Francesco Totti, Gervinho and Juan Iturbe take on Mario Gomez and Borja Valero in tonight’s Roma–Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”5″>Roma-Fiorentina.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here for a match preview.
Francesco Totti, Gervinho and Juan Iturbe take on Mario Gomez and Borja Valero in tonight’s Roma-Fiorentina.
It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT), click here for a match preview.
Roma immediately have a point to prove if they are to be considered Scudetto favourites.
Douglas Maicon, Leandro Castan, Federico Balzaretti and Kevin Strootman are injured, so new boy Konstantinos Manolas is thrown straight into the back four alongside Davide Astori and Ashley Cole.
Iturbe starts in Rudi Garcia’s trident attack with veteran Totti and the pacey Gervinho.
Fiorentina announced this week they were keeping Juan Guillermo Cuadrado despite interest from Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
However, the Colombian is suspended for this first weekend of the season, while Giuseppe Rossi is out with another knee problem.
New signing Marko Marin still needs to settle after his loan move from Chelsea, so talented young striker Khouma Babacar gets his chance alongside veteran Gomez.
Borja Valero is in the supporting trequartista role knitting midfield and attack, but Australian Josh Brillante is a surprise pick ahead of Alberto Aquilani.
Fiorentina have lost their last four Serie A encounters with Roma, while only one of their last 13 meetings ended in a draw.
Roma: De Sanctis; Torosidis, Manolas, Astori, Cole; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Pjanic; Iturbe, Totti, Gervinho
Fiorentina: Neto; Tomovic, Rodriguez, Savic, Alonso; Brillante, Pizarro, Vargas; Borja Valero; Babacar, Gomez