Fiorentina host Dinamo Minsk in the final Europa League game of Group K at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence on Thursday evening.
Fiorentina clinched the top spot in the group after their 2-1 win against Guingamp two weeks ago, but will be looking to extend the unbeaten run of Italian sides against opponents from Belarus which stretches to 11 matches in UEFA club competitions.
The two sides met in BATE’s Borisov Arena back in October, and the Viola ran out comfortable 3-0 winners with Alberto Aquilani, Josip Ilicic and Federico Bernardeschi getting their names on the score sheet.
The home side earned a credible 0-0 draw against league leaders Juventus in their last match Serie A and will be looking to finish their group stage campaign with a win against lowly Dinamo Minsk.
In their only previous visit to Italy, the Belarusians lost 4-1 against Lazio in the first round of the 1994/95 UEFA Cup and since then, no team from Belarus has scored in Italy in four matches since.
Dinamo have been condemned to the bottom place in the group after just one point from their five games so far shipping in 13 goals the process and scoring just once themselves.
They have been on a wretched run of five defeats from six games in all competitions; including three defeats from four in the league, a run which saw them finish 10 points behind champions BATE.
Josip Ilicic could start on Thursday in what could be his final appearance for the Viola after being heavily linked with a January move to Sampdoria amongst other clubs.
Juan Cuadrado did not suffer a major hip injury after being substituted against Juventus on Friday, though the Colombian isn’t expected to feature in the Europa League game.
Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi continues to recover the knee injury he suffered in training back in August and isn’t expected to be back before February while Marko Marin and Juan Manuel Vargas are both doubts with respective thigh injuries.
Ciprian Tatarusanu is set to keep his place in goal having started in France two weeks ago, while defender Jose Basanta is suspended after getting sent off in that game.
For Dinamo, Umaru Bangura is facing a race against time to be fit for his side’s visit to Florence.
Expected Starting XIs
Fiorentina – Tatarusanu; Richards, Tomovic, Rodriguez, Pasqual; Kurtic, Badelj, Aquilani; Ilicic, Babacar, Bernardeschi.
Dinamo Minsk – Ignatovich; Karpovich, Kontsevoi, Politevich, Veretilo; Nikolic, Simovic; Adamovic, Uldoji, Stasevic; Djedje.
