Roma vs Fiorentina: Serie A Preview & Potential Line-ups

Sunday's Serie A action closes out at the Stadio Olimpico as Roma and Fiorentina meet in a high-stakes top-half contest. 

Despite failing to attempt a shot until the 87th minute, Roma held defending champions AC Milan to a dramatic 2-2 away draw last weekend, courtesy of a quick-fire double. 

Inspired by a late comeback at San Siro, the Giallorossi ousted second-tier Genoa in midweek Coppa Italia action, with Paulo Dybala scoring off the bench to hand his team a narrow 1-0 triumph.

Back to Serie A duties, where they currently languish on the top-six periphery on a goal difference alone, Roma can draw confidence from Jose Mourinho's return to the dugout following a three-game ban. 

On the other hand, Fiorentina claimed a last-gasp 2-1 home triumph over Sassuolo in last weekend's mid-table Serie A encounter before overcoming Sampdoria in their Coppa Italia last-16 tie on Thursday.

Antonin Barak scored the only goal to catapult his side into the competition's quarterfinals and bolster their spirits ahead of a traditionally tantalizing trip to the capital. 

Sitting nine points adrift of sixth-placed Atalanta, Vincenzo Italiano's men must maintain their sublime competitive form in 2023 (W2, D1) if they're to become a relevant factor in the European race. 

Match Preview

Roma

Roma walked away with a narrow 1-0 home victory over Bologna in their 2023 Serie A curtain-raiser, curtailing an underwhelming run of three straight home league matches without winning (D1, L2).

Hoping to win back-to-back Serie A fixtures at the Olimpico for the first time since August, the Giallorossi can fall back on their eye-catching eight-game home form against Fiorentina in the top flight (W5, D2, L1).

But Mourinho's men have developed a reputation as 'stalemate specialists' of late, with three of their last four league outings finishing level (W1). 

Fiorentina 

Fiorentina succumbed to a 2-1 loss at Milan on their most recent Serie A travel, halting a decent three-match unbeaten league streak away from home (W2, D1). 

To avoid losing two in a row for the second time this season, La Viola will have to defy their dreadful form in Rome, having failed to win any of their last 13 Serie A visits to sides from the administrative region of Lazio (D3, L10). 

There's also a piece of history up for grabs as after beating Roma 2-0 in their last Serie A meeting, they could keep two consecutive top-flight clean sheets against the Giallorossi for the first time since 1978.

Roma vs Fiorentina 

Roma (3-4-1-2): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Zeki Celik, Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Nicola Zalewski; Paulo Dybala; Nicolo Zaniolo, Tammy Abraham.

Fiorentina (4-2-3-1): Pietro Terracciano; Dodo, Nikola Milenkovic, Igor, Cristiano Biraghi; Alfred Duncan, Sofyan Amrabat; Antonin Barak, Giacomo Bonaventura, Christian Kouame; Arthur Cabral.