Top-four contenders Fiorentina will aim to boost their hopes of European qualification on Sunday, as they welcome Serie A strugglers Como to Stadio Franchi.
Both sides were beaten last time out, but the Viola are pushing for a Champions League return while their visitors simply want to stay afloat.
Match preview
© Imago
Four days on from their shock win in Florence, when they dealt out the Italian champions' second league defeat of the season, Fiorentina reconvened with Inter Milan on Monday.
Having just stunned Inter with a 3-0 victory on home turf, it was always going to be tough to replicate such success at San Siro, and the Viola duly suffered a 2-1 defeat.
Fiorentina did haul themselves level after Marin Pongracic scored an own goal, with Rolando Mandragora converting a penalty just before half time - incidentally, only Inter have more goals from set pieces this term - but they failed to hold on for a draw.
Nonetheless, the Tuscan club have still picked up more than 40 points at this stage of a season for the first time since 2016 - when they ultimately finished fifth - and have again made their way into the Conference League's knockout phase.
While they may have stumbled since the turn of the year, Raffaele Palladino's side have won seven of their last 10 Serie A fixtures at Stadio Franchi; only Italy's top two have accrued more points on home soil so far.
Looking back into the history books, Fiorentina have also won their last four games against Como across all competitions - and without conceding a goal. Most recently, they were 2-0 winners in November.
© Imago
After that defeat at Stadio Sinigaglia, Como will now play a Serie A fixture in Florence for the first time since May 1989; to date, the Lombardy club have won only three of 12 away games against Fiorentina at the top level.
This time, they will arrive on the back of another league loss - their fourth in five matches - after Cesc Fabregas saw his side beaten by a late Randal Kolo Muani goal last weekend.
Going down 2-1 to Juventus made it three straight defeats for the Lariani, who are languishing perilously near to the drop zone amid a packed bottom half of the table.
Despite being one of Italy's biggest spenders in the winter transfer window, Como's ambitious owners have yet to see that investment bear fruit - and they will be keen to see an end to their team's away-day woes sooner rather than later.
Having failed to win any of their last eight games on the road, they have gained just seven of 22 points away from home: only fellow promoted side Venezia have a lower ratio.
Team News
© Imago
Fiorentina will be without their main marksman Moise Kean, who sits second in the Capocannoniere rankings, as the in-demand Italy striker must serve a suspension.
With four goals and four assists in Serie A so far this season, Lucas Beltran is likeliest to replace Kean up front; however, he has scored only once in his last 12 starts.
Elsewhere, Pietro Comuzzo should return to central defence after serving a one-match ban, and with Albert Gudmundsson and Danilo Cataldi both fit again only Pablo Mari is a doubt due to injury.
In contrast, Como are still missing Alberto Moreno, Sergi Roberto, Alessandro Gabrielloni, Ignace Van der Brempt and Marc-Oliver Kempf, plus recent signing Mergim Vojvoda.
Alieu Fadera is back from a ban, though, and he will compete with Assane Diao for selection on the Lariani's left wing.
Former Fiorentina loanee Patrick Cutrone is set to lead the visitors' attack, and French forward Jonathan Ikone could feature against his parent club.
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Gosens; Richardson, Mandragora; Zaniolo, Gudmundsson, Folorunsho; Beltran
Como possible starting lineup:
Butez; Smolcic, Goldaniga, Dossena, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Strefezza, Paz, Diao; Cutrone
We say: Fiorentina 2-1 Como
Only Parma have shipped more goals than Como (26) in the second half this season, while just two teams have conceded fewer after the break than Fiorentina (12).
So, even if the away side are still level during the latter stages, their high-flying hosts should be expected to come out on top.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
