Fiorentina vs Pisa – News and Probable Lineups

Fiorentina will seek to progress to the Coppa Italia’s last 16 as they host Pisa at Stadio Franchi on Tuesday, having recently found form in Serie A.

The outcome of this Tuscan derby could determine who moves on, as the winning side will face Napoli in the next round.

Match overview

Following a dismal start under Fabio Grosso—who was dismissed after four matches—his replacement managed to bring some stability back with a strong performance on Friday night.

Paolo Vanoli has returned to manage the club, having successfully guided Fiorentina to safety as their interim head coach last season. His second term began with an exciting 4-2 victory against Venezia.

Franco Mastantuono, on loan from Real Madrid, scored a hat-trick during the match at Stadio Penzo, marking the end of Fiorentina’s winless run in Serie A.

Grosso, appointed this summer, kicked off with a 4-1 cup victory over Benevento, but things quickly fell apart from there.

With familiar management back at the helm, the team aims to build on their recent successes as they return to Coppa Italia action.

Fiorentina has a storied history in the national cup, having won the competition six times and reaching the final as recently as 2023, contrasting with their regional rivals from Derby dell’Arno.

On the other hand, Pisa has historically struggled to match the achievements of their city rivals, never having won the Coppa Italia.

They were eliminated in the second round last year and now find themselves back at the same stage after a narrow victory over Empoli in the first round.

Paolo Bianco’s team had to rely on penalties to advance against another regional opponent following a 1-1 draw at home.

After a 30-year wait to return to Serie A in 2025, Pisa was relegated immediately last season, experiencing a nearly inevitable drop.

Going down with a whimper, they suffered defeat in all of their last nine matches, conceding 22 goals during that period and accumulating only four points between February and May.

Bianco, who led Monza to promotion through the Serie B playoffs last season, is now tasked with leading Pisa’s promotion ambitions, although the start has been rocky: they lost 4-1 to Virtus Entella on Friday, marking their second defeat in four games.

Team News

After a significant overhaul of the squad since his last tenure, Vanoli will attempt to maximize the impact of Fiorentina’s new signings, such as Pedro Goncalves, Alieu Njie, and Willy Gnonto, all of whom played in Venice.

Further changes are anticipated on Tuesday, with Mateo Pellegrino hoping to replace Beto as the team’s central striker after scoring in his last two appearances.

Only long-term absentee Fabiano Parisi remains out with injury, providing ample options for the home side.

Pisa is also likely to make adjustments in response to their poor home performance in the previous match.

The sending off of Mehdi Leris in the first half significantly affected that defeat, leading to speculation about whether the French winger will keep his spot as a subsequent suspension will apply in Serie B.

Experience may return to the lineup as Stefano Moreo, who netted seven goals in Serie A last season, has come back from injury and could be ready to start.

Fiorentina probable starting XI:

De Gea; Mario, Pongracic, Ranieri, Viery; Ndour, Oulai, Brescianini; Goncalves, Pellegrino, Gnonto

Pisa probable starting XI:

Confente; Calabresi, Canestrelli, Primasso; Vural, Leone, Loyola, Angori; Ferrah, Moreo; Petagna

Although some of their summer signings may have raised eyebrows, Fiorentina has made substantial investments to develop a strong squad; hence, they should manage to rotate key players while still overcoming Pisa.

Vanoli’s steady approach was crucial last season, and he has the opportunity to start his second period in Florence with consecutive victories.