Preview: Fiorentina vs. Salernitana - prediction, team news, lineups

While the Viola have lost four of their last five league matches to slip down the standings, their southern counterparts finally won their first top-flight fixture of the season last weekend.

Match preview

Following four wins and a draw from their previous five Serie A matches, Fiorentina's form has nosedived in recent weeks, and the Tuscan side have scored only two goals in five league games since.

Last Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Milan at San Siro was the fourth time Vincenzo Italiano's men had failed to find the net in the space of a month, and such a change of fortunes in the final third has seen them drop back into mid-table after a promising start.

Nonetheless, last season's Europa Conference League runners-up have not let domestic woes affect their prospects in the same competition this term, and they kicked off Thursday's game against Genk knowing that victory would secure their place in the knockout phase.

The Group F rivals met at Stadio Artemio Franchi, with Fiorentina occupying top spot heading into their penultimate fixture and the Belgian club sitting just two points behind: after falling behind just prior to half time, an all-Argentinian double from Lucas Martinez Quarta and Nico Gonzalez ultimately ensured the Viola's progress.

They will therefore take on Ferencvaros in Budapest next month with a top-two finish already secured, and they can be confirmed as group winners - thereby avoiding a playoff tie - by holding the Hungarian champions to a draw.

More immediately, though, Italiano will be desperate to turn things around in Serie A, where Fiorentina have lost just two of eight previous encounters with this weekend's opponents, averaging two goals per game in the process.

In fact, Salernitana have lost all four of their away fixtures against Fiorentina in Italy's top flight, so the Campanian club will be aiming to write a footnote in history when they arrive at Stadio Franchi this weekend.

They will do so buoyed by finally ending their barren spell in league matches, as after a painful run of 13 games without a win, the Granata edged out faltering Lazio 2-1 last week, when Antonio Candreva haunted his former club by firing in a spectacular winner during the second half.

Having posted a first victory at Stadio Arechi, where they have also won twice in the Coppa Italia this season, Salernitana now seek an overdue success away from home.

Although new coach Pippo Inzaghi is off the mark in Serie A, having replaced Paulo Sousa in October without making much of an impact, his side remain bottom of the table with more than a third of the season played - albeit only two points adrift of safety.

They now face a tricky run of fixtures leading up to Christmas, with games against Atalanta BC, AC Milan and Bologna - all former clubs of Inzaghi's - to follow this week's tough test in Florence.

Fiorentina Serie A form:

W

L

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L

W

L

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

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L

W

W

L

W

Salernitana Serie A form:

L

D

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L

D

W

Salernitana form (all competitions):

D

L

W

L

D

W

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Team News

As his team's struggle for goals continues, Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano must once again choose between misfiring strikers M'Bala Nzola and Lucas Beltran - the latter of whom has yet to score a single Serie A goal since signing in the summer.

Both Dodo and Gaetano Castrovilli are out of action for the rest of the year, but the hosts could have influential midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura back in the fold despite concerns over a muscular problem.

Luca Ranieri returns after serving a one-match Serie A suspension, so Yerry Mina could drop down to the bench after making a belated full debut in midweek. Meanwhile, Italy Under-21 international Michael Kayode recently completed his comeback from an ankle injury and will compete with Fabiano Parisi for a start at left-back.

Having saved his side's skin on several occasions since arriving in Salerno last year, Guillermo Ochoa will again be absent due to a shoulder injury; French veteran Benoit Costil therefore deputises as Salernitana's last line of defence.

After last term's top scorer Boulaye Dia returned to full training this week, the Senegalese striker could even make the visitors' starting lineup at Stadio Franchi, being supported by Grigoris Kastanos and the apparently ageless Antonio Candreva.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

Terracciano; Kayode, Milenkovic, Ranieri, Biraghi; Duncan, Arthur; Gonzalez, Barak, Sottil; Beltran

Salernitana possible starting lineup:

Costil; Daniliuc, Fazio, Pirola; Mazzocchi, Coulibaly, Bohinen, Bradaric; Candreva, Kastanos; Dia

We say: Fiorentina 1-0 Salernitana

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