Preview: Fiorentina vs. Torino - prediction, team news, lineups

Having both fallen victim to top-four contenders last weekend, Fiorentina and Torino meet at Stadio Artemio Franchi on Saturday, aiming to get their first Serie A points on the board.

While the home side were beaten by new-look Roma, their visitors lost to a last-gasp Atalanta goal in Turin.

Match preview

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Present at the launch of a new Jose Mourinho-led era in the capital last Sunday, Fiorentina's hopes of an upset at Stadio Olimpico were greatly reduced by a controversial early red card.

Roma debutant Tammy Abraham was apparently clipped by on-rushing goalkeeper Bartlomiej Dragowski just outside the box, and even a lengthy VAR assessment could not save the Polish stopper from being dismissed after just 17 minutes. Nonetheless, the Viola battled on bravely despite their disadvantage and even drew level on the hour mark, thanks to a goal from Nikola Milenkovic, but ultimately returned to Florence empty-handed after a 3-1 defeat.

That result made it four losses from the same number of season openers against the Giallorossi - the previous reverses coming in 1990, 2004 and 2014 - so Fiorentina will now host their first home fixture of the 2021-22 campaign hoping to fare much better against a team they habitually take points off for fun.

The Viola have lost only one of their last nine Serie A matches against Torino and boast a staggering 31-game unbeaten record versus the Turin club at the Franchi. In fact, the only longer undefeated home run by one side against another in league history was Bologna's dominance of Genoa between 1931 and 1989 - a tally they can match by avoiding defeat on Saturday.

Furthermore, Fiorentina have scored in each of their last 15 encounters with the Granata, and can also equal that club record - a scoring streak set against Triestina between 1949 and 1956 - by netting this weekend.

Despite drawing a rare blank last time out, as his side struggled with a man down in Rome, in-demand striker Dusan Vlahovic will be expected to be involved in keeping that streak alive. The Serb's electric form during the first half of the year saw him rack up 17 Serie A goals - the joint-most alongside 2020-21 Capocannoniere Cristiano Ronaldo - and has drawn interest from top clubs around Europe.

New coach Vincenzo Italiano - only appointed after Gennaro Gattuso's brief and bizarre 22-day reign - will pray that Vlahovic stays in Tuscany after the transfer window closes next month, and hope that a sudden influx of new recruits (including Lucas Torreira, Matija Nastasic and potentially Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Odriozola) can help his side improve in the coming weeks.

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Torino are another club aiming to hang onto their prized attacking asset this term, as Andrea Belotti remains on the radar of higher-ranked teams at home and abroad following his opening day goal. A heavily deflected effort from the edge of the penalty area, the Italian international's strike was ultimately not enough to take a point from their first Serie A game of the season, owing to Roberto Piccoli's stoppage-time goal for Atalanta.

Losing 2-1 in such circumstances was frustrating for the Granata's new man in charge, Ivan Juric, who has recently lost defender Lyanco to Southampton after already seeing Salvatore Sirigu and Soualiho Meite walk through the exit earlier this summer.

The Croatian coach - the fifth man in the Torino dugout over the last three years - has been tasked with improving their fortunes following a prolonged spell of defensive disasters and persistent flirtation with the drop, and will need to turn around his new club's away record to do so.

They have won just two of their last 11 league games on the road - with their most recent away success coming in April, when Belotti's winning goal proved crucial in winning the fight against relegation. Indeed, despite a reduced output last term, the striker could score his 100th Serie A goal on his 250th league appearance this week, so hopes of a first win in Florence for a generation rest heavily on his shoulders.

Team News

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Fiorentina started the season in good health, as only Sofyan Amrabat - who is now on the verge of a transfer so will not feature - was out injured on the opening day. In his absence, Erick Pulgar is expected to start again in Vincenzo Italiano's preferred 4-3-3, but if loan signing Lucas Torreira is made available he may start ahead of his fellow South American.

Having come on as a substitute against Roma, back-up goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano will start, as Bartlomiej Drągowski must serve a suspension for his ill-timed challenge at the Olimpico.

Star striker Dusan Vlahovic will lead the line for the home side, and - having scored on his competitive debut in the cup win over Cosenza - winger Nicolas Gonzalez is in line to make his first home start in Serie A, following 28 goals in 53 Bundesliga games for previous club Stuttgart.

Meanwhile, Torino captain Andrea Belotti will be fit to lead the line after making an impact as a substitute last Saturday, following an ankle sprain which prevented him from starting. Simone Zaza, however, is still struggling with a knee problem.

Ivan Juric generally deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, and another substitute last time out, Simone Verdi, will hope to be included alongside Marko Pjaca - signed on loan from city rivals Juventus - as the supporting acts for the lone frontman.

Former Fulham loanee Ola Aina is poised to continue at left wing-back, as Cristian Ansaldi may only be ready to return to the bench following injury.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Terracciano; Venuti, Milenkovic, Igor, Biraghi; Bonaventura, Pulgar, Castrovilli; Gonzalez, Vlahovic, Callejon

Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Izzo, Bremer, Rodriguez; Singo, Lukic, Mandragora, Aina; Linetty, Pjaca; Belotti

We say: Fiorentina 1-1 Torino

The transition period under new coaches - both of whom have a clear vision of how they like the game to be played - is set to continue for both clubs in the coming weeks, so a score draw could result on Saturday.

Likely to be closely fought throughout, the spoils should be shared - allowing the two sides to start their Serie A tallies for the new campaign.