Viola Nation - Genoa vs Fiorentina: Serie A 2017/2018A Fiorentina blog for Viola fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50059/viola-fav.png2018-05-07T06:33:43+02:00http://www.violanation.com/rss/stream/170873452018-05-07T06:33:43+02:002018-05-07T06:33:43+02:00Genoa 2-3 Fiorentina: Recap and player grades
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<img alt="Genoa CFC v ACF Fiorentina - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Zq7jviBEiSMVSvOzq446XmAAJwk=/0x0:4227x2818/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59648035/955330144.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Those boys. | Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Still not sure what the heck happened here, but we’ll try to break it down.</p> <h2 id="xREE1T">Pre-match</h2>
<p id="e1DEeR"><span>Stefano Pioli</span> was forced to cobble together a backline featuring Nikola Milenković at centerback due to Vitor Hugo’s injury woes and Bruno Gaspar at rightback due to Vincent Laurini’s suspension. Even though the rest of the XI was ready to go, there were a lot of nerves among the fans that Gaspar especially would spend all day getting skinned by Darko Lazović, as he did in the reverse fixture.</p>
<h2 id="Ykhahy">First half</h2>
<p id="fOB1rt">Not surprisingly, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/genoa">Genoa</a> were quick out the gate, pressing hard and creating a few half-chances by targeting Gaspar. Marco Sportiello made a sharp save on an Oscar Hiljemark drive, and then Iuri Medeiros slipped past Gaspar and slightly overhit his cross. However, after the first 7 minutes or so, the Viola took control of the match and pushed the Grifoni into their own half. Their first chance came at 12’, when <span>Marco Benassi</span> neatly laid the ball off to <span>Riccardo Saponara</span> on the edge of the area. The Cheese blasted a shot that <span>Mattia Perin</span> parried into the air, and Giovanni Simeone reacted quickest but slipped as he shot, looping a volley miles over the bar. In not quite football stuff, at 13’, the Genoa fans sang and cheered for <span>Davide Astori</span> in a really wonderful display.</p>
<p id="A6TpeD">At the 19 minute mark, Genoa found space to break into, but the Viola defense held firm and Germán Pezzella recovered the ball in the box, only to be upended by <span>Andrea Bertolacci</span>, who earned a yellow (the first of 6 shown in this match). The Rossoblu came close again 4 minutes later through <span>Giuseppe Rossi</span>—making his first start of the season—who somehow couldn’t turn his shot on target after <span>Cristiano Biraghi</span> lost the ball in a clash with <span>Aleandro Rosi</span> that left the leftback supine for several minutes.</p>
<p id="6aHvyT">Shortly after the half hour mark, Saponara did well to find Biraghi on the edge of the box, and Cristiano’s ensuing shot was powerful enough to have caused Perin real problems had it not fizzed just wide. 3 minutes later, Hiljemark struck a venomous free kick that was curling towards the back post until a diving Sportiello palmed it away. Federico Chiesa wasted a good chance on a 3-v-2 counter a few minutes afterwards, and it looked like we were in for a scoreless and rather dreary half until a miscommunication among the Genoa defenders let Cholito run onto a ball in the left channel. The Argentine carried into the box, feinted a pass, and the squared it to an onrushing Benassi, who was so unmarked he had time to turn his body and slip the ball under a despairing Perin to hand the visitors a lead.</p>
<h2 id="tvoQDe">Second half</h2>
<p id="2SKE3S">Genoa mister <span>Davide Ballardini</span> clearly wanted more attack from his side and brought on <span>Goran Pandev</span> (who’s only 34 years old, despite seeming like he must be closer to 50), for Rosi. The change paid off as the hosts took the initiative, pinning their opponents back. Sportiello made a terrible pass out from the back that forced Gaspar to pull back Pandev to prevent a dangerous attack and earned the Portuguese a booking, the first of 3 on <a href="https://www.violanation.com/">Fiorentina</a> players in the next 10 minutes.</p>
<p id="lCP7vP">At 65’, Genoa equalized, and of course it was Pepito. Genoa overloaded the leftback zone and played David Bessa through, and the midfielder’s low cross was met by Rossi, who’d lost his marker and finished with his typical aplomb. Bryan Dabo, who’d come on moments before, nearly responded immediately; his drive off the post beat Perin, but bounced back out of danger. But it was Genoa who got the next one, with substitute Gianluca Lapadula scoring with literally his first touch of the match to turn home a Hiljemark cross after shaking Pezzella in the box. The Stadio Luigi Ferraris was in raptures, and rightly so: Genoa fully deserved their lead at this point.</p>
