Fiorentina will welcome Roma to the Stadio Artemio Franchi in their penultimate Serie A match of the season on Saturday.
The hosts are unbeaten in their last two league outings and played out a 1-1 draw against Torino last time around. Luka Jović broke the deadlock just three minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute but in-form striker Antonio Sanabria equalized for Torino in the 66th minute.
Fiorentina played in the Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan on Wednesday, suffering a 2-1 defeat. Nicolás González gave Fiorentina a bright start with a third-minute goal but his Argentina teammate Lautaro Martinez bagged a first-half brace to help his team retain the trophy.
Roma's winless run in Serie A was extended to six games last week as they played a 2-2 draw against Salernitana on Monday. Second-half goals from Stephan El Shaarawy and Nemanja Matić helped them come back from behind twice as they remained in sixth place in the league table.
Jose Mourinho's men play Sevilla in the UEFA Europa League final on Wednesday, so he might opt for a second-fiddle squad in this match.
Fiorentina vs Roma Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have a long-standing rivalry and have squared off 192 times in all competitions since 1931. The clash between them is sometimes referred to as the Derby of Central Italy.
- The visitors have the upper hand in the head-to-head record with 68 wins while the hosts are not far behind with 58 wins. The spoils have been shared 66 times between them.
- Roma have won six of their last seven matches against Fiorentina in all competitions.
- The hosts are unbeaten in their last seven league games at Sunday's venue.
- Roma have scored at least two goals in seven of their last eight matches against Fiorentina in all competitions.
- The hosts have outscored the visitors 48-47 in the league this season, who have the better defensive record, conceding six goals fewer (35).
Fiorentina vs Roma Prediction
Both teams have endured packed schedules this month, so fatigue will certainly play a role in this match. The Viola will be playing their fourth game in nine days on Saturday, so head coach Vincenzo Italiano will need to rotate his squad smartly.
They are unbeaten in their last seven home games, recording wins in their last two matches while also keeping clean sheets. They recorded a 2-0 win at Saturday's venue last season.
The Giallorossi will play their fourth game in 13 days and just four days after this league meeting, they take part in the Europa League final. That game will take precedence over the routine league game against the hosts and key players are expected to be rested by Mourinho.
With that in mind, Fiorentina, who also have home advantage, should be able to record a narrow win.
Prediction: Fiorentina 2-1 Roma
Fiorentina vs Roma Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Fiorentina to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the first half - Yes
Tip 4: Arthur Cabral to score or assist anytime - Yes