Fiorentina vs Parma

Fiorentina and Parma are set to trade tackles in their first meeting since March 2021, as both sides’ pre-seasons kick off at the Viola Park.

Fiorentina’s dreams of taking home the first piece of continental silverware collapsed at the 11th hour as West Ham United pipped Vincenzo Italiano’s side to Europa Conference League glory with a dramatic 2-1 victory in the grand final. June’s heartbreak came only weeks after Inter Milan came from an early deficit to beat ‘La Viola’ 2-1 in the Coppa Italia title decider, leaving Fiorentina empty-handed and without European football next season. Between those two upsets, Italiano’s team claimed a pair of wins ‘to one’ over Roma and Sassuolo, respectively, to secure another top-half Serie A finish. It also means that Fiorentina’s last four outings have seen over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring, highlighting the potential for an enthralling affair.

Speaking of disappointments, Parma finished on the receiving end of a 3-2 aggregate score in a playoff semi-final tie against Cagliari last month, missing out on a glorious opportunity to regain their Serie A status. Except for a frustrating 3-2 first-leg loss in that match-up, where they also had a 2-0 halftime lead, the ‘Crusaders’ have gone unbeaten in nine of their last ten matches (W6, D3), making that defeat even more painful. Fabio Pecchia’s men have at least excelled in their defensive duties of late, clocking up three clean sheets in their five most recent outings. It’s also worth noting that Parma have netted multiple goals five times in their last seven games.