<p id="v3saPt">Lapadula nearly doubled his tally 2 minutes later, beating the offside line to meet a Medeiros cross completely unmarked, but couldn’t keep his header on target. It was Pandev, however, who next took center stage with a truly awful two-footed tackle on Gaspar that rightly earned the Macedonian his marching orders. 2 minutes after that, Chiesa was again guilty of being to casual, getting stonewalled by lumbering old Nicolás Spolli not once but twice in the same attack. Seconds later, Dabo popped up wide on the left and hammered in a delicious low cross that Simeone somehow poked wide from point blank. However, it was clear that the Viola were back in control.</p>
<p id="jC7c1z">Despite the pressure (and a pretty gnarly head clash that left Pezzella and Davide Biraschi bloodied and shaken), Fiorentina couldn’t find a way through. At 77’, Diego Falcinelli wasted a glorious chance when Perin denied him from close range. From the ensuing corner, though, Biraghi floated a cross in from the left that Perin punched straight into the middle of the box, but no further than Eysseric. The Frenchman calmly rifled a picture-perfect volley into the back of the net for the equalizer, silencing the home crowd.</p>
<p id="PVry8q">Fiorentina weren’t finished, though. 2 minutes later, Falcinelli cut one back across the box to Dabo, who smashed the ball with his left foot. Perin got a glove to it but there was simply too much power on the shot, and just like that, Perestroika had his first goal in purple, sending the away fans into raptures.</p>
<p id="7Imimm">Of course, this is Fiorentina, so seeing out a 1-goal lead for 10 minutes with a man advantage is never a given. Referee Manganiello carded Chiesa for a hard foul on Lapadula, but Ervin Zukanović lost his head and walked onto the pitch from the bench to insist that the winger deserved a red. Naturally, he got himself sent off for his efforts. Falcinelli had another good chance to put it away at the other end, but simply couldn’t put the ball past Perin. Deep into the 5 minutes of stoppage time, Medeiros nearly equalized after a twisting run, but Sportiello proved decisive again, and the blessed triple whistle arrived soon after.</p>
<h2 id="K7Q1VL">Post-match</h2>
<p id="TVgsoK">The win keeps Fiorentina in the running for a Europa League spot, albeit barely. That said, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that Ballardini significantly outmaneuvered Pioli here; the Viola mister had no response to the introduction of an extra attacker in Pandev and was very slow to make another change. On the other hand, his choices were awfully limited, especially in defense: with Vitor Hugo and Laurini unavailable, the only options were Maxi Olivera and Primavera centerback Petko Hristov.</p>
<p id="IZ9wYU">On the other hand, the only thing that matters here is the win, as it keeps Fiorentina within striking distance of the final Europa League spot and all the attendant glory—or rather, lucre—that comes with continental competition. Consensus at the start of this season was that if the team qualified for Europe, it’d be a successful year. Given everything else that’s happened, it’s awfully hard not to consider this an unmitigated success regardless.</p>
<h2 id="S20uxI">Player grades</h2>
<p id="1TfPbS"><strong>Sportiello</strong>: 7—Made an excellent stop on Hiljemark’s free kick, which was his only credited save, but was quick off his line all afternoon and presented a formidable last line of defense. His distribution remains iffy, but he’s a dang good goalkeeper.</p>
<p id="vHT3wI"><strong>Gaspar</strong>: 4—Clearly targeted as the weak link by Genoa, as Medeiros and Lazović ran circles around him despite extra defensive help from Benassi; also lost Rossi for the equalizer. Didn’t get forward much today, either, which is supposed to be his calling card.</p>
<p id="xhgfF9"><strong>Pezzella</strong>: 5—Had a couple of very good tackles, particularly one on Madeiros in the first half, but got turned around on the first goal, completely lost Lapadula for the second, and whiffed on the offside trap to give the striker another golden chance.</p>
<p id="OMItEC"><strong>Milenković</strong>: 5.5—Held his own back there for the most part, but was off chasing shadows on the opener and shared the responsibility on that Lapadula miss. Still a bit shaky on his positioning at times, but he’s coming along nicely.</p>
