Hunting for first place, even if only for one night. Fiorentina are chasing a success that would bring them back in front of everyone just like 17 years ago, when Trapattoni's team at the time became winter champions. This time the Viola do not have their fate in their hands: in fact, much will depend on Inter, engaged at San Siro against Sassuolo, but also on Naples (in Frosinone) and Juventus (Genoa on the Samp side).
At any rate Franchi will dress up, in the hope that Lazio will not behave like unwanted guests. Top-ranking talks don't concern Pioli's men, currently confined to the mediocrity of a 10th place that was unthinkable at the beginning of the season and instead became a reality after the draw against Carpi, a gray 0-0 that aroused the wrath of the Olympic. “I want to see a completely different team – explained the Biancoceleste coach. – Wednesday's draw really didn't go down well, we wasted an important opportunity. Now we have another one and we have to try to win to take advantage of it”.
Needless to say, at least on paper, the great favorite of the afternoon game (18 pm) is Fiorentina. “In the last few days we have been subjected to several anti-doping controls, it seems that they consider us important – the comment of an unusually polemical Paulo Sousa. – I like Trap? Let's hope! He's had an extraordinary journey and I hope that one day people will talk about me as they do about him today. We always work to win, the boys deserve this historic result because they have shown ambition and courage".
Fiorentina and Lazio want to win, of that there is no doubt. Only the pitch will tell us who will be able to do it, with the Viola as big favorites and the Biancocelesti as annoying outsiders, a bit like in Milan with Inter. Paulo Sousa will rely on the preferred system, that 3-4-2-1 which has by now become the Viola's favorite dress. In defense, in front of Tatarusanu, there will be Roncaglia, Rodriguez and Astori, in midfield Blaszczykowski, Vecino, Badelj and Marcos Alonso, on the trocar Borja Valero and Ilicic, in attack the lone striker Kalinic.
In Pioli's 4-3-3 some changes compared to the draw with Carpi but not the debut of Bisevac, the Serbian defender who has just arrived from Lyon evidently still lagging behind his teammates. Mauricio will compose the central couple with Hoedt in defense of Berisha, with Konko and Radu on the wings. The midfield trio will see Parolo, Biglia and Milinkovic-Savic, while the attack trio shouldn't include Klose, Matri and Felipe Anderson, big players excluded in favor of Candreva, Djordjevic and Keita.
