Today’s Serie A matches kick off with Fiorentina against Sassuolo, before Spezia host Empoli, Hellas Verona travel to Torino and Sampdoria face Venezia.
The Viola’s clash against an attacking Sassuolo side kicks off at 11:30am UK time.
Vincenzo Italiano’s side could rise to fifth in the league table with a win over the Ligurian side today, with electric forward Dusan Vlahovic diving the team to the European qualification spots.
Fiorentina have four players out – Gaetano Castrovilli, Erick Pulgar, Matija Nastasic and Bartlomiej Dragowski are all absent, forcing Italiano to find alternative solutions in a few positions.
Sassuolo coach Alessio Dionisi has less players sidelined – Pedro Obiang, Filippo Romagna and Filip Djuricic are all unavailable for the match.
Spezia will then host Empoli at 2pm UK time today.
Thiago Motta is looking to turn his team’s season around with a win against the recently promoted side, as they currently only sit two points ahead of relegation candidates Genoa.
The Ligurian side are without four players, with Daniele Verde, Eddie Salcedo, Jacopo Sala, Leo Sena all sidelined through injury.
Things are significantly less dire for Empoli, with only Nicolas Haas absent due to a torn knee ligament.
A win for Empoli this afternoon would see them leapfrog Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio in the table, rising to eighth.
An inconsistent Torino side will face Hellas Verona at 5pm UK time this afternoon.
Both sides are mingling around the mid-table and a win for either side does little to change their position, although both sides are still looking to close out 2021 in the best way regardless.
Granata coach Ivan Juric, who is facing his former side for the first time this campaign, will be without talismanic forward Andrea Belotti, with Koffi Djidji, Ben Lhassine Kone and Simone Verdi all also absent.
Things are no easier for Igor Tudor as Pawel Dawidowicz, Koray Gunter, Nikola Kalinic and Gianluca Frabotta are all out injured.
Verona have only won one of their last four league outings, so they’ll look to return to winning ways against their former coach this afternoon.
A sluggish Venezia side travel to Liguria to face Sampdoria this afternoon at 5pm UK time.
Both sides are dangerously close to the relegation spots, so a win today for either side could be key ahead of the second half of the season.
Roberto D’Aversa’s side are mostly healthy, although exciting winger Mikkel Damsgaard is out with thigh problems.
The recently promoted Arancioneroverdi have a slightly more reduced squad, with Ridgeciano Haps, David Okereke and captain Marco Modolo all unavailable due to various injuries.
Venezia haven’t beaten Sampdoria in the Italian topflight since December 1962, with their most recent meeting coming in April 1999.
Probable line-ups
Fiorentina vs Sassuolo (11.30 UK time) – Full Preview
Fiorentina (4-3-3): Terracciano; Odriozola, Milenkovic, Martinez-Quarta, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Torreira, Duncan; Callejon, Vlahovic, Gonzalez.
Sassuolo (4-3-3): Consigli; Toljan, Chiriches, Ferrari, Rogerio; Frattesi, Lopez, Henrique; Berardi, Scamacca, Raspadori.
Spezia vs Empoli (14.00 UK time) – Full Preview
Spezia (3-5-2): Provedel; Amian, Erlic, Nikolau; Gyasi, Kovalenko, Bourabia, Maggiore, Reca; Manaj, Nzola.
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Vicario; Stojanovic, Tonelli, Luperto, Parisi; Henderson, Ricci, Bandinelli; Bajrami; Cutrone, Pinamonti.
Torino vs Hellas Verona (17.00 UK time) – Full Preview
Torino (3-4-2-1): Milinkovic-Savic; Zima, Bremer, Rodriguez; Singo, Lukic, Pobega, Vojvoda; Praet, Pjaca; Sanabria.
Verona (3-4-1-2): Montipò; Casale, Ceccherini, Magnani; Faraoni, Ilic, Tameze, Lazovic; Barak, Caprari; Simeone.
Sampdoria vs Venezia (17.00 UK time) – Full Preview
Sampdoria (4-4-2): Audero; Bereszynski, Yoshida, Colley, Augello; Candreva, Adrien Silva, Ekdal, Thorsby; Gabbiadini, Caputo.
Venezia (4-3-3): Romero; Ebuehi, Caldara, Ceccaroni, Molinaro; Kiyine, Ampadu, Busio; Aramu, Henry, Johnsen.