Fiorentina go into the new year sitting in second place in Serie A, just one point behind league leaders Inter and two above their arch-rivals and reigning champions, Juventus. Supporters are in full party mode right now and the Viola are in their very own winter wonderland.
Not many would have predicted such a start to the season, in fact, they were tipped to be sitting at mid-table, or even worse come December, after the departure of several key players during the summer.
Out went the likes of Stefan Savic, David Pizarro, Mario Gomez, Joaquin and coach Vincenzo Montella, men who had helped raised the club from the ashes, and in came the controversial former Juventus midfielder Paulo Sousa as Montella’s replacement, alongside a relatively unknown Croatian striker and only one centre back.
Things looked considerably bleak before the first ball had even been kicked.
Instead, what we have since witnessed, has been nothing short of fantastic. Sousa has grabbed his team by its horns and driven them up the charts, bringing his enticing style of football with him whilst creating the perfect mix of youthful and experienced players, earning him the immediate respect of the supporters.
Gone are the days of simple tika-taka football, a more direct style of play is what Sousa wants and it has had a fantastic effect, bringing out the best from several squad members.
To name just a few players, Matias Vecino and Federico Bernardeschi have come to life in this ‘new’ Fiorentina team, Davide Astori and even Milan Badelj too look to be going through ‘a second youth’. A genuine sense of unity can be felt within the squad.
To use a cliche of sorts, Fiorentina are undergoing yet another renaissance.
Like all teams, there have been a few bumps in the road, including a loss in their first round of the Coppa Italia to league minnows Carpi, and a ragged ride in the Europa League that left them waiting for the last match in the group to decide their fate abroad, but these results should prove as
Best player
Without a shadow of a doubt, Fiorentina’s best player so far has been Borja Valero. The Spaniard has always been one of the side’s key members since joining the club in 2012, though suffered somewhat of a dip in form last season under Montella, as he seemed to peter out towards the end of many a match. However, he now looks rejuvenated under Sousa and is the absolute driving force of the team, having played almost every minute thus far.
Valero may only have two goals and two assists to his name at the time being, but he is arguably one of the best midfielders throughout the entire peninsula, holding one of the highest successful passing rates and 2.3 key passes per game, which goes to show the huge contribution that he provides for La Viola.
Highlight so far
The team holds the highest scoring record in the league, so it’s a tough call to pick out the best goal or run of play.
The award will however, have to go yet another Spanish international, Marcos Alonso. The left-wing-back kicked off Fiorentina’s campaign with a delightful free-kick in a 2-0 win at home to AC Milan on the opening day.
The goal epitomises the Viola’s season so far. Nobody expected it and yet it was one of the most impressive goals as of recent in a purple shirt. Not only that, but it came from one of the least likely players, whom the majority of fans were sceptical about prior to the start of the season.
In at a close second is the astounding 4-1 victory against Inter at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, making Fiorentina the only squad to have put more than two goals past the tight Nerazzurri defence, as of yet.
Transfer Hit
Nikola Kalinic is undoubtedly the signing of the summer. The former Blackburn Rovers man went under the radar after moving to Ukrainian side Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in 2011, despite holding a high goal scoring tally, though has now kicked his career back into full swing and has been instrumental in the Viola’s rise to the top, proving himself to be one of the league’s most prolific strikers with 10 goals to his name so far.
His goals have brought comparisons to Fiorentina’s former number 9, Gabriel Batistuta and has also produced hope once more for the residents of the side’s Curva Fiesole.
Transfer Flop
On the other side of the coin is Mario Suarez. In contrast to Kalinic, Suarez came to Florence with a huge reputation after having departed from Spanish champions, Atletico Madrid. The 28-year-old was expected to play as Sousa’s ideal ‘destructive’ midfielder, yet has instead spent the majority of his days on the bench after failing to impress whatsoever and could now even been on his way out come January.
The 28-year-old was expected to play as Sousa’s ideal ‘destructive’ midfielder, yet has instead spent the majority of his days on the bench after failing to impress whatsoever and could now even been on his way out come January.
What next?
Fiorentina need to spend their money. And lots of it.
While it would obviously be unwise to splash the cash on additional and useless players, there are one or two positions that need shoring up if the club want to count themselves as a team worthy of finishing in the Champions League spots and potentially further down the line, as Scudetto contenders.
For starters, an extra defender needs to be brought in, Gonzalo Rodriguez and Davide Astori are working like engines at the back and are putting in the hardest shift of their lives, with no one left to back them up should they – touch wood – become injured or simply worn out, something which leaves a real worry.
Additionally, an extra attacking midfielder would serve the team well, as Sousa remains reluctant to field Giuseppe Rossi and Matias Fernandez, leaving Josip Ilicic and Nikola Kalinic as the only true forwards left in the squad.
Whilst having beaten the two Milan clubs rather convincingly, Fiorentina have failed to defeat the likes of Napoli, Roma and Juventus and in order to do so then a player of real quality is going to need to be brought in to make the difference and add some depth to the squad.
Owners, Andrea and Diego Della Valle have promised numerous gifts come January, which will hopefully come in the form of high potential (or even well established) players, though Sousa will, of course, know what is best for his team and should he continue the way he has started, then the supporters are definitely in for a thrilling second half of the season.
