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Fiorentina and AS Roma clash at the Artemio Franchi Stadium on Sunday afternoon in what promises to be a captivating Serie A encounter.The Viola are desperately seeking their first league victory of t...

Fiorentina vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news

Fiorentina and AS Roma clash at the Artemio Franchi Stadium on Sunday afternoon in what promises to be a captivating Serie A encounter.

The Viola are desperately seeking their first league victory of the season, while the Giallorossi aim to maintain their impressive start under new coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Fiorentina vs AS Roma – Match preview and team news

Date: 5th October, Sunday
Kick-off: 2pm BST
Venue: Stadio Artemio Franchi, Firenze

Fiorentina team news

Stefano Pioli’s side will be missing defender Tariq Lamptey, who is sidelined until late October following surgery after suffering an ACL injury against Como in September. The Ghana international had only recently joined the club from Brighton but his season has been cut short by the devastating knee injury.

Christian Kouamé remains unavailable due to a cruciate ligament injury, while Simon Sohm is also doubtful with a foot problem. Pioli otherwise has nearly a full squad from which to choose, with Moise Kean expected to lead the line despite his goalless start to the Serie A campaign. The Italian striker has taken 17 shots in five matches but has yet to find the net in the league.

Albert Gudmundsson and Rolando Mandragora provide creativity and energy in midfield, with the latter being Fiorentina’s top scorer this season with two goals. David de Gea continues between the posts as the experienced goalkeeper looks to keep his first clean sheet at home in Serie A this season.

AS Roma team news

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma will welcome back Paulo Dybala, who trained this week and is included in the squad. The Argentine playmaker’s absence was a blow to Roma’s attacking creativity. Dybala might not be included in the starting XI but could play a part in the game as a substitute as he works his way back to full fitness.

Leon Bailey remains unavailable due to a persistent muscle injury that has prevented him from making his debut since joining from Aston Villa. Edoardo Bove continues to be sidelined due to heart issues with no clear timeline for his return.

Mario Hermoso and Wesley have both returned to fitness and are available for selection. Artem Dovbyk ended his goal drought with a strike against Hellas Verona and will lead the attack, competing with Evan Ferguson for the central striker position. Matias Soulé has been in excellent form, contributing two goals and an assist in five Serie A appearances.

Form

Fiorentina: DLLDW

The Viola have endured a nightmare start to their Serie A campaign, collecting just three points from five matches, leaving them 16th in the table. Pioli’s side are yet to register a victory in the league, having drawn three and lost two of their opening fixtures. Their most recent outings included a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Como and a frustrating 0-0 draw against Pisa.

However, Fiorentina showed signs of improvement with a 2-0 victory over Sigma Olomouc in the UEFA Conference League, with Roberto Piccoli and Cher Ndour finding the net. Pioli acknowledged after the match: “Victories help, that’s for sure. We played a good game, controlled the pace”.

AS Roma: LWWWL

Roma sit third in Serie A with 12 points from five matches, level with AC Milan and Napoli. Gasperini’s side have shown impressive resilience, winning four of their five league fixtures with their only defeat coming against Torino in a tight 1-0 loss.

The Giallorossi’s defensive solidity has been their hallmark, conceding just one goal in five Serie A matches and keeping four clean sheets. Their recent 2-0 victory over Hellas Verona demonstrated their clinical nature, while they also claimed a crucial derby victory over Lazio earlier in the campaign.

Roma suffered a setback in European competition with a 1-0 defeat to Lille in the Europa League, where they remarkably missed three spot kicks in the space of a few minutes. Gasperini lamented: “I’ve never experienced this before, missing three penalties in a single match”.