Richards out for 10 days, Vargas over two weeks

Fiorentina did manage a much-needed win against Empoli yesterday, but the victory also left the Viola short on defenders ahead of Thursday's return leg against Sevilla. Micah Richards was substituted in the second half after complaining of a leg problem, and his injury has been diagnosed as a strained thigh. The Englishman was starting in the place of the injured Nenad Tomovic, who will not be fit for Thursday either. Juan Vargas has a more complicated issue, playing through discomfort at the weekend to find that he has a small tear on a tendon in his right leg, and will have to undergo physical therapy for two weeks before returning to the practice field.

While Marcos Alonso or Manuel Pasqual were always the likely starters for Thursday ahead of Vargas, the loss of Richards forces Vincenzo Montella's hand a bit tactically. Without any first choice right backs, the Fiorentina "mister" will almost certainly start with a 3-5-2 with Joaquin working the right flank.