Buoyed by their outstanding 4-1 victory away to Inter at the weekend, Fiorentina will be looking to get off the mark against Belenenses following their opening Group I game defeat at home to Basel.
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The Viola are unbeaten in their last three visits to Portugal, but Belenenses will be a tough opponent given their excellent defensive record in Europe this season. Ricardo Sa Pinto’s team are undefeated in their five European matches, and have conceded just one goal, at home to IFK Gothenburg in the third qualifying round. However, in those games they have not come up against a team that boasts the firepower possessed by Fiorentina.
Three of Belenenses’ last four European fixtures have ended 0-0, including their opening group game away to KKS Lech Poznan. Fiorentina will feel that if they can score early, they will be able to control the game and register their first win of this European campaign.
Although Fiorentina can ill-afford to drop any more points at this stage in the Group, the Viola coach, Paulo Sousa, may look to freshen things up following Sunday’s league win against Inter. Fiorentina will however be without the services of Gonzalo Rodriguez who is suspended following his dismissal against Basel. One would anticipate that at least two of Mario Suarez, Khouma Babacar, Giuseppe Rossi and Federico Bernadeschi to receive some game time in this fixture, given none of them featured against Inter.
Belenenses are currently 13th in Portugal’s Primera Liga, and Fiorentina, as Serie A leaders, should overcome them quite convincingly on current form.
The Fiorentina squad which has travelled to Belenenses is as follows: Alonso, Astori, Babacar, Badelj, Bernardeschi, Blaszczykowski, Borja Valero, Fernandez, Ilicic, Kalinic, Lezzerini, Rebic, Roncaglia, Rossi, Sepe, Suarez, Tatarusanu, Tomovic, Vecino, Verdu.
Probable starting lineup and formation:
Fiorentina (3-5-2): Sepe; Tomovic, Astori, Alonso; Blaszczykowski ,Verdù, Suarez, Fernandez, Bernardeschi; Rossi, Babacar.
Suspended: Rodriguez
Injured: Gilberto, Pasqual, Roncaglia
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