Possible Fiorentina revolution amid relegation threat
Fiorentina surprisingly sit at the bottom of the Serie A table after 18 rounds, and the Viola are expected to make massive changes in January to turn the situation around.
When the season began in August, nobody would have predicted that Fiorentina would be in the relegation zone in the Serie A table with no victories in the league after 18 rounds, but here we are.
The Tuscan’s results have shocked many fans and overturned expectations reflected in the biggest football betting odds.
Just two victories in 18 Serie A matches, one coach, Stefano Pioli, gone already and his replacement, Paolo Vanoli, on the brink.
Last season’s second-top goal scorer in Serie A, Moise Kean, has only netted five times in Serie A this season and even Manchester United legend David De Gea, in his second season at the Stadio Franchi, has been blamed by the fans and the media.
Sporting director Daniele Pradé resigned in November, just a few days before Pioli’s dismissal. Vanoli’s appointment has not produced the result that the club and the fans expected, as the Tuscans have only won one match in the Conference League under the 53-year-old, two in Serie A, adding two draws and six losses.
There have been reports that Vanoli could have been sacked, but incoming director Fabio Paratici seems unwilling to make a new managerial change.
Regardless of his future, however, Vanoli has already explained what Fiorentina fans and players must expect in less than two weeks when the winter transfer window opens.
“I think they have what it takes to react, and we have a big opportunity to prove that on Sunday,” Vanoli said after a 1-0 loss to Lausanne-Sport in the Conference League, which will force the Tuscans to go through the knockout play-off.
“If it doesn’t happen then, we have the January transfer window, where we’ll look into the eyes of those people who don’t want to fight, and we’ll move on. When we get to January, we’ll evaluate.
“At this point, we need to find something different to free the minds of these players,” he continued.
“The situation is weighing on them, you can see in the way they can misplace even simple passes, but we must find the strength to change this moment.
“We have what it takes and we must fight for it. I must try to revolutionise some things. We had some ups and downs, the last two games I felt were in a positive trend, as we had beaten Dinamo Kyiv and the performance against Verona was good, aside from the result.”