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Serie A Preview: Udinese - Fiorentina

Two attack-minded sides come head to head in Udine on Sunday, and both are equally desperate for all three points to aid their ambitions of European football...

Nov 6, 2009 12:14:01 PM

Champions League: Fiorentina-Debrecen - Montolivo celebrates (Getty Images)

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Champions League: Fiorentina-Debrecen - Montolivo celebrates (Getty Images)

Teams

Kick Off: Sunday, November 8, 15.00 CET
Stadio Friuli, Udine

Underachieving Udinese

With Bari and Parma firing on all cylinders in Serie A, there are also several teams that will be disappointed with their start to the season. Pasquale Marino’s Udinese can count themselves among the latter group after a number of poor results this term. The Zebrette only picked up one point from their recent games with Atalanta and Chievo Verona.

These are two sides that will be near the foot of the table by the end of the season, and a team of Udinese’s calibre have to be doing better if they are to realise their objective of a top six finish. Antonio Di Natale started the season in scintillating form, and it is no surprise that their slow slide down the table has coincided with his lack of goals recently.

Antonio Floro Flores has looked to fill the gap that was vacated by Fabio Quagliarella this summer, but there are also problems in defence. The Bianconeri have not kept a clean sheet since September, and have conceded a number of sloppy goals in the last few games.

Udinese have done well against Fiorentina in recent years, winning their last three meetings at the Stadio Friuli. In addition, they have not lost to the Viola in front of their home fans since October 2001. Should the visitors pick up the three points on Sunday, Marino will find himself under renewed pressure from Giampaolo Pozzo. The club president has been less than enamoured with his team’s performances of late.

Fighting For Fourth

After a disappointing showing in last year’s Champions League, Fiorentina have been making up for lost time this season. The Viola have made light work of a difficult group that includes Olympique Lyonnais, who spent heavily in the summer, and European giants Liverpool. Two wins over Debrecen, coupled with results elsewhere, has now put them on the verge of qualification to the next stage for the first time since 1999/2000.

However, their Champions League exploits have been detracting from some sub-standard results in Serie A. At the end of September, Fiorentina were two points off the lead and keeping pace with the likes of Juventus and Inter. Draws against Lazio and Juventus followed – two matches that they could easily have won if they had taken their chances – before they were beaten by Napoli and Genoa.

A home win against Catania, thanks to goals from Marco Marchionni and Alberto Gilardino, set them back on track last weekend. Their recent dip has seen a resurgent Milan leapfrog them into fourth place, but consistency will be the key in the league. Only seven points separates second-placed Juventus from 14th-placed Roma, while only four separate the Giallorossi from the Gigliati.

A couple more poor results could send the Viola plunging down into mid-table, and Cesare Prandelli will be looking to record a victory in Udine before the international break. A potentially crucial factor in Fiorentina’s upcoming games is the absence of Adrian Mutu. The luckless Romanian has suffered a series of injuries as well as a court case with Chelsea, and will now be out for another month after undergoing surgery on a knee injury.

FORM GUIDE

Udinese

November 1 v Chievo Verona (A) – DREW 1-1 (Serie A)

October 28 v Roma (H) – WON 2-1 (Serie A)

October 25 v Palermo (A) – LOST 1-0 (Serie A)

October 18 v Atalanta (H) – LOST 3-1 (Serie A)

October 3 v Inter (A) – LOST 2-1 (Serie A)

Fiorentina

November 4 v Debrecen (H) – WON 5-2 (Champions League)

November 1 v Catania (H) – WON 3-1 (Serie A)

October 28 v Genoa (A) – LOST 2-1 (Serie A)

October 25 v Napoli (H) – LOST 1-0 (Serie A)

October 20 v Debrecen (A) – WON 4-3 (Serie A)

TEAM NEWS

Udinese

Marino is suffering from injuries to some of his key players, with Floro Flores, Alexis Sanchez, Mauricio Isla and Damiano Ferronetti all injured. Bernardo Corradi will spear-head the attack, flanked by Simone Pepe and Di Natale.

Probable Starting XI (4-3-3): Handanovic; Basta, Zapata, Coda, Lukovic; Inler, D’Agostino, Asamoah; Pepe, Corradi, Di Natale.

Fiorentina

Dario Dainelli is suspended for the clash, while Alessandro Gamberini and Adrian Mutu are long-term casualties. Sebastian Frey, Stevan Jovetic and Cristiano Zanetti are all carrying knocks, and their fitness will be evaluated at the last minute.

Probable Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Frey; Comotto, Natali, Kroldrup, Gobbi; Montolivo, Donadel; Marchionni, Santana, Vargas; Gilardino.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Antonio Di Natale (Udinese)

‘Toto’ is still searching for his first goal since October 3, but his composure in one-on-one situations always makes him a danger. The Udinese captain will be confident of hitting the target for the 10th time this season against a makeshift Fiorentina defence.

Marco Marchionni (Fiorentina)

The winger has scored four goals in his last three games, and is showing why Prandelli was right to take the risk of signing a Juventus player for the Tuscan side. With the dangerous Juan Manuel Vargas on the opposite side, the visitors will look to spread the play out to the wings as much as possible.

PREDICTION

Udinese’s attack will not be quite so potent without two of their key forwards, but could still secure a point against the visitors.

Udinese 1-1 Fiorentina

Anthony Wright, Goal.com

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