Preview: Fiorentina vs AC Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

Having slipped up with a home draw in midweek, AC Milan must try to keep the heat on their title rivals when they meet Serie A strugglers Fiorentina on Sunday.

While the Rossoneri rode their luck to escape with a point against Genoa - leaving them three behind league leaders Inter Milan - the Viola were denied their third win from four by a stoppage-time leveller at Lazio.

Match preview

At the midpoint of what has been a miserable league season so far, Fiorentina sit second-bottom of the Serie A standings, with a paltry 13 points on the board - three adrift of safety.

Yet, there have been recent signs of a revival, with the Viola ending a long drought to win twice within the space of two weeks - and they nearly added a third success on Wednesday evening.

After falling behind at Stadio Olimpico, they produced a spirited fightback to lead Lazio deep into stoppage time: Robin Gosens first got one back, before Albert Gudmundsson coolly converted his ninth penalty from 10 attempts since arriving in Italy’s top flight.

Summing up such a frustrating campaign, Paolo Vanoli’s side still failed to hang on. After it finished 2-2 in Rome, they have dropped no fewer than 18 points from winning positions this season - more than any other team.

On the bright side, Fiorentina have now gleaned seven from their last four fixtures - one more than from the first 15 games combined - and several changes are afoot in the transfer market.

Having also won three of their last four meetings with Milan in Florence, the Tuscan club can try to extend that trend on Sunday, when victory could finally take them out of the drop zone.

Although they have recently faltered at the Franchi, Milan won the most recent meeting at San Siro, as Rafael Leao bagged a brace earlier this season.

On Thursday night, their Portuguese maverick was in the right place at the right time once again, following up his recent winner against Cagliari by popping up with the late leveller that denied Genoa a shock victory.

There was still time for a major scare, though, as the visitors blazed a stoppage-time spot kick high over the crossbar, leaving Milan’s long unbeaten streak intact.

On a quest to reclaim the Scudetto, Max Allegri’s men last lost a league game back on the opening matchday, and they are the only team yet to lose on the road: with a record of five wins and three draws away from home, a trip to Tuscany should hold few fears.

By at least avoiding defeat on Sunday, the Rossoneri would reach the season’s midpoint with just one Serie A loss - more than two decades since they last managed that feat.

While Milan may have missed their chance to go within a point of old foes Inter, they still lead Napoli, Juventus and Roma in a tight title fight - and Allegri will expect them to get straight back on track.

Fiorentina Serie A form:

L L W L W D

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

L L W L W D

AC Milan Serie A form:

W W D W W D

AC Milan form (all competitions):

W D L W W D

Team News

Though long-term absentee Tariq Lamptey is still sidelined and Edin Dzeko could miss out again, Jacopo Fazzini should be back in action for Fiorentina.

With Dzeko also expected to leave in the coming weeks, Roberto Piccoli has been leading the line up front, as last term’s top scorer Moise Kean continues to struggle with a reported ankle problem.

After finally finding some rhythm, Vanoli may be loath to make many changes, but recent arrival Manor Solomon is pushing hard for selection in the final third, where full-back Fabiano Parisi has been filling in as a winger.

Meanwhile, Milan will be missing suspended centre-back Fikayo Tomori, meaning Koni De Winter is set to join Strahinja Pavlovic and Matteo Gabbia in the visitors’ back three.

Christian Pulisic is favourite to partner Leao in the Rossoneri’s attack, as new boy Niclas Fullkrug lacks match fitness, Santiago Gimenez is still injured and Christopher Nkunku continues to struggle with an ankle issue.

Not only is Leao in good form at the moment, but he has also scored six times in eight Serie A games against Fiorentina - albeit only one of those goals was at Stadio Franchi.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Pongracic, Gosens; Mandragora, Fagioli; Parisi, Ndour, Gudmundsson; Kean

AC Milan possible starting lineup:

Maignan; De Winter, Gabbia, Pavlovic; Saelemaekers, Loftus-Cheek, Modric, Rabiot, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao

We say: Fiorentina 0-1 AC Milan

Though they narrowly escaped defeat in midweek, Milan have been machine-like under Allegri, who should grind out another win on his return to Tuscany.

By contrast, Fiorentina are just emerging from a chaotic end to 2025, and they often crumble under pressure in front of their own fans.

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