La Viola play host to Cagliari at the Artemio Franchi on Sunday and will be keen to maintain their perfect start to the campaign. Montella will be hoping his side can maintain pace with scudetto favourites Juventus and Napoli. The former face a potential banana skin in the shape of Walter Mazzari's Inter in Saturday's Derby d'Italia. A defeat for the champions could see the likes of Fiorentina create a gap between themselves and Juve, albeit after only 3 games.
Lopez on the other hand will want his side to keep it tight at the back after their loss to AC Milan in the previous round. He can call upon the defensive qualities of Davide Astori and the holding midfielder, Radja Nainggolan, both of whom were subject to much speculation during the summer transfer window. Up front, the Islanders will look to Mauricio Pinilla to not only act as a focal point for the attacks but also put pressure on Fiorentina's defenders when his side are in the defensive phase. He will most likely be partnered by Marco Sau, who had a breakout season for Cagliari in 2012-2013.
Fiorentina will be without Manuel Pasqual after the wingback took an elbow to the face from former Lazio striker Libor Kozak in Italy's World Cup Qualifier against the Czech Republic in Turin on Tuesday. Expect Marcos Alonso to take his place in the side. Meanwhile, Juan Cuadrado looks set to return to the starting line-up after missing the match away at Genoa due to a calf strain. The Colombian has been excellent since joining Fiorentina last term and Montella will expect him to pose problems with his speed and skill for the opposition on Sunday.
If the last 5 meetings between these sides are anything to go by then we can expect a tense and tight affair. Fiorentina have the edge with two victories to Cagliari's one, with only the Florentines' victory in November 2012 seeing a margin of victory of more than one goal. Fiorentina triumphed 4-1 that night thanks to an inspired performance from Stevan Jovetic, now of Manchester City.
Probable line-ups:
Fiorentina (3-5-2): Neto, Savic, Rodriguez, Compper, Cuadrado , Aquilani, Pizzaro, Valero, Alonso, Rossi, Gomez
Cagliari (4-3-1-2): Agazzi, Dessena, Rossettini, Ariaudo, Murru, Cabrera, Conti, Nainggolan, Ekdal, Pinilla, Sau
Players to look:
Radja Nainggolan: With Fiorentina's guile, technique and general prowess in midfield, Diego Lopez will no doubt hand the Belgian more duties in limiting the control the likes of Borja Valero and Pizzaro have in the middle of the park. Nainggolan's aggressiveness and tactical nous to potentially unhinge the Viola midfield. But to pigeon hole Nainggolan as strictly a mediano would be foolish, he provides options in attack and has a powerful shot on him.
Giuseppe Rossi: I could've gone for a number of Fiorentina players with this, the likes of Borja Valero and Pizzaro have been spectacular this season, but it's getting increasingly difficult to ignore the goalscoring exploits of Rossi who looks to have been given a new lease of life in Florence. It's not only his goalscoring, however, but also his understanding with Mario Gomez and with very few top teams opting for a strike partnership these days, Gomez and Rossi could be the next great striking duo in European football in some time.
Prediction: Expect this to be a tight and tense affair with tackles flying in, from the away side in particular - Cagliari always look to press in midfield. But Fiorentina should have enough to win if only by the slimmest of margins.y