Fiorentina play host to Napoli in a game which will be decisive for the Scudetto race and also the Champions League places. The Stadio Artemio Franchi is getting ready to host a classic on Monday evening.
Both sides were eliminated from Europe in midweek, and a victory for either side will help them recover quickly to rejuvenate their faltering seasons. Napoli will start the game behind league leaders Juventus, and while the slender deficit will not be a big worry for them, they must return to winning ways very soon.
Fiorentina, on the other hand, will have to look out for a resurgent Roma side who could move to within one point of the Tuscans ahead of Monday’s game. Fiorentina travel to the Olimpico to face Roma on Friday evening and La Viola cannot afford to lose either of these two fixtures.
Lineups
Fiorentina
Possible Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Tatarusanu(Gk); Roncaglia, Rodriguez, Astori, Alonso; Badelj, Vecino; Bernardeschi, Valero, Tello; Kalinic
Napoli
Possible Starting XI (4-3-3): Reina(Gk); Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Allan, Jorginho, Hamsik; Callejon, Higuain, Insigne.
Key Stats
- Napoli are undefeated in 23 of their last 25 matches (Serie A).
- Fiorentina have won 5 of their last 6 home matches (Serie A).
- Napoli have won their last 4 matches against Fiorentina in all competitions.
- Paulo Sousa’s side have suffered only two defeats in their last sixteen league matches on home soil.
- Viola will be looking to get their first home triumph against the Partenopei since January 2009 (D2 L5).
Prediction
Fiorentina 1-1 Napoli
Fiorentina were comprehensively beaten by Spurs in midweek, and they need to bounce back quickly as resurgent Roma are looking to hunt them down for the third place in the Champions League. Napoli were also eliminated in a tight match against Villareal, and have recently experienced a drop in performance coinciding with Gonzalo Higuain’s goal drought. Napoli need to recover quickly, as Fiorentina are in good form, having collected 14 points from the last 6 games.
Odds (Bet365.com)
Napoli win 2.25
Fiorentina win 3.20
Draw 3.30