Viola Nation - Fiorentina vs Slovan Liberec 2016/2017A Fiorentina blog for Viola fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50059/viola-fav.png2016-11-03T23:02:12+01:00http://www.violanation.com/rss/stream/132562152016-11-03T23:02:12+01:002016-11-03T23:02:12+01:00Fiorentina 3-0 Slovan Liberec: Full time and highlights
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<img alt="ACF Fiorentina v FC Slovan Liberec - UEFA Europa League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5-Z7ulIOvQt9RR8Ku1qp9A9Bx0o=/0x0:2997x1998/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51666127/620907900.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dispatched with aplomb. | Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Well, that pretty much wraps up first place in Group J for the Viola. Let’s call this a solid day.</p> <h3 id="yXjLHr">First half</h3>
<p id="v2fIXI">In the 30th minute, Josip Ilicic cut back in the box and drew the foul, then coolly placed the penalty right down the middle to give Fiorentina the lead.</p>
<div id="Y0zfzP"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ypLKBbdG-sE?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<p id="Lt6Jji">2 minutes before halftime, Nikola Kalinic doubled the advantage by latching onto a long ball and, after some shambolic defending, rounded the keeper and slotted home.</p>
<div id="aJ6DPn"><div><div style="left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z9WCz69nGfk?wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" style="top: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div></div></div>
<h3 id="NMCUgM">Second half</h3>
<p id="EKeuYa">Borja Valero played a pass to Sebastian Cristoforo in the 73rd minute which the Uruguyan lashed into the bottom corner for his first-ever Fiorentina goal.</p>
<h3 id="XN5sDy">Full time</h3>
<p id="Io06Jo">The Viola never really looked like conceding, and never really got out of 3rd gear going forward; basically, they made Slovan Liberec look like minnows. This is not a bad thing.</p>
https://www.violanation.com/2016/11/3/13513688/fiorentina-3-0-slovan-liberec-highlights-goal-kalinic-ilicic-penalty-scoreThe Tito2016-11-03T20:25:59+01:002016-11-03T20:25:59+01:00Fiorentina vs Slovan Liberec: Lineups and match thread
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<img alt="ACF Fiorentina v Atalanta BC - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CPoFICOvhhbd3xRKeZ5DFapQThg=/0x0:2997x1998/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51663059/615006216.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Carlos Sanchez is not impressed with your lame excuses to not watch this one. | Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>No pressure here, Paulo, but a win would make a lot of us like you a whole lot more.</p> <h3 id="vFVkxs">Late news</h3>
<p id="cZD53j">Paulo Sousa has surprisingly held Khouma Babacar out of the starting XI in favor of in-form Nikola Kalinic. Youngster Federico Chiesa will get a surprise start in a shape that could quickly become a 4-3-2-1 as Borja Valero drops back.</p>
<p id="XQvI3b">Slovan Liberec manager Jindrich Trpisovsky has really shuffled his deck, opting to shift leftback Vladimir Coufal into an unfamiliar centerback role and drop right-sided midfielder Daniel Bartl in at leftback. Farther forward, striker Miroslav Markovic will be surprised to start, as he’s usually the third-choice hitman.</p>
<h3 id="E05o8W">Lineups</h3>
<p id="mPwiRo"><strong>Fiorentina</strong> (4-2-3-1): Tatarusanu; Tomovic, Gonzalo (c), de Maio, Milic; Sanchez, Cristoforo; Ilicic, Valero, Chiesa; Kalinic</p>
<p id="7oEj8Y"><strong>Slovan Liberec</strong> (4-2-3-1): Hladky; Coufal (c), Hovorka, Bartosak, Bartl; Sykora, Sevcik; Vuch, Folprecht, Sukennik; Markovic</p>
<h3 id="dFYcBf">How to watch</h3>
<p id="b4LzXr"><strong>TV</strong>: Check ESPN2 or ESPN Deportes in the Western Hemisphere. BeIn may carry it elsewhere, but probably not. Otherwise, this’ll be a computer-only sort of match.</p>
<p id="VGCMkz"><strong>Online</strong>: <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2088480/fiorentina-vs-slovan-liberec/">Here</a> is your list of legal and reliable streams that won’t give your computer the internet equivalent of the bubonic plague. Don’t post any illegal streams in the comments, or we’ll delete them and seriously consider ban-hammering you.</p>
<p id="ofMWPZ">Alright, folks, let’s buckle up for some Europa League action. Forza Viola.</p>
