After getting back in the hunt for a top-four finish, Fiorentina will seek to stop Genoa's revival when the teams meet at Stadio Franchi on Sunday.
A haul of four points from two games has halted the Viola's dive down the Serie A standings, while their visitors are riding high in the form table.
Match preview
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Finally posting their first win of 2025, Fiorentina claimed maximum points at the expense of fellow Champions League chasers Lazio last weekend, despite going down to 10 men with half an hour left at Stadio Olimpico.
Opening goalscorer Yacine Adli was controversially sent off with the Viola leading 2-0, but after surviving a few close calls, they only conceded once in second-half stoppage time.
A week previously, they had failed to convert a one-man advantage into victory over Torino, so head coach Raffaele Palladino was particularly relieved to see his team finish the job.
Fiorentina's form had nosedived over the preceding month - particularly on Tuscan turf. After a series of five consecutive home wins, they have not won any of their last three in Serie A.
In all, they have won only one of their last seven league games, yet a tally of 36 points is the club's most at this stage of any campaign since 2016, when they ultimately finished fifth.
Depending on Italian teams' results in UEFA competitions - including their own progress in the Conference League - a top-five finish could be enough to secure a long-awaited return to Europe's top table.
Another win would help them inch closer to that goal, and they head into Sunday's contest unbeaten in some 25 home games against Genoa in Serie A - albeit they have won just one of the last seven.
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In addition to their long drought in Florence, Genoa lost October's reverse fixture 1-0 at Stadio Ferraris, shortly before Alberto Gilardino's departure.
The Grifone's promotion-winning coach was soon replaced by Patrick Vieira, who has made a remarkable impact since arriving in Liguria.
The former Crystal Palace manager has lost only two of his first 10 league games, recording four wins in the process; the last Rossoblu coach to win at least five of his first 11 Serie A matches was Manlio Bacigalupo, back in 1950.
There is no secret to his success, as after last week's 2-0 defeat of rock-bottom Monza - who had recently upset Fiorentina - Genoa have kept six clean sheets in their last nine top-flight outings. That is as many as throughout the previous 28.
Having recorded just their second home win of the Serie A season, the Ligurian club opened up a six-point gap to the relegation places - but safety is far from secured.
Team News
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In addition to Yacine Adli receiving a red card - meaning the French midfielder will miss out this weekend - Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino was also dismissed towards the end of a tempestuous clash with Lazio and must now serve a touchline suspension.
Palladino has been reunited with new recruit Pablo Mari, who he managed at Monza, but the Spanish centre-back is unlikely to start on Sunday, when Andrea Colpani (ankle) and Danilo Cataldi (thigh) could both return from injury.
Up front, Albert Gudmundsson should support top scorer Moise Kean, who has yet to score a Serie A goal against Genoa in five attempts.
Meanwhile, the visitors' attack will be led by Andrea Pinamonti, whose form has recently dipped: after a run of four goals in seven league games, he has since found the net just once in his last eight. Furthermore, Pinamonti has played more times at Stadio Franchi (six) without scoring than any other venue.
Fellow striker Mario Balotelli - who does not see eye-to-eye with Patrick Vieira - is expected to leave, but Jean Onana, Mikael Egill Ellertsson and Danish defender Sebastian Otoa have just signed for the Grifone.
Genoa's long absence list has shortened of late, with Junior Messias and captain Milan Badelj making it back onto the bench last week, but Ruslan Malinovskyi and Mattia Bani are still unavailable.
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Richardson, Mandragora; Folorunsho, Gudmundsson, Sottil; Kean
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Leali; Sabelli, De Winter, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Badelj; Zanoli, Thorsby, Miretti; Pinamonti
We say: Fiorentina 1-0 Genoa
It should be a close-fought contest on Sunday afternoon, as Genoa can be tough to beat away from home - and they have been keeping things tight under Patrick Vieira.
Fiorentina's front line features more variety, though, and they could score a lone goal to extend their recent upturn.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
