Lucas Beltran and M’bala Nzola both start up front for Fiorentina against Lecce in Serie A on Friday evening, while new signing Andrea Belotti could make his Viola debut off the bench after arriving on loan from Roma at the end of the January transfer window.
The 23rd round of Serie A fixtures kicks off at 19.45 GMT on Friday evening, as Lecce host Fiorentina , who could move into the Champions League positions with a win at the Stadio Giardiniero.
The hosts will have to do without the suspended Ylber Ramadani and the injured Kastriot Dermaku, but Lameck Banda is back and returns to the starting XI after Zambia’s elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Banda comes in alongside Pontus Almqvist on the wing, who will support Nikola Krstovic in the centre-forward position.
Fiorentina have opted to name two natural centre-forwards, but Beltran is expected to play slightly deeper to allow Nzola to push on in the no.9 role. Giacomo Bonaventura, and Riccardo Sottil will make up the rest of the attacking numbers.
Vincenzo Italiano has decided to drop Nico Gonzalez to the bench in order to facilitate his rotated attacking line-up.
Davide Faraoni will start at right-back over Michael Kayode. This will be his third Serie A appearance for Fiorentina since joining from Hellas Verona in January.
Lecce (4-3-3): Falcone; Gendrey, Pongracic, Baschirotto, Gallo; Kaba, Blin, Oudin; Almqvist, Kristovic, Banda.
Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Terracciano; Faraoni, Martinez Quatra, Ranieri, Biraghi; M. Lopez, Duncan; Bonaventura, Beltran, Sottil; Nzola.
Player statistic
15' | Lucas Martínez Quarta | |||
Rémi Oudin | 17' |
Pontus Almqvist | 50' | |||
50' | Rolando Mandragora | |||
67' | Lucas Beltrán | |||
72' | Luca Ranieri | |||
Lameck Banda | 77' | |||
Valentin Gendrey | 83' | |||
Roberto Piccoli | 90' | |||
Patrick Dorgu | 90+2' | |||
90' | Nico González |