viola nation 
28-03-2024 11:04
28-03-2024 11:04
Fiorentina vs AC Milan: Preview
Fiorentina emerge from the international break and a fortnight of grieving to take on AC Milan. In 180 previous meetings, the Viola hold a W52 D48 L80 record, including W3 D1 L6 over their past 10 meetings. The reverse fixture ended in a 1-0 defeat that the Rossoneri were probably very happy with, given how poor they were in the second half.
The referee for this one is 42-year-old Fabio Maresca of Naples. In 13 Serie A games this year, he’s handed out 73 yellow cards, 1 red card, and 4 penalties. In 11 matches under his direction, Fiorentina is W5 D3 L3. Last we saw him was the 2-1 win over Bologna in December, featuring a couple of penalties.
The match will be played on Saturday, 30 March 2024, at 8:45 PM GMT/4:45 PM EST, at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in beautiful Firenze. The forecast calls for an overcast evening, but it shouldn’t be too cold or rainy. Expect an outpouring of emotion from the home fans in this first game since Joe Barone’s passing; it’s extra poignant considering that Rossonero boss Stefano Pioli was in charge of the Viola when Davide Astori died 6 years ago and handled the situation with indescribable grace and dignity.
Fiorentina
Fiorentina is still lurking on the fringes of a European spot, currently sitting 8th with 43 points and just 4 behind Atalanta in 6th with a game in hand against la Dea. However, the current stretch of schedule (games twice a week and against some heavy hitters) means there could be a plummet in the immediate future, with a Coppa Italia matchup against Atalanta and a Serie A tie at Juventus looming. Add in the team’s deeply uneven form and extra long layoff due to the postponed game following Barone’s passing and things feel even less predictable than usual. Vincenzo Italiano will at least have his full side available, with Dodô, Christian Kouamé, and Gaetano Castrovilli all ready to go. It’ll be interesting to see how he deploys his resources with such a brutal stretch of matches coming up, especially since guys like Nico González, Lucas Beltrán, and Giacomo Bonaventura are returning from international matches on other continents and could be dealing with extra fatigue. He’ll trot out the usual 4-2-3-1, of course, but figuring out his rotations is as futile an exercise as ever: remember, this is a manager who’s started the same XI twice in a row just once in his Viola tenure.
Milan have been oddly weak at the back, conceding 33 league goals (1 more than Fiorentina). They still like to press high but have left more gaps than usual and seem prone to mental lapses as well. To exploit those miscues, the Viola will rely on the usual suspects. Arthur will need to wriggle out of deep pressure to open up space to break, Andrea Belotti will need to win battles against his defenders, and Nico González will need to torment the fullback and attack the back post. It’s not complicated but against a well-coached and talented opponent, it’s not exactly easy.
Milan
AC Milan has scrapped its way to 62 points, good for second place in the standings. That would taste a bit sweeter if it weren’t fully 14 points behind Inter Milan, but it’s been another chaotic year for the Rossoneri, and assuring Champions League qualification feels extra important considering the ongoing investigation into financial irregularities. Milan also doesn’t have to worry about a midweek fixture, giving it an advantage here. Manager Stefano Pioli won’t have CB Pierre Kalulu, LB Theo Hernandez, or CM Tommaso Pobega. He’ll also send out the usual 4-2-3-1, likely with Alessandro Florenzi deputizing for Hernandez and Malick Thiaw partnering Fikayo Tomori in the heart of defense. The danger comes from Olivier Giroud (12 goals, 8 assists), Rafael Leào (4 and 7), and Christian Pulisic (9 and 6).
Milan boast the 2nd-best attack in Serie A and excel at keeping the ball in threatening areas. Without Hernandez’ ability to burst through the lines, the team will rely heavily on Tijjani Reijnders to pull the strings in the middle to get them forward. When they do get forward, though, they’re terrifying, with Giroud’s combination play complementing Leào’s skill on the ball and Pulisic’s incisive movement. Defending narrow and keeping those wingers out wide is likely the main goal, but it’s a lot easier said than done.
Possible lineups How to watch
TV: This might actually make the grade, so check the international television listings.
Online: Here is your list of safe, reliable, and legal streams.
Ted’s Memorial Blind Guess Department
The bookmakers have this one pretty close but with AC Milan as slight favorites, which makes sense given the relative table positions and trajectories of these two clubs. The recent history doesn’t shed much light either, as it’s a pretty even split when these two meet in Florence. To me, it depends more on how Italiano sets out his squad, given the pending fixture congestion. I expect to send out a strong lineup, and the home crowd should offer an extra push, especially in hopes of honoring Barone.
Considering both sides’ defensive deficiencies and the recent history (15 goals in the past 3 home matches), I’m going to make this one a 2-1 win for the good guys. I’m expecting a game that’s largely cagey but occasionally bursts into life, mostly due to lapses at the back or missed pressing assignments. Nico González and Giacomo Bonaventura (the narrative is undefeated) are my picks for the Viola goalscorers, with Leào pulling one back for the Rossoneri.
