Italy - Serie A
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Played
February 5, 2012 2:00 PM GMT
Stadio Artemio Franchi — Firenze
Referee:‬ P. Mazzoleni‎
Attendance:‬ 23000‎
 
39′ (PG) Stevan Jovetic
Antonio Di Natale 14′
56′ Mattia Cassani
Gabriel Torje 89′
84′ (PG) Stevan Jovetic
 

Serie A Preview: Fiorentina - Udinese

The third-placed Bianconeri travel to Florence on Sunday hoping to secure back-to-back league victories for the first time since December against the league's 12th-ranked outfit

By Adam Wheeler

More On :  Fiorentina, Udinese, Fiorentina vs Udinese
Stevan Jovetic - Fiorentina (Getty Images)
Getty Images

 PROBABLE LINE-UPS


FIORENTINA

Boruc
 Gamberini, Nastasic, Natali
Cassani, Behrami, Montolivo, Salifu, Vargas
Amauri, Jovetic
UDINESE

Handanovic
Ferronetti, Danilo, Domizzi
Basta, Isla, Fernandes, Armero, Pasquale
Floro Flores
Di Natale

The hosts will tackle the Bianconeri without the services of Houssine Kharja, with the former Genoa midfielder representing Morocco at the Africa Cup Of Nations, while Per Kroldrup could make his first appearance of the season after the former Everton defender recovered from the knee problem that has seen him out of action since last April.

Francesco Guidolin's troops will go into Sunday's clash without Giampiero Pinzi, with the former Lazio youth still suffering from a calf complaint, while the Bianconeri will also be without Kwadwo Asamoah, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu and Mehdi Benatia, with the trio still on international duty at the Afcon.

However, the visitors will be boosted by the return of Pablo Armero after the Columbia international served his one-match suspension in the midweek victory over Lecce.



 DID YOU KNOW?
  • Fiorentina have only won two of their last seven league games. 
  • All but one of the Viola's seven Serie A victories this season have come on home soil.
  • The hosts have only lost two of their home games this season.

  • Stevan Jovetic leads the club's scoring charts with 10 strikes so far this season, all of them coming in Serie A.
  • Udinese have failed to win any of their last three away games in Serie A.
  • The visitors have lost two of their last four league games on any ground.
  • The Bianconeri have only won twice away from home all season in Serie A.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Fiorentina 2-1 Udinese
    18.9 %
  • Fiorentina 0-1 Udinese
    12.6 %
  • Fiorentina 1-2 Udinese
    8.66 %
Head to Head
Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Feb 5, 2012 Fiorentina 3 - Udinese 2
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Sep 18, 2011 Udinese 2 - Fiorentina 0
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ May 1, 2011 Fiorentina 5 - Udinese 2
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Dec 11, 2010 Udinese 2 - Fiorentina 1
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Italy - Serie A ‎(ITA1)‎ Mar 28, 2010 Fiorentina 4 - Udinese 1
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Last Five Matches
Fiorentina
May 13, 2012Fiorentina 0 - Cagliari 0ITA1
May 5, 2012Lecce 0 - Fiorentina 1ITA1
May 2, 2012Fiorentina 2 - Novara 2ITA1
Apr 29, 2012Atalanta 2 - Fiorentina 0ITA1
Apr 25, 2012Roma 1 - Fiorentina 2ITA1
Udinese
May 13, 2012Catania 0 - Udinese 2ITA1
May 6, 2012Udinese 2 - Genoa 0ITA1
May 2, 2012Cesena 0 - Udinese 1ITA1
Apr 29, 2012Udinese 2 - Lazio 0ITA1
Apr 25, 2012Udinese 1 - FC Internazionale 3ITA1
Odds
Returns: Fiorentina £22.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £70.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Udinese £460.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
1Artur BorucGoalkeeper
5Alessandro GamberiniDefender
14Cesare NataliDefender
15Matija NastasicDefender
16Mattia CassaniDefender
23Manuel PasqualDefender
-Riccardo MontolivoMidfielder
21Andrea LazzariMidfielder
85Valon BehramiMidfielder
8Stevan JoveticStriker
11AmauriStriker
89Neto Goalkeeper
6Juan Manuel VargasDefender
19FelipeDefender
92Rômulo Defender
17Amidu SalifuMidfielder
22Adem LjajicMidfielder
7Alessio CerciStriker
1Samir HandanoviçGoalkeeper
3Mauricio IslaMidfielder
8Dušan BastaDefender
11Maurizio DomizziDefender
17Mehdi BenatiaDefender
27Pablo ArmeroDefender
32Damiano FerronettiDefender
4Michele PazienzaMidfielder
16Gelson FernandesMidfielder
10Antonio Di NataleStriker
83Antonio Floro FloresStriker
21Daniele PadelliGoalkeeper
13NeutonDefender
16Andrea CodaDefender
26Giovanni PasqualeDefender
23Almen AbdiMidfielder
25Gabriel TorjeMidfielder
31Diego FabbriniStriker
Players to Watch
Stevan Jovetic
Stevan Jovetic
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 8
Games Goals YC RC
27 14 3 0
The Montenegro international has been in great form for the Viola this season after recovering from the cruciate ligament injury that saw the youngster miss the whole of the last campaign. The former Partizan forward has already netted 10 league goals so far this term and, with three of them coming in his last five encounters, he will be hoping that his good form continues for the visit of the Bianconeri.
Antonio Di Natale
Antonio Di Natale
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 10
Games Goals YC RC
36 23 2 0
The former Empoli forward has been superb for the visitors this term, with 15 league goals ensuring that he is again the Bianconeri's leading goalscorer and, after bagging five in his last five appearances, which included the winner in the midweek victory over Lecce, the Italy international will be looking to strike again on Sunday afternoon. 
Prediction
With the Viola's impressive home form this season, along with the Bianconeri's missing several key personnel, a slender victory for the hosts seems a likely outcome.
Editor's Prediction
Fiorentina 2
Udinese 1
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Striker
Milan 		28 10
Diego Alberto Milito Diego Alberto Milito
Striker
Inter 		24 8
Antonio Di Natale Antonio Di Natale
Striker
Udinese 		23 4
Edinson Cavani Edinson Cavani
Striker
Napoli 		23 3
R. Palacio R. Palacio
Striker
Genoa 		19 3