Fiorentina take on the visitors Udinese in the round 17 match of Italian Serie A. The match will be played on Monday, December 23rd at Stadio Artemio Franchi (Florence).
Fiorentina can credit their previous coach, Vincenzo Italiano, for revitalizing the team. He took over a club that was stuck in mid-table mediocrity and led them to notable achievements, such as an 8th-place finish in Serie A and a UEFA Europa Conference League final in the 2022/2023 season. However, after back-to-back seasons with similar results, including another loss in an international final (this time against Olympiacos), the club's management decided to make a change. Raffaele Palladino, the former Monza manager, was brought in during the summer. While his tenure has had its ups and downs—such as narrowly advancing past Puskás Akadémia on penalties in the Conference League qualifiers and an early Coppa Italia exit against Empoli—the team has shown promise this fall. Fiorentina is competing strongly both domestically and internationally, with a legitimate chance of securing a top-four finish in Serie A, despite the absence of midfielder Bove due to health issues. That said, their recent 1-1 draw with Bologna, where their opponent scored the only goal, was a disappointment after a string of victories.
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Udinese has long been known for consistently battling relegation without descending into a full-blown crisis. Last season, they narrowly avoided the drop, finishing just a couple of points and spots ahead of relegated Frosinone. The club hired a new coach, Nenad Bjelica, in the summer, who led the team to an impressive start with 10 points from their first four matches. However, Udinese's early-season form has often been followed by a prolonged slump, and this campaign is no exception. While the team has managed occasional wins to stay afloat in the table, their form has been inconsistent. In December, they pulled off an impressive away win against Monza, but subsequent losses to Napoli and Inter exposed their limitations.
In 2023, Fiorentina defeated Udinese twice with identical 2-0 scorelines. However, their January meeting ended in an exciting 2-2 draw. There’s little to suggest that the visitors can cause an upset. Udinese appears to be weaker overall, while Fiorentina’s players are likely motivated to rebound after their recent slip-up against Bologna. Expect the Viola to claim victory.
Prediction for the match: Fiorentina to win.
