Dutch hurdle for Vincenzo Italiano’s Fiorentina, who return to Europe after a five-year absence. In fact, the Viola still have to overcome the final hurdle before they can ‘sing victory’ and toast their official return to the group stage of a continental competition, in this case the Conference League. For Biraghi and his teammates there is the Twente bogeyman in the qualification play-off: first leg at the ‘Franchi’, return after a week in the Netherlands. An adversary to be taken with caution and that can in no way be underestimated, especially after the convincing debut in the third round against the Cukaricki Serbians, overwhelmed with goals (1-3 and 4-1) both in Belgrade and in the Netherlands.
The Ron Jans-coached team also got off to a rocket start in the Eredivisie: they already have a full points tally after two wins in a row against Nijmegen and Fortuna Sittard. In short, Fiorentina cannot be said to have enjoyed a lucky draw, far from it. On the contrary, a tight double-header is looming, along the lines of the one that saw Roma in the limelight a year ago, with the Giallorossi catching the insidious Trabzonspor. The fact that the season has only just begun, then, only adds to the unknowns. Italiano and his team are in fact coming off a complicated debut against newly promoted Cremonese, made of lights and shadows.
The Viola came out on top only at the last second, thanks to a trademark mistake made by goalkeeper Radu, after having been caught twice by the “grigiorossi” and revealing the same defensive gaps as last year. In the league, the Sicilian-born coach went overboard with the turnover, fielding an experimental formation and giving a starting shirt to the redundant Benassi and Kouamé (the latter among the best on the pitch). He is likely to field a completely different eleven in the cup, starting with the attacking relay between Jovic – the former Real Madrid man has already scored – and the Brazilian Cabral.
©️Ansafoto
The Prediction
B Fiorentina on the whole look superior to Twente and will try to close the file already at the ‘Franchi’ to avoid complicating their lives and then being forced to win away. At the same time, however, the Viola could feel the pressure but above all suffer from the Dutchmen’s restarts. As against Cremonese, a spectacular match can be expected, with at least three goals in total and both teams scoring.
The Fiorentina-Twente line-up probables
FIORENTINA (4-3-3): Terracciano; Dodô, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Amrabat, Duncan; Nico Gonzalez, Arthur Cabral, Ikoné.
TWENTE (4-2-3-1): Unnerstall; Brenet, Hilgers, Propper, Smal; Kjølø, Sadilek; Rots, Vlap, Misidjan; Van Wolfswinkel.
Vote
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1