Viola hoping to break into the top three in Serie A this year.
Having won plaudits from across Europe last season, Fiorentina’s work in the transfer window this summer has ensured that they are now recognised as a genuine threat to Juventus.
Vincenzo Montella was left disappointed on the last day of the season last year, with AC Milan beating them to the third and final spot for the Champions League.
However, despite losing the likes of Stevan Jovetic and Adem Ljajic, they have replaced them well and look a formidable outfit for the campaign ahead.
With a midfield packed with technically gifted individuals, the Viola have developed a possession-based style of play which has thrilled not only their own fans, but the rest of Italy too.
The likes of David Pizarro, Alberto Aquilani and Borja Valero more often than not set the pace of the game and play at their own tempo, allowing Montella’s side to control proceedings which inevitably has led to comparisons with the Spanish style of football.
While Juan Cuadrado has been in fine form at the start of the season with his constant threat down the right wing, Fiorentina’s main attacking strength lies in the “little and large” duo up-front.
Giuseppe Rossi is arguably a new signing given that he was still recovering from a knee injury on his arrival back in January, and made a cameo appearance at the end of the season.
However, the headline-grabber this summer has been Mario Gomez, who decided to swap Munich for Florence and netted his first Serie A goals on the weekend in a 5-2 win at Genoa.
Rossi also grabbed a brace at the Marassi, and similarly to their more immediate rivals, there no doubts over their attacking prowess. However, an area which perhaps should have been improved is in defence, including the goalkeeper.
While the club maintain that they have faith in Brazilian stopper Neto, he can be guilty of making mistakes, and with no real defensive stars arriving this summer, Fiorentina may well be a little top-heavy.
Transfer window rating: 7/10
Probable line-up this season (3-5-2):
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