Atalanta have netted the second-most 40 league goals across Europe’s top-five divisions since the turn of 2021. Quick out of the blocks, the visitors have scored a league second-high 30 first-half goals this term, getting on the scoresheet within the opening 15 minutes in 24.14% of their Serie A matches so far.