https://www.violanation.com/2016/11/3/13498474/fiorentina-slovan-liberec-lineups-match-thread-commentary-europa-league-group-jThe Tito2016-11-01T22:07:15+01:002016-11-01T22:07:15+01:00Fiorentina vs Slovan Liberec: Preview
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<img alt="ACF Fiorentina v Atalanta BC - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kq9WyCR8MpF6pk5hjSK4jkMWOKY=/0x0:2996x1997/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51631809/615008758.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>"One time I scored a goal THIS BIG." | Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>After the most unconvincing of 1-3 wins, the Viola host the Czech side. A win will all but assure first place in the group.</p> <p id="W0yzLh">Czech side Slovan Liberec travels to Florence for the fourth match in Group J of the Europa League. Fiorentina won the first leg 1-3 in Liberec last month, but the match was much tighter than the scoreline suggests. With 7 points from 3 matches, a win here would assure the Viola of advancement to the knockout rounds, as Qarabag and PAOK both sit on 4 points and play each other. The referee this time is Macedonian Aleksandar Stavrev.</p>
<p id="nnvfzr">The match will occur on <strong>Thursday, 3 November 2016</strong>, at <strong>9:05 PM CST/4:05 PM ET</strong> at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.</p>
<h3 id="PahHwO">Fiorentina</h3>
<p id="w1gB4J">The Viola are certainly in a better place than they were last time these two met. Undefeated since the Torino match, Paulo Sousa has to be feeling a bit better about things. With the exception of an mid-diluvian draw against Crotone, Fiorentina are grinding out results, taking the heat off of him, and have clawed their way to 8th in the league table with a game in hand (a win against Genoa in that replay would see them jump into 6th).</p>
<p id="kA5UAc">Sousa is likely to stick with the flat-back-four 4-2-3-1 that’s sparked the turnaround, although he may well want to rotate his squad with Sampdoria coming to town just 3 days after this one. A midfield pairing of Carlos Sanchez and one of Matias Vecino or Sebastian Cristoforo seems likely. Khouma Babacar will likely get the nod at striker, and Mauro Zarate may end up seeing some minutes as well. Youngsters Federico Chiesa, Ianis Hagi, and Kevin Diks could all show up at some point as well.</p>
<h3 id="Wsdink">Slovan Liberec</h3>
<p id="KN6OlD">The Modrobili have climbed into 10th since last we saw them, but are coming off of a 2-1 loss at Bohemians. Manager Jindrik Trpisovsky must be feeling a bit of pressure as his defense continues to leak in goals, scuttling his club’s chance of another finish in the European places.</p>
<p id="IvkNyW">He’ll probably set out about how he did against the Viola last time, although his tinkering—midfielder Jan Sykora at leftback—probably won’t be replicated. Centerback Martin Latka scored a 1st minute own goal (!) in their last match, so I’m expecting him to be dropped again, while midfielder Radim Breite is suspended. Centerback and club captain Lukas Pokorny (knee) remains out.</p>
<p id="vZpKRV">Expect Slovan to be a bit more reserved away from home. They should defend in two banks of four before breaking quickly down the wings. As usual, their greatest threat will come from set-pieces; Trpisovsky will have studied the film from Cagliari carefully. There is a small chance, though, that he’ll just throw caution to the winds and go all-attack, given his side’s obvious defensive frailties.</p>
<h3 id="JwMfG9">Possible lineups</h3>
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<cite><a href="http://sharemytactics.com/">ShareMyTactics.com</a></cite>
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<p><strong>[Update]</strong>: Sounds like Vecino's just been ruled out with muscle fatigue, so Cristoforo should get the nod.</p>
<h3 id="EyHGM8"><br></h3>
<h3>How to watch</h3>
<p id="ZswMfv"><strong>TV</strong>: Check BeIn and, if you’re in Central or South America, ESPN2. Otherwise, looks like no dice.</p>
<p id="QsjBk8"><strong>Online</strong>: <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2088480/fiorentina-vs-slovan-liberec/">Here</a> be your streams.</p>
<h3 id="DGf8II">Ted’s Memorial Blind Guess Department</h3>
<p id="5BAqTs">A comfortable 2-0 for the good guys seems about right, with goals from Babacar and Zarate.</p>
<p id="m7tQj1">Stay tuned for match day coverage and analysis, and as always, Forza Viola!</p>
https://www.violanation.com/2016/11/1/13486998/fiorentina-slovan-liberec-europa-league-group-j-preview-prediction-match-day-4-how-to-watchThe Tito