A new chapter is beginning for Fiorentina. Following the departure of Vincenzo Italiano, who led the team to three finals in the last two seasons—albeit losing all of them, including one Coppa Italia and two Conference League finals—the club is now under the management of Raffaele Palladino. This change signals a period of transformation for the club as they look to revitalize their squad.
With this coaching shift, tactics and personnel are likely to change, making it challenging for fantasy football managers to navigate potential starters, positional battles, and key players, particularly in terms of penalty takers and free-kick specialists. The club has already seen significant changes, with Nikola Milenkovic moving to Nottingham Forest for €14 million, while Duncan, Castrovilli, and Bonaventura have been released. Additionally, Arthur, Belotti, Maxime Lopez, and Faraoni have returned to their parent clubs. The push to refresh the squad is quite clear.
One of the standout signings has been Andrea Colpani from Monza, known to be one of Palladino’s favorites. The club has also strengthened in other areas: Marin Pongracic joined from Lecce and was one of the top defenders in Serie A last season, boasting an average rating of 6.12. Upfront, Fiorentina has welcomed Moise Kean, who brings questions about his form, having not scored in Serie A since April 1, 2023.
Palladino’s teams are generally known for their solid defensive organization, and last season Pietro Terracciano ranked as the third best goalkeeper in Serie A based on average ratings (6.34) among those who played at least 20 matches. Consequently, he could be a wise choice for fantasy football enthusiasts, especially regarding modifiers.
In the attacking department, Palladino’s teams have typically thrived with wide players and attacking midfielders. Aside from the promising Colpani, Nico Gonzalez is expected to find his best form this season. After scoring 8 goals and providing 4 assists last term, if he can resolve his penalty issues and build on last season’s progress, he could emerge as a key player.
During the pre-season, two young Italian talents have stood out. Fabiano Parisi, with a year of experience behind him, is ready to take over the left-back role formerly held by Cristiano Biraghi. Meanwhile, fans are hopeful that Riccardo Sottil can finally fulfill his potential, should he manage to stay injury-free and maintain consistency during the season, as he could contribute significantly to the team’s success.
Fiorentina may line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation: Terracciano; Pongracic, M. Quarta, Ranieri; Dodo, Mandragora, Bianco, Parisi; N. Gonzalez, Colpani; Kean. Potential substitutes include Parisi/Biraghi and Colpani/Beltran. Penalty duties could fall to N. Gonzalez, Beltran, or Biraghi, while Biraghi, N. Gonzalez, and Mandragora may take free-kicks. As Fiorentina embarks on this new journey, fans eagerly await how these changes will influence their performance on the pitch.