<p id="ptcRAi"><strong>Biraghi</strong>: 6—Was absent in defense a couple of times, but that can be forgiven considering that he was also responsible for providing width in the attack as well. His cross resulted in the Viola equalizer, and he was involved in several chances. Continues to look like an absolute steal.</p>
<p id="dNlbeN"><strong>Benassi</strong>: 7—The goal was quite well taken, yes, but the grade is more a reflection of his general involvement. Played a few incisive passes and got his mates involved in play more than usual. His role still involves drifting to the right wing in possession to provide more width, which takes him out of the game sometimes, but that’s more due to his instructions than any shortcomings on his part.</p>
<p id="gv8KZi"><strong>Badelj</strong>: 6—Was a bit looser with the ball than we’re used to today, giving up possession cheaply a couple times to let Genoa loose on the break. That said, he was otherwise his usual, reliable self, winning the ball and moving it quickly and unfussily around the pitch.</p>
<p id="ZC1LI3"><strong>Veretout</strong>: 6—Whether due to his own inclination or Pioli’s instructions, he mostly sat just in front of the defense today and never really got forward. Battled as well as ever, but just wasn’t all that influential on the front foot. As usual, when he’s not transferring the ball into the attack very well, the team seemed disjointed and struggled to build up play well.</p>
<p id="VRQ3LZ"><strong>Saponara</strong>: 5.5—It was a frustrating day for the Cheese, highlighted by the tackle that earned him a booking. After being dispossessed with a hard tackle, he shoulder-charged Bertolacci out of frustration. Drifted into pockets of space around the pitch, but couldn’t quite find that final ball.</p>
<p id="sJDV8s"><strong>Chiesa</strong>: 5—Didn’t look anything like himself today. Had two excellent chances on the counter and utterly borked them both. Doesn’t look nearly as threatening on the left as he does on the right.</p>
<p id="2UdZBF"><strong>Simeone</strong>: 6.5—Had two gilt-edged chances to score and badly missed both, but the assist to Benassi was pure class. The workrate and grinta were there, but the shooting boots were clearly left in the locker.</p>
<p id="st7tZA"><strong>Dabo</strong>: 7.5—Uh, apparently Bryan can play on the front foot, too. Hit the post, should have had an assist with a perfect cross into Simeone, and scored the winner. This is the sort of performance that quickly turns most players into fan favorites, and Perestroika is well on his way there.</p>
<p id="7pgk5N"><strong>Eysseric</strong>: 7—The volleyed goal was simply delightful and would have earned a positive grade regardless, but the Frenchman was more involved than usual, drifting around and combining well with Falcinelli in particular.</p>
<p id="VXrKKR"><strong>Falcinelli</strong>: 6—Had a bit of a Cholito match, in that he bustled around, missed a couple of good chances, and then provided an assist. His inability to score is becoming almost comical at this point, but he’s not bad at bringing his teammates into play.</p>
https://www.violanation.com/2018/5/7/17325748/genoa-2-3-fiorentina-recap-review-player-grades-ratings-man-of-match-serie-aThe Tito2018-05-06T16:58:24+02:002018-05-06T16:58:24+02:00Genoa 2-3 Fiorentina: Highlights
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<img alt="Genoa CFC v ACF Fiorentina - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cVd07EeklOjsYr5eZux8ROWj0Fc=/0x0:2278x1519/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59643369/955317718.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>PERESTROIKA | Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Wild scenes at the Luigi Ferraris as the Viola took, lost, and retook the lead.</p> <h2 id="NC6RwC">First half</h2>
<p id="TirB5f">Just before the break, Giovanni Simeone capitalized on a mistake from the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/genoa">Genoa</a> defense to latch onto a ball in the left channel. He then stopped the ball inside the box and near the touchline, picked his head up, feinted, and played a lovely ball across to an onrushing <span>Marco Benassi</span>, who was completely unmarked, and the midfielder slipped his shot under <span>Mattia Perin</span> for the lead.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Check out this awesome video: Marco Benassi Goal vs Genoa (0-1) <a href="https://t.co/MnLhCFMz5B">https://t.co/MnLhCFMz5B</a></p>— WF Productions (@productionsWF) <a href="https://twitter.com/productionsWF/status/993126039705608197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="G0nK3D">Second half</h2>
