Preview: Fiorentina vs Benevento - prediction, team news, lineups

Fiorentina will begin their Coppa Italia campaign on Friday when they host Benevento at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in the round of 64.

The Viola will be looking to make a strong start to their cup campaign and secure their place in the next round, while the visitors will be aiming to produce a surprise result against their Serie A opponents.

Match preview

Fabio Grosso's first competitive match as Fiorentina head coach comes this Friday when La Viola host Benevento in the Coppa Italia's opening round at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Last season was grim in Florence: the Gigliati finished 15th in Serie A after Stefano Pioli was sacked on 4 November following ten winless league games, Daniele Galloppa held the fort for three days, and Paolo Vanoli then steadied the ship and took the Viola out of the Coppa Italia at the Round of 16, with the campaign closing under the shadow of president Rocco Commisso's death in January and his son Giuseppe taking over the club.

Grosso signed a contract to 2028 when he arrived in June, tasked with restoring an identity Fiorentina has lacked since Vincenzo Italiano left in 2023, and he brings the credibility of having led Sassuolo from Serie B promotion to an 11th-place finish in Serie A.

Fiorentina start clear favourites given the gap in divisions, though Grosso's hand is weakened by a squad still finding its feet in preseason, with new signing Franco Mastantuono only just training fully after individual work, while Benevento can call on the know-how of Cristiano Dalle Mura and Eduardo Pierozzi, both products of the Viola's own academy.

Beyond the result, Friday's game opens Fiorentina's centenary season, a milestone the Florence faithful would rather mark with a routine passage into the next round than an early scare against newly promoted opposition.

Fiorentina have won three of their five meetings with Benevento, who have one victory, while their most recent encounter ended in a 2-1 Coppa Italia win for the Viola in December 2021.

Antonio Floro Flores leads Benevento into Friday's Coppa Italia opener away at Fiorentina, which gives the newly promoted Sanniti their first real test of the campaign.

Last season ended in triumph for the Giallorossi, who took the top of Serie C Group C after Floro Flores replaced Gaetano Auteri in early November and drove the club to 17 straight positive results, sealing an outright promotion back to Serie B after three years away.

That run was capped by the Supercoppa di Serie C, the first of its kind for the club, giving the Stregoni momentum into preseason as president Oreste Vigorito and technical director Carli moved to strengthen the squad for the step up.

Benevento's readiness showed in the Coppa Italia's preliminary round, where they trailed Ravenna by two goals before winning 5-3 in a chaotic tie at the Vigorito, a result that exposed some defensive fragility alongside Floro Flores's attacking edge.

A handful of familiar faces add extra intrigue to the trip, since defender Dalle Mura and full-back Pierozzi both came up through Fiorentina's academy before eventually landing at Benevento, giving them a personal stake in what is otherwise a heavy underdog assignment.

Benevento Coppa Italia form:

Team News

Grosso has no fresh injuries or suspensions to manage for his competitive Fiorentina debut, sticking with the 4-3-2-1 shape and handing Christ Oulai a midfield start after his recovery from a fever, which likely pushes Nicolo Fagioli to the bench.

Franco Mastantuono, the club's marquee signing from Real Madrid, only rejoined full training this week and turns 19 on matchday, so Grosso is expected to introduce him from the bench rather than start him against Benevento.

Antonio Floro Flores heads to Florence with a long injury list, since Romano, Schimmenti, Simonetti, Ricci, Donatiello and Del Gaudio all remain sidelined and none are expected to recover in time, while Marco Tumminello serves the final match of a suspension picked up before the Ravenna win.

The Stregoni should still start with a similar look to that 5-3 win, likely built around the 4-2-3-1 with Francesco Salvemini leading the line, Eduardo Pierozzi and Cristiano Dalle Mura offering Fiorentina roots at the back, and new arrivals Pietro Beruatto and Leonardo Sernicola continuing their gradual integration into Floro Flores's back line.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Mario, Dragusin, Ranieri, Valdepenas; Oulai, Brescianini, Ndour; Atta, Gudmundsson; Keane

Benevento possible starting lineup:

Vannucchi; Pierozzi, Scognamillo, Caldirola, Beruatto; Maita, Prisco; Lamesta, Talia, Guigliano; Salvemini

We say: Fiorentina 3-1 Benevento

Following a disappointing campaign last season, Fiorentina will be looking to make a positive start under new head coach Grosso.

Benevento enjoyed a strong season that secured their promotion back to Serie B, but a number of injuries have left them short at the start of the new campaign. Fiorentina should have enough quality to claim victory on Saturday.

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