After experiencing very different emotions before international football intervened, Fiorentina and Atalanta BC will meet at Stadio Franchi on Sunday.
While La Dea's dream of a first Serie A title was dashed by the reigning champions, the Viola slayed one of their fiercest foes to stay in contention for a top-four finish.
Match preview
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Just ahead of the international break, Fiorentina fans celebrated a rare success in their longstanding feud with Juventus, as the home side struck three times without reply in Florence.
Already leading by two goals within 20 minutes of kickoff, the Viola effectively wrapped up victory when Albert Gudmundsson scored soon after half time, as they clinically found the net with all of their shots on target.
Following a serious downturn in fortunes throughout 2025, head coach Raffaele Palladino has now earned some breathing space, having previously booked a place in the Conference League quarter-finals.
A 3-1 home win over Panathinaikos recently took Fiorentina through to the last eight for a third consecutive campaign; this term, though, they want to take one step further and return home with the trophy.
The Tuscan club will next meet NK Celje in UEFA's third-tier competition, but first they must try to improve prospects of returning to Europe via their Serie A finish.
Alongside Bologna, Juventus, Lazio, AC Milan and Roma, they are vying to finish fourth - most likely behind Atalanta, who they welcome to Stadio Franchi this weekend.
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While goals are never guaranteed, Fiorentina and Atalanta have produced five-goal games in all of their last three league meetings, as a result of consecutive 3-2 wins - two for the Viola and one for La Dea.
They also shared five strikes in the second leg of last season's Coppa Italia semi-finals, so precedent suggests an entertaining clash could be on the cards once again.
Atalanta - who came out on top when the teams met in Bergamo six months ago - come into this contest with their title hopes in tatters, after tamely losing to Inter Milan just before the break.
A week after thumping Juve 4-0, Gian Piero Gasperini's side continued their dismal record against Inter, leaving them six points adrift of top spot with just nine games to play.
After keeping five consecutive clean sheets in Serie A, the Bergamaschi conceded twice in the second half and effectively handed their local rivals the chance to seal back-to-back Scudetti.
Gasperini's team have stumbled just when the door opened, as Atalanta made an early exit from the Champions League and are yet to win back-to-back league matches in 2025; so keeping hold of third place must be their new objective.
Team News
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Ahead of tough games against Atalanta and Milan, which lead into a continental quarter-final, Fiorentina are in the fortunate position of having an almost fully fit squad.
Andrea Colpani is still sidelined by a foot injury, but Raffaele Palladino has no other absences to concern him.
Italy striker Moise Kean returns from scoring twice against Germany in the UEFA Nations League, and he should be supported by Albert Gudmundsson up front. Meanwhile, wing-back Robin Gosens - who made 157 appearances and scored 29 goals for Atalanta - will attempt to find the net in three successive Serie A home matches.
By contrast with their hosts, the away side have some key men missing. Though Capocannoniere favourite Mateo Retegui - who was forced to withdraw from international duty by an adductor injury - has been passed fit, midfield mainstay Ederson is unavailable.
The the much-admired Brazilian serves a suspension for his late red card against Inter; furthermore, long-term absentees Gianluca Scamacca, Odilon Kossounou and Giorgio Scalvini are joined in the treatment room by defenders Rafael Toloi and Stefan Posch.
Possibly partnering Retegui up front, Ademola Lookman has been directly involved in six goals across just four Serie A games against Fiorentina to date.
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Pongracic, Mari, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Cataldi, Fagioli, Gosens; Gudmundsson, Kean
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Djimsiti, Hien, Kolasinac; Bellanova, De Roon, Pasalic, Zappacosta; Brescianini, Lookman; Retegui
We say: Fiorentina 2-2 Atalanta BC
A recent trend of high-scoring games between these two clubs could continue, as both will be gunning for maximum points.
An average of 1.88 goals per match is the highest for Fiorentina in a single season since the 1960s, and with Moise Kean in peak form they should at least take a point from Serie A's second-top scorers.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
