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

Having dragged themselves away from the foot of the Serie A table, a revived Fiorentina side will host relegation rivals Cagliari on Saturday evening.

Following their best run of an awful campaign, the Viola could pull further clear of trouble by winning at Stadio Franchi - but their visitors have just toppled Juventus.

Match preview

Fiorentina's mid-term revival continued to pick up pace in last Sunday's Derby dell'Apennino, as the Tuscan club beat old foes Bologna at Stadio Dall'Ara.

Rolando Mandragora's sixth league goal of the season put the visitors in front, before Roberto Piccoli popped up with a crucial strike just ahead of half time.

Duly dedicating their gritty 2-1 win to late club president Rocco Commisso, who recently passed away, the Viola inched themselves out of Serie A's drop zone.

In addition to posting an overdue away win, reaching four league games without defeat for the first time this season could mark a turning point for Paolo Vanoli.

Brought in to turn an ailing team around, he has finally begun to make an impact, brightening the scene ahead of upcoming ties in the Coppa Italia and Conference League.

First, though, Fiorentina must focus on meeting one of the clubs just above them in Serie A: having been thwarted by a stoppage-time leveller in Cagliari earlier this season, revenge will also be on the menu.

While they stole a 1-1 draw on the opening matchday, Cagliari are winless in 10 league meetings with Fiorentina dating back to November 2019.

Due to the Viola's woes, the Sardinian side currently lead this week's hosts by five points, after posting their first win of 2026 last weekend.

Riding their luck along the way, Fabio Pisacane's team were quite fortunate to beat Juventus, having had just a 22% share of possession and attempted a season-low three shots during 90-plus minutes of hard toil.

Midway through the second half, Luca Mazzitelli celebrated his 100th Serie A appearance by scoring his first league goal for more than a year, and the Rossoblu then clung on to claim maximum points.

As Cagliari had taken just one from their previous three outings - including a 3-0 loss to relegation rivals Genoa - that result came as sweet relief.

Now sitting 15th, Pisacane's side cannot afford to rest on their laurels, with games against a trio of bottom-five clubs coming up across their next four league fixtures.

Fiorentina Serie A form:

W L W D D W

Cagliari Serie A form:

D W L D L W

Team News

As Moise Kean continues to struggle with an ankle problem - and Edin Dzeko has just joined Schalke - former Cagliari loanee Piccoli could lead Fiorentina's front line once again.

Several fresh faces are available to feature in his supporting cast: recent buys Manor Solomon and Marco Brescianini have been joined by Jack Harrison and Giovanni Fabbian.

The latter has swapped places with Simon Sohm - who will head in the opposite direction, to Bologna - and could play some part this weekend.

However, Vanoli is still missing long-term absentee Tariq Lamptey, and converted winger Fabiano Parisi has also been ruled out.

Cagliari, meanwhile, are hoping for positive news on versatile defender Gabriele Zappa, who recently sustained a minor thigh injury that ruled him out of last week's win.

Alessandro Deiola, Michael Folorunsho, Andrea Belotti and Mattia Felici are still sidelined, but Ibrahim Sulemana has just signed from Bologna and is set to start his second spell at the club.

Once more, Semih Kilicsoy, Gennaro Borrelli, Gianluca Gaetano and Sebastiano Esposito are all vying to spearhead the Rossoblu's attack.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Pongracic, Gosens; Mandragora, Fagioli; Solomon, Ndour, Gudmundsson; Piccoli

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Luperto; Palestra, Prati, Adopo, Mazzitelli, Idrissi; Esposito, Kilicsoy