With the end of the summer transfer window, Football Italia previews the 2021-22 Serie A campaign and what to expect from Fiorentina. Words Giancarlo Rinaldi.
La Viola begin their third season under the ownership of Rocco Commisso with the Tuscans hoping to return to Europe with new coach Vincenzo Italiano who rushed to Florence after Gennaro Gattuso parted ways with the club in the summer.
FIORENTINA TRANSFERS IN
Nico Gonzalez (S, Stuttgart), Maleh (M, Venezia), Nastasic (D, Schalke 04), Torreira (M, Arsenal), Odriozola (D, Real Madrid).
FIORENTINA TRANSFERS OUT
Eysseric (M, Kasimpasa), Maxi Olivera (D, out of contract), Borja Valero (M, retired), Ribery (S, out of contract), Caceres (D, out of contract), Barreca (D, Monaco), Malcuit (D, Napoli), Pezzella (D, Betis), Kouame (S, Anderlecht), Montiel (S, Siena), Ranieri (D, Salernitana)
PROBABLE XI
WHAT TO EXPECT
Fiorentina will be hoping it is third time lucky for Rocco Commisso in Florence after a disappointing couple of seasons in charge. A summer clear-out has freshened up the squad and – after a brief flirtation with Rino Gattuso who remains in charge for just 23 days.
A new coach is at the helm to start the latest revolution. Expect attacking intent and high intensity from a side that desperately needs to re-establish itself as a force in the top half of the Serie A table. New boy Nico Gonzalez will be expected to provide a dash of brilliance and invention now that Franck Ribery is gone.
COACH – VINCENZO ITALIANO
Vincenzo Italiano makes no apologies for being a perfectionist and even when his team is winning comfortably you can expect him to still be snapping out instructions from the sidelines. The Viola may have finally found the managerial momentum they have been lacking if he can get this squad to tick as he did with his Spezia side.
He demands his teams try to play on the front foot so there should be plenty of entertainment to come for anyone tuning in to watch the Tuscans in action this term. Whether they can sustain his tempo for a whole campaign remains to be seen.
CAPTAIN – CRISTIANO BIRAGHI
With German Pezzella heading off to la Liga it was something of a surprise – to Fiorentina fans in particular – that Cristiano Biraghi inherited the armband. A huge slice of the home support was unimpressed by the move and pretty critical of the full-back’s performances in a purple shirt.
However, he has said he is happy to take the flak if it helps the team unit to thrive. He is capable of a mean cross and a wicked free-kick – if not with the consistency everyone would wish. A winning start to the season would probably extinguish a fair bit of the tifosi’s diffidence.
PLAYER TO WATCH – DUSAN VLAHOVIC
The secret is definitely out about Dusan Vlahovic and it is up to him to confirm his explosive form of last season which attracted interested looks from across Europe. He looks like a pretty complete goalscorer already with physique, technique and attitude all allied to perfection.
He still has some rough edges to flatten out but that only makes his potential all the more enormous. If Fiorentina’s wide men can provide him with good service he could well provide another huge goal haul and, perhaps, deliver European football once more.