Separated by two points in the early Serie A standings, Frosinone and Fiorentina meet at Stadio Benito Stirpe on Thursday evening.
The two teams head into Italy's midweek round inside the top half of the table, and both will be aiming to consolidate their good start.
Match preview
© Reuters
Following last Thursday's eventful Europa Conference League draw in Genk, Fiorentina had little time to rest and recover before they were on the road again, travelling north to Udine for Sunday's Serie A fixture.
Securing back-to-back league wins, the Viola took all three points off luckless hosts Udinese, scoring with their only two shots on target - through Lucas Martinez Quarta and Giacomo Bonaventura, the latter of whom sealed the deal during second-half stoppage time.
Having clearly recovered from a 4-0 thumping by leaders Inter just before the international break, Fiorentina moved onto 10 points as a result of their latest victory - the Tuscan club's best tally after five matches since 2015.
Vincenzo Italiano will want his team to keep their foot on the accelerator during the next few days, as two games against promoted opponents seem to provide the perfect opportunity to stay among Serie A's early pace-setters.
Before they tackle Cagliari next Monday, Fiorentina head to Frosinone's Stadio Stirpe, where they have yet to win a top-flight match - albeit they have drawn on both previous visits.
Two wins out of three away from home suggests Italiano's men may be more resilient on the road this season, having previously struggled to produce consistent results outside of Florence, and they will expect to burst their hosts' bubble by winning again on Thursday.
© Reuters
While Fiorentina have already reached double figures, Frosinone have earned a commendable total of eight points from their first five games since gaining promotion as Serie B champions.
After an understandable opening day defeat to Scudetto-holders Napoli, home victories over Atalanta and Sassuolo saw Eusebio Di Francesco's side score six goals, and they have also held Udinese and Salernitana to away draws.
The latter game featured an opening strike by Simone Romagnoli - Frosinone's sixth different Serie A goalscorer this season - but conceding a second-half equaliser ultimately deprived them of maximum points.
Nonetheless, the Canarini could now win three consecutive home matches for only the second time in Italy's top flight - previously doing so in 2015 - which would further boost their credentials as mid-table hopefuls rather than relegation scrappers.
If Napoli loanee Walid Cheddira can start scoring regularly - the Moroccan striker netted 22 goals for Bari last season - there is every chance the Gialloblu can continue to thrive throughout their comeback campaign; but facing Fiorentina and Roma in the next week will certainly test their mettle.
- L
- W
- D
- W
- D
- W
- D
- L
- W
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Joining Gaetano Castrovilli on the long road to recovery from an ACL injury, Fiorentina full-back Dodo was taken off in tears during last week's win over Udinese and is now set to spend several months on the sidelines.
Therefore, teenager Michael Kayode - scorer of the winning goal for Italy in this year's UEFA European Under-19 Championship - should start on the right side of the Viola's back four.
While attacking talisman Nicolas Gonzalez may be passed fit in time to feature at Stadio Stirpe, Colombian centre-back Yerry Mina remains on the treatment table, but Vincenzo Italiano has no other major absentees to contend with.
Maxime Lopez could continue in midfield after making his suspension-delayed debut on Sunday, joining Giacomo Bonaventura in the visitors' starting XI: having posted three goals and two assists already this term, the latter is the only midfielder to have been involved in at least five goals for each of the last five Serie A seasons.
Meanwhile, Frosinone will be without midfield duo Abdou Harroui and Francesco Gelli in midweek, while Pol Lirola's participation is in doubt due to a muscular problem.
Eusebio Di Francesco has kept a settled defensive line ahead of goalkeeper Stefano Turati so far this season, and Frosinone are the only team in Serie A with three defenders who have played every minute of the first five matchdays - Riccardo Marchizza, Anthony Oyono and Simone Romagnoli.
Atalanta loanee Caleb Okoli should join them in the hosts' back four, while Walid Cheddira leads the line up front - supported by Juventus youngster Matias Soule.
Frosinone possible starting lineup:
Turati; Oyono, Okoli, Romagnoli, Marchizza; Mazzitelli, Barrenechea, Garritano; Soule, Cheddira, Baez
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Terracciano; Kayode, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi; Arthur, Lopez; Kouame, Bonaventura, Sottil; Beltran
We say: Frosinone 2-2 Fiorentina
Frosinone have averaged over two goals per game on home turf this term, so should be expected to score at least once against a hit-and-miss Fiorentina side being tested by an intense schedule. Amid a run of six games in 17 days, the Viola may slip up at Stadio Stirpe, where their hosts have proved impressive so far.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
