In the race for European qualification, the Fiorentina side, under Raffaele Palladino, finds itself eyeing a competitive cluster of six teams spread over a mere six points. The Bologna side currently sits in the Champions League spot with 53 points, while Milan lurks at the ninth position with 47 points, closely tailing the Viola. If Fiorentina harbours ambitions of securing a European berth—regardless of their Conference League exploits—they’ll need to minimise mistakes over the next nine league matches, with a pressing need to up their game on the road, as it is away from the Franchi that they have faltered and allowed rivals to claw back.
Fortress at Home
So far, it’s at home where Kean and his teammates have truly made their mark, racking up a commendable points tally. Noteworthy victories against the likes of Inter, Milan, Juventus, Lazio, and Roma highlight this stronghold. As they prepare to face Atalanta, they will need to maintain the momentum in a ground that has proven to be a veritable fortress, despite the structural challenges of the stadium. With 30 points earned at home, Fiorentina ranks fifth in the home standings, shadowing only Inter, Napoli, Bologna, and Roma—sitting tantalisingly ahead of Juventus, Milan, Lazio, and Atalanta. There’s little to grumble about a team that has seldom faltered on its home turf, having recorded an impressive streak that included eight consecutive wins earlier in the season and three victories in its last four outings.
A Need for Change on the Road
Conversely, the external performances bring concern, as a haul of just 18 points has left the Viola languishing in eighth place in the away rankings, looking up at the likes of Atalanta, Inter, Napoli, Lazio, Juventus, Bologna, and Milan. The upcoming match at San Siro against Milan on April 5 presents a pivotal moment where they must arrest a troubling trend; they enter this clash having suffered three defeats in a row to Napoli, Verona, and Inter, leading to four losses in their last five matches and even five in seven.
Calendar Considerations
Given the interactions among rivals in the approaching weeks, the path to Europe will heavily hinge on their away performances, with a daunting five of the remaining nine fixtures taking place outside Florence. While the home squad faces Atalanta, Parma, Empoli, and Bologna, they are set to tackle Milan, Cagliari, Roma, Venice, and Udinese away from the welcoming embrace of the Franchi, necessitating that Fiorentina gathers vital points on the road to reignite their quest for a place in next year’s Europa League—or perhaps even a Champions League dream.
