Preview:Fiorentina vs Bologna – prediction, team news, lineups

Yet to win in Serie A this season, Fiorentina will again try to get off the mark as they face their former coach on Sunday, when Bologna pay a visit to Stadio Franchi.

The Derby dell’Appennino takes place with the home side stuck in the drop zone, while their old foes are flying high in the standings.

Match preview

With just three points on the board, Fiorentina have failed to win any of their first seven Serie A fixtures, and the last time that happened was way back in 1977.

Last week’s defeat to AC Milan was another case of what might have been, as the Viola again took the lead before conceding twice – they had previously suffered the same fate at home to Roma.

The Tuscan club have failed to pick up a point in Florence so far, though they did just end a five-match winless streak across all competitions by beating Rapid Vienna 3-0 in Austria.

Veteran striker Edin Dzeko was among the scorers on Thursday evening, relieving a little pressure; but with his only wins arriving in the Conference League, head coach Stefano Pioli has an uncertain future.

After losing his 500th Serie A match to former club Milan, he now faces another reunion this weekend, when Fiorentina will aim to repeat their last league win at the Franchi: 3-2 against Bologna, back in May.

Having won 10 and lost just one of their last 14 home games against the Rossoblu – keeping nine clean sheets in the process – at least history will be on their side.

While Pioli coached Bologna from October 2011 to the start of 2014, their current boss Vincenzo Italiano more recently led Fiorentina to two Conference League finals, before swapping Tuscany for Emilia-Romagna.

His side failed to make much of an impact on the Champions League last season, but they got their first Europa League win at the third attempt on Thursday, boosting hopes of reaching the knockout playoffs.

Early goals from Jens Odgaard and Thijs Dallinga proved enough to beat Romania’s FCSB, with a 2-1 victory making it three wins on the spin across all competitions.

Either side of the last international break, Bologna had put four past Pisa and two past Cagliari without conceding, taking them onto 13 points from their first seven Serie A matches. 

That represents the Emilian club’s best start to a top-flight campaign since 2002, leaving Italiano in a far stronger position than Pioli coming into this Derby dell’Appennino.

Fiorentina Serie A form:

D L L D L L

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

L D W L L W

Bologna Serie A form:

W L W D W W

Bologna form (all competitions):

L D D W W W

Team News

Both teams made several changes in midweek, but either side will select their strongest available XI on Sunday.

Fiorentina rested star striker Moise Kean in the Conference League, but he should return to partner either Albert Gudmundsson or Roberto Piccoli up front, with 39-year-old Dzeko dropping to the bench.

Tariq Lamptey and Christian Kouame are the Viola’s confirmed absentees – albeit the latter has finally returned to full training after an ACL injury – while Amir Richardson is struggling with a back problem.

Meanwhile, Bologna will only be missing Ciro Immobile, leaving plenty of options to choose from across the pitch.

Riccardo Orsolini – scorer of five Serie A goals this season; as many as Fiorentina – has found the net in his last four league games and will be a reference point on the right flank.

Either Dallinga or Santiago Castro is set to lead an in-form attack, which Italiano is expected to watch from afar – the Rossoblu’s head coach was recently hospitalised by pneumonia.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Pongracic, Mari, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Nicolussi Caviglia, Fagioli, Gosens; Gudmundsson, Kean

Bologna possible starting lineup:

Skorupski; Holm, Vitik, Lucumi, Miranda; Freuler, Ferguson; Orsolini, Bernardeschi, Cambiaghi; Castro

We say: Fiorentina 2-2 Bologna 

Both sides had to travel during the week, so there may be a slightly sluggish start to proceedings in Florence.

With Fiorentina desperate for a first league win, though, they will eventually have to pick up the pace; so it could end in an entertaining score draw.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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