<p id="cvwy6U">Naturally, the equalizer came from former <a href="https://www.violanation.com/">Fiorentina</a> star <span>Giuseppe Rossi</span>, who found a bit of space in the box to turn home a Daniel Bessa cross from the left.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">GOOOAAAAALLLLL!!! And of all people, look who it is that gets the equalizer, Giuseppe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rossi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rossi</a> scores his first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SerieA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SerieA</a> goal since January 2014. 1-1 | 64' <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GenoaFiorentina?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GenoaFiorentina</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y0TgbSO4Xl">pic.twitter.com/Y0TgbSO4Xl</a></p>— SerieAchannel (@SerieAchannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/SerieAchannel/status/993135379355262977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a>
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<p id="EmWTyD">Genoa weren’t done, though, as another defensive lapse gave Genoa acres of space to put Oscar Hiljemark time on the wing, and he crossed to substitute Gianluca Lapadula, who scored with his first touch of the match.</p>
<div id="rw94PA">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="it" dir="ltr">Gianluca Lapadula Goal HD - Genoa2-1Fiorentina 06.05.2018<br> <a href="https://t.co/VtpJf1HFOl">https://t.co/VtpJf1HFOl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SofaScore?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SofaScore</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GEN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GEN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIO</a></p>— Soccer King (@Soccerking2018) <a href="https://twitter.com/Soccerking2018/status/993134934012383232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a>
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<p id="c7BNiW">That wasn’t all, though; <span>Goran Pandev</span> got himself sent off moments later for a horrendous tackle on Bruno Gaspar.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Check out this awesome video: Goran Pandev Red Card For Horror Two Footed Tackle vs Fiorentina! <a href="https://t.co/i4huIlzlCZ">https://t.co/i4huIlzlCZ</a></p>— WF Productions (@productionsWF) <a href="https://twitter.com/productionsWF/status/993138322217291777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a>
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<p id="KAxPwX">At 78 minutes, substitute Valentin Eysseric lashed home a brilliant volley from inside the area following a cross from <span>Cristiano Biraghi</span> to equalize, and the Viola were clearly riding high.</p>
<div id="iqX3Si">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Vidéo "Valentin Eysseric Goal Genoa 2-2 Fiorentina 06.05.2018" sur <a href="https://t.co/apt8hWMx1w">https://t.co/apt8hWMx1w</a> via Dailymotion <a href="https://t.co/yJKmqXMxEW">https://t.co/yJKmqXMxEW</a></p>— esprit-foot (@esprit_foot) <a href="https://twitter.com/esprit_foot/status/993142980033875969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2018</a>
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<p id="b0HjAG">That wasn’t all, though. Bryan Dabo raced forward 3 minutes later and met a Diego Falcinelli cutback, striking the ball first time and bouncing it under a despairing Perin for his first goal in purple and an astonishing lead.</p>
<div id="SGjmol"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zUuGDNku3BA?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>
<h2 id="CUDMQx">Full time</h2>
<p id="trW6Qp"><strong>Goals</strong>: Benassi 44’ (ass. Simeone), Rossi 64’ (ass. Bessa), Lapadula 68’ (ass. Hiljemark), Eysseric 78’, Dabo 81’ (ass. Falcinelli)</p>
<p id="WCSaeJ"><strong>Cards</strong>: Bertolacci 19’, Pandev red card 71’, Zukanović red card 83’, Badelj 29’, Gaspar 51’, Biraghi 61’, Saponara 63’, Dabo 81’, Chiesa 83’</p>
https://www.violanation.com/2018/5/6/17324180/genoa-2-3-fiorentina-highlights-goal-benassi-rossi-lapadula-pandev-red-card-eysseric-dabo-zukanovicThe Tito2018-05-06T14:15:52+02:002018-05-06T14:15:52+02:00Genoa vs Fiorentina: Lineups and how to watch
