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

One point away from securing Serie A safety, Fiorentina will welcome Genoa to Stadio Franchi on Sunday afternoon.

The Viola aim to join their visitors on the start line next season, and avoiding defeat would ensure they stay up regardless of other results.

Match preview

After enduring an awful start to their latest Serie A campaign, Fiorentina's main objective switched from qualifying for Europe to staying afloat in Italy's top tier - and they are finally closing in on completion.

Although Monday's 4-0 defeat to Roma emphatically ended the Tuscan club's seven-match unbeaten streak, Paolo Vanoli has gradually guided them to the brink of safety.

Even if 18th-placed Cremonese improbably win all of their last three fixtures - the first of which also takes place on Sunday - Fiorentina would only need one point to mathematically make sure.

The omens are good, as they are unbeaten in six Serie A home games and have conceded just once across the last five - even that was in a draw with new champions Inter Milan.

Furthermore, history will be firmly on the Viola's side this weekend: they are undefeated in 10 league contests against Genoa, including a 2-2 draw in November's reverse fixture.

That match was particularly significant for both clubs, as Vanoli had just been hired by Fiorentina and Genoa were welcoming Daniele De Rossi to the Ligurian capital.

The Roma legend has made a substantial impact since taking over from Patrick Vieira, and a faltering side facing the threat of relegation has been transformed.

As winter turned to spring, the Grifone distanced themselves from the drop zone with five wins from eight, before taking just one point from their two most recent outings.

After losing 2-0 to Como at the end of April, De Rossi's men confirmed their Serie A status by holding Atalanta to a goalless draw.

The latter result means Genoa have kept a clean sheet in half of their last eight away games, but they must head to Florence with precedent stacked up against them.

Not only have the Rossoblu won just one of the last 16 league meetings with Fiorentina - either home or away - but their last top-flight win at the Franchi was way back in 1977.

Fiorentina Serie A form:

D W W D D L

Fiorentina form (all competitions):

L W W D D L

Genoa Serie A form:

L L W W L D

Team News

Fiorentina frontman Moise Kean has been struggling with a persistent shin problem for two months - and he was granted leave for family reasons last week - but the Italy striker could return on Sunday.

Kean's deputy Roberto Piccoli has also missed the last two matches, though he has now resumed full training.

With neither fully fit, Albert Gudmundsson may continue to fill in up front; he has scored in both Serie A appearances against former club Genoa, including this season's reverse fixture.

Elsewhere, Niccolo Fortini and Luis Balbo are close to recovering from injuries, but fellow full-back Tariq Lamptey is still sidelined.

Meanwhile, Genoa are missing Roma loanee Tommaso Baldanzi and Brazilian midfielder Junior Messias due to muscular issues, and Brooke Norton-Cuffy remains a doubt.

With safety secured, De Rossi may be tempted to make changes, so Ruslan Malinovskyi will hope for a recall.

The Ukrainian sharp-shooter has six league goals this season - just one fewer than top scorer Lorenzo Colombo - and has previously posted four goal involvements against Fiorentina.

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:

De Gea; Dodo, Pongracic, Ranieri, Gosens