Fiorentina vs Parma – News and Probable Lineups

Desperate to stay in Serie A, Fiorentina finds themselves in grave danger of relegation as they prepare for Sunday’s home match against mid-table Parma.

Meanwhile, the away side has distanced themselves from the relegation zone through an impressive run of form, while their counterparts remain locked in a struggle to avoid dropping down a league.

Match overview

Just as three consecutive victories appeared to signal a turnaround for Fiorentina, two successive losses have thwarted their long-awaited resurgence.

Despite advancing to the last 16 of the Conference League after last week’s match against Jagiellonia Bialystok, Paolo Vanoli’s squad faced a heavy defeat in Serie A on Monday.

Going down early within the first 10 minutes, the Viola succumbed to a 3-0 loss against Udinese, failing to record a single shot on target, which adds up to seven goals conceded in their previous two matches.

Currently perched just above the relegation zone and tied on points with Lecce and Cremonese, they are engulfed in a desperate fight for survival in Italy’s premier division.

On their home ground, the Tuscan team has secured only 13 points from a total of 39 this season, although there has been a slight improvement since Vanoli took the reins.

Fiorentina has suffered just one defeat in their last six league outings at Stadio Franchi, having gathered only two points from their initial seven games.

Now, with three straight draws between the sides in Florence, they will be tasked with overcoming a Parma team that seems to be finding the fastest route to safety.

Last week, a 1-1 draw with Cagliari stretched Parma’s unbeaten streak to four games, positioning them 12th and nine points clear of the relegation battle.

With Gaetano Oristanio’s late equalizer, four of their last five goals have come in the closing 15 minutes, showcasing the determination that could keep them above the drop zone in Serie A.

Notably, Parma has netted the highest percentage of their goals after the 76th minute this season (35%), whereas Fiorentina has relinquished nine points due to goals conceded in the same timeframe.

In addition, recent encounters tend to favor the Gialloblu, who have lost just once in their last nine league clashes with Fiorentina – including a 1-0 victory at home in December.

Carlos Cuesta’s side has also secured wins in their last two away matches against Bologna and Scudetto hopefuls AC Milan, maintaining strong form on the road.

Since November, Parma has averaged 2.1 points per away fixture, falling behind only both Milan clubs.

Team News

Vanoli may opt for multiple changes in his Fiorentina squad after reverting to a 3-5-2 formation on Monday, which produced unfavorable results.

Daniele Rugani’s forgettable full debut could see him dropped, allowing regular right-back Dodo to return from his suspension.

However, Fabiano Parisi will serve a one-match suspension, joining injured players Luca Lezzerini and Manor Solomon on the sidelines; Robin Gosens might make his comeback from a facial injury, although he is expected to wear a protective mask.

Moise Kean looks to overcome a shin issue and retain his place in attack, as seven of his eight Serie A goals this season have been scored at Franchi.

For Parma, Mateo Pellegrino is their leading scorer with seven goals; Oristanio and Gabriel Strefezza are vying to partner the imposing striker.

Lautaro Valenti is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, while Cuesta will also be without Abdoulaye N’Diaye, Pontus Almqvist, and Matija Frigan due to injuries.

Fiorentina probable starting XI:

De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Brescianini, Beans, Mandragora; Harrison, Kean, Gudmundsson

Parma probable starting XI:

Crows; Delprato, Troilo, Circati; Britschgi, Bernabe, Keita, Ordonez, Valeri; Strefezza; Pilgrim

Considering Parma’s stronger away performance, they are likely to secure at least a point in Emilia-Romagna.

The pressure is mounting on Fiorentina, and there are few indicators showing they can manage it, thus a gritty home draw appears to be the most optimistic outcome they can achieve.