Forza Viola!
The referee for this one is 42-year-old Fabio Maresca of Naples. In 13 Serie A games this year, he’s handed out 73 yellow cards, 1 red card, and 4 penalties. In 11 matches under his direction, Fiorentina is W5 D3 L3. Last we saw him was the 2-1 win over Bologna in December, featuring a couple of penalties.
The match will be played on Saturday, 30 March 2024, at 8:45 PM GMT/4:45 PM EST, at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in beautiful Firenze. The forecast calls for an overcast evening, but it shouldn’t be too cold or rainy. Expect an outpouring of emotion from the home fans in this first game since Joe Barone’s passing; it’s extra poignant considering that Rossonero boss Stefano Pioli was in charge of the Viola when Davide Astori died 6 years ago and handled the situation with indescribable grace and dignity.
Fiorentina
Fiorentina is still lurking on the fringes of a European spot, currently sitting 8th with 43 points and just 4 behind Atalanta in 6th with a game in hand against la Dea. However, the current stretch of schedule (games twice a week and against some heavy hitters) means there could be a plummet in the immediate future, with a Coppa Italia matchup against Atalanta and a Serie A tie at Juventus looming. Add in the team’s deeply uneven form and extra long layoff due to the postponed game following Barone’s passing and things feel even less predictable than usual. Vincenzo Italiano will at least have his full side available, with Dodô, Christian Kouamé, and Gaetano Castrovilli all ready to go. It’ll be interesting to see how he deploys his resources with such a brutal stretch of matches coming up, especially since guys like Nico González, Lucas Beltrán, and Giacomo Bonaventura are returning from international matches on other continents and could be dealing with extra fatigue. He’ll trot out the usual 4-2-3-1, of course, but figuring out his rotations is as futile an exercise as ever: remember, this is a manager who’s started the same XI twice in a row just once in his Viola tenure.
Milan have been oddly weak at the back, conceding 33 league goals (1 more than Fiorentina). They still like to press high but have left more gaps than usual and seem prone to mental lapses as well. To exploit those miscues, the Viola will rely on the usual suspects. Arthur will need to wriggle out of deep pressure to open up space to break, Andrea Belotti will need to win battles against his defenders, and Nico González will need to torment the fullback and attack the back post. It’s not complicated but against a well-coached and talented opponent, it’s not exactly easy.
Milan
AC Milan has scrapped its way to 62 points, good for second place in the standings. That would taste a bit sweeter if it weren’t fully 14 points behind Inter Milan, but it’s been another chaotic year for the Rossoneri, and assuring Champions League qualification feels extra important considering the ongoing investigation into financial irregularities. Milan also doesn’t have to worry about a midweek fixture, giving it an advantage here. Manager Stefano Pioli won’t have CB Pierre Kalulu, LB Theo Hernandez, or CM Tommaso Pobega. He’ll also send out the usual 4-2-3-1, likely with Alessandro Florenzi deputizing for Hernandez and Malick Thiaw partnering Fikayo Tomori in the heart of defense. The danger comes from Olivier Giroud (12 goals, 8 assists), Rafael Leào (4 and 7), and Christian Pulisic (9 and 6).
Milan boast the 2nd-best attack in Serie A and excel at keeping the ball in threatening areas. Without Hernandez’ ability to burst through the lines, the team will rely heavily on Tijjani Reijnders to pull the strings in the middle to get them forward. When they do get forward, though, they’re terrifying, with Giroud’s combination play complementing Leào’s skill on the ball and Pulisic’s incisive movement. Defending narrow and keeping those wingers out wide is likely the main goal, but it’s a lot easier said than done.
Possible lineups How to watch
TV: This might actually make the grade, so check the international television listings.
Online: Here is your list of safe, reliable, and legal streams.
Ted’s Memorial Blind Guess Department
The bookmakers have this one pretty close but with AC Milan as slight favorites, which makes sense given the relative table positions and trajectories of these two clubs. The recent history doesn’t shed much light either, as it’s a pretty even split when these two meet in Florence. To me, it depends more on how Italiano sets out his squad, given the pending fixture congestion. I expect to send out a strong lineup, and the home crowd should offer an extra push, especially in hopes of honoring Barone.
Considering both sides’ defensive deficiencies and the recent history (15 goals in the past 3 home matches), I’m going to make this one a 2-1 win for the good guys. I’m expecting a game that’s largely cagey but occasionally bursts into life, mostly due to lapses at the back or missed pressing assignments. Nico González and Giacomo Bonaventura (the narrative is undefeated) are my picks for the Viola goalscorers, with Leào pulling one back for the Rossoneri.
Forza Viola!