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<img alt="Genoa CFC v Spal - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/k6zxjr9yXVc3ncgbuRajGzANRes=/0x0:3543x2362/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59642683/940517698.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>This is the wrong shirt. | Photo by Paolo Rattini/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Both Cholito and Pepito start up top against their old teams.</p> <h2 id="TFU6dn">Late news</h2>
<p id="IeUtix"><span>Davide Ballardini</span> has shuffled the deck quite a bit, handing an unexpected to Jawad El Yamiq in the backline, where the Moroccan defender’s pace may help contain Federico Chiesa. Further forward, ex-Fiorentina players <span>Aleandro Rosi</span> and <span>Giuseppe Rossi</span> will start on the left wing and up top, respectively.</p>
<p id="RGLh2k"><span>Stefano Pioli</span> will trot out the XI we all expected, with Bruno Gaspar starting at rightback because Vitor Hugo is hurt and Vincent Laurini is suspended.</p>
<h2 id="zzIxP7">Lineups</h2>
<p id="wuuvMT"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/genoa"><strong>Genoa</strong></a> (3-5-2): Perin (c); Spolli, Biraschi, El Yamiq; Lazović, Hiljemark, Veloso, Bertolacci, Rosi; Medeiros, Rossi</p>
<p id="qXLMQV"><a href="https://www.violanation.com/"><strong>Fiorentina</strong></a> (4-3-2-1): Sportiello; Gaspar, Milenković, Pezzella, Biraghi; Benassi, Badelj, Veretout; Chiesa, Saponara; Simeone</p>
<h2 id="JdmDM4">How to watch</h2>
<p id="788MV8"><strong>TV</strong>: Check your listings <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2548792/genoa-vs-fiorentina/">here</a>, but no. Find a computer to watch on.</p>
<p id="UJJGxW"><strong>Online</strong>: <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2548792/genoa-vs-fiorentina/">Here</a> is your list of safe, reliable, and legal streams. Don’t post or ask for links to illegal streams in the comments or we will SMASH YOU. If you’re the Twitter type, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Viola_Nation/">give us a follow</a>, as we’ll be providing live updates. Otherwise, keep it in the comments below for the usual mix of abject horror and wry acceptance with the best online sports community around.</p>
<p id="xZjZ85"><strong>Forza Viola!</strong></p>
https://www.violanation.com/2018/5/6/17323884/genoa-fiorentina-official-lineups-watch-online-stream-comment-thread-serie-aThe Tito2018-05-05T23:58:28+02:002018-05-05T23:58:28+02:00Genoa vs Fiorentina: Preview
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<img alt="ACF Fiorentina v SSC Napoli - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/W4KbTgCx1dCjnikXDvWpRU7ZKMY=/0x130:1998x1462/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59640303/952824134.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Hey everyone, look at how white my teeth are! | Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>This one’s got strikers facing their old teams and Fiorentina desperately needing 3 points to keep alive their Europa dreams.</p> <p id="WFvI8K">With just two matches left in this Serie A season, <a href="https://www.violanation.com/">Fiorentina</a> travel to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/genoa">Genoa</a> to face, well, Genoa in a match that will see Giovanni Simeone return to his old stomping grounds in search of three points that will keep his team mathematically in the hunt for European qualification.</p>
<p id="WnrU59">Over their last 10 meetings in Serie A, Fiorentina are W3 D6 L1 against Genoa, scoring 16 goals and conceding 12. There’ve also been 6 red cards issued in those last ten matches, so keep an eye on that. When these two met earlier this year in Florence, it <a href="https://www.violanation.com/2017/12/17/16786856/fiorentina-0-0-genoa-recap-and-player-ratings-draw-serie-a-simeone-florence">finished goalless</a>; in their last meeting in Genoa, the Grifoni eked out a <a href="https://www.violanation.com/2016/12/16/13984964/genoa-1-0-fiorentina-recap-player-rating-serie-a-rain-out-replay-match-review-15-december-2016">1-0 win</a> in a rain-delayed match full of terrible choices. Overall, these sides have played each other 100 times, with the Viola compiling a record of W44 D35 L21.</p>
<p id="Vf5PqT">The referee for this one is Gianluca Manganiello. In 15 Serie A matches this season, he’s handed out 44 yellow cards, 6 red cards, and 6 penalties. This will be the first time he’s ever taken charge of a Viola game.</p>
<p id="nMilfH">The match will be played on Sunday, 6 May 2018, at 2PM GST/9 AM EST at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.</p>
