Basel v Fiorentina Preview: Viola out to maintain 100 per cent European away record

Date: 24th November 2015 at 4:06pm
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fiorentina atalantaFiorentina will travel to the St. Jakob-Park in Basel on Thursday knowing that a win against the hosts will draw them level on points with the Swiss side in Group I of the Europa League.

The away side currently sit third in the Serie A table, whilst the home team are comfortably in control of the Swiss Super League, being 10 points ahead of their nearest challengers Grasshoppers Zurich after just 15 games.

Fiorentina will go into the game on the back of their first draw of the season at home to Empoli after an inspired comeback that saw them level the game after going 2-0 down.

Basel, despite being top of the league, have not won a domestic game in November, losing at home to St. Gallen and away at Grasshoppers.

FCB also know that a win will definitely guarantee them a place in the Round of 32 and even a loss could see them go through depending on the result in the other game between Belenenses and Lech Poznan.

Fiorentina coach Paulo Sousa previously led Basel to the title and a place in the Champions League last 16 in 2014-15 needs at least a draw in order to be in a favourable situation come the final fixture at home to Belenenses.

This season’s meetings between the pair are the first time in which these two have squared up against one another in European competition and the Viola will want to rectify a surprise 2-1 loss at the Artemio Franchi earlier on in the group stage.

Basel are missing Philip Degen through a shoulder injury and Serie A veteran Walter Samuel due to a muscle tear.

The only injury worries for Fiorentina are Marko Bakic and Jakub Blaszczykowski.

Form Guide: Basel (W-L-W-W) Fiorentina (W-L-W-L)

Expected Starting XIs

Basel: Vaclik; Lang, Suchy, Ivanov, Traore; Gashi, Zuffi, Kuzmanovic, Boetius; Embolo, Janko

Fiorentina: Sepe; Tomovic, G. Rodriguez, Astori; Alonso, Suarez, Vecino, Bernardeschi; Mati Fernandez, Ilicic; Rossi

 

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