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It’s reaching crunch time at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Fiorentina have finished in the top four in the last two campaigns, but the question now is can they go any further than that? Do they have a squad that is capable of challenging for major honours, or have they reached their limit?
It may sound odd, but these are worrying times for Viola fans who have just seen their President step down. They’ll be delighted to be competing with the giants of Europe, as well as holding their own on the domestic front, but continued success elevates expectation. And not only for the fans, but for the players and the Coach too.
If Fiorentina have truly reached the pinnacle of what they can achieve, then certain individuals will be considering their futures. Cesare Prandelli, the key component in reversing Fiorentina’s fortunes from relegation battlers to Champions League qualifiers, is surely destined for the top, be it with the Tuscan side or without.
Prandelli has also brought in a plethora of talent to the club, many of whom are more stars of the future than heroes of today. Exciting young talents such as Stevan Jovetic and Riccardo Montolivo are sure to be courted by Europe’s finest should Fiorentina hit the ceiling and bounce back again. Felipe Melo has already left for rivals Juventus this summer, albeit for a tasty £22m.
But this week’s tie against Liverpool provides an opportunity to counter all these preoccupations. The Reds are a genuine superpower of Europe, despite not winning their domestic League title for decades. Rafael Benitez’ players bring a different mentality that suits the continental game – confirmed by their 2005 success against Milan.
Nonetheless, right now seems the best time to play the Anfield outfit, as they get to grips with the loss of Xabi Alonso. Benitez has publicly admitted, albeit before this weekend, that Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have been below par this season, whilst their miserly defence has been uncharacteristically leaking goals.
Alberto Gilardino will be a big loss for the Viola following his dismissal in Lyon, but if the attacking trio of Adrian Mutu, Juan Vargas and Jovetic can get at the likes of Carragher and Co, then Prandelli’s side have the defensive organisation to take the spoils.
Failure to beat Liverpool would make qualification to the next stage extremely difficult. However, a victory could set Fiorentina on their way, giving them a confidence boost in the short term, and raise eyebrows from Europe’s elite.
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