<h2 id="KsLzPi">Genoa</h2>
<p id="CorYh7">Sitting in 11th place with 41 points, Genoa are pretty much the definition of midtable. They won’t qualify for any European tournaments next year, and neither will they be relegated. With 7 points from their past 5 matches, it seems that they may already be thinking about beaches and coconuts full of rum and tiny umbrellas.</p>
<p id="3Hu1tP">Manager Davide Ballardini, however, will want to get the best out of his charges to ensure that he’ll be back with them next season. He’ll have to do it without centerbacks Armando Izzo (calf), Loïck Landre (suspension), and Santiago Gentiletti (suspension), as well as rightback Pedro Perreira (ankle) and midfielder <span>Diego Laxalt</span> (hamstring). He will, however, be able to call on the services of ex-Viola players <span>Giuseppe Rossi</span> and <span>Aleandro Rosi</span>, the former of whom will likely feature from the bench.</p>
<p id="xY9szb">Ballardini favors a 3-5-2 with three big, powerful centerbacks who repel any crosses into the box and threaten on the other end from set pieces. The midfield tends to be more functional and hardworking than creative, although the likes of Miguel Veloso can switch play neatly to jumpstart the attack. Up top, he can choose from a number of crafty little strikers who are happy to drift around and work the channels: Gianluca Lapadula and and Adel Taarabt are my guesses to start, but any of those two, Rossi, <span>Goran Pandev</span>, or Andrey Galabinov could end up starting.</p>
<h2 id="XSrn1O">Fiorentina</h2>
<p id="wd4WOc">Some dropped points late in the season means that the Viola are unlikely to qualify for Europe. Their 54 points are good for 9th place, even with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/sampdoria">Sampdoria</a> (who hold the tiebreaker over them) and 4 behind <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/serie-a/teams/atalanta">Atalanta</a>, who sit in the final Europa place. While it would take a miracle for the Gigliati to leapfrog those two sides, they’re mathematically still in the race, so you know they’ll be all geed up and ready to go.</p>
<p id="wJTCWe">Manager Stefano Pioli is missing centerback Vitor Hugo (hamstring), so Nikola Milenković will partner Germán Pezzella in the heart of the defense, with Vincent Laurini likely to get the nod over Bruno Gaspar at rightback. The rest of the XI should be the names we’ve come to know and love, with Simeone in particular in the spotlight—following his first hat trick in purple, he’s facing his old team again.</p>
<p id="CZseZv">The key players in this one are <span>Riccardo Saponara</span>, <span>Cristiano Biraghi</span>, and Federico Chiesa. The former will drift inside and overload the midfield. Biraghi will have to cope with the pace of Darko Lazović while also providing the width in attack on the left, which means he’s in for a long day of non-stop running. Chiesa will go up against the cumbersome duo of Francesco Migliore and Davide Biraschi and should be able to beat either or both at any given moment off the dribble. If the Viola win these battles, they’re almost certainly going to win the match.</p>
<h2 id="o2Cwid">Possible lineups</h2>
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<cite><a href="http://www.sharemytactics.com/">Share My Tactics</a></cite>
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<h2 id="oqEdlm">How to watch</h2>
<p id="g40vTd"><strong>TV</strong>: You can check the listings <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2548792/genoa-vs-fiorentina/">here</a>, but looks like this is one we’ll be watching online.</p>
<p id="o5FBg4"><strong>Online</strong>: <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/2548792/genoa-vs-fiorentina/">Here</a> is your list of safe, reliable, and legal streams.</p>
<h2 id="83GHvN">Ted’s Memorial Blind Guess Department</h2>
<p id="MaCO34">Given the fiery nature of this fixture over the past five years, it seems likely that we’ll see the referee involved somehow. Given the matchup, I’ll take Federico Chiesa to win an early penalty—converted by Jordan Veretout, of course—and then get a defender sent off after bursting past him on the break, but not before the Grifoni have struck through Lapadula on the counter, setting the stage for Cholito to smash home a late goal to win all 3 points against his old side.</p>
<p id="gi6lVg"><strong>Forza Viola!</strong></p>
https://www.violanation.com/2018/5/5/17323198/genoa-fiorentina-h2h-preview-prediction-score-lineups-watch-online-stream-serie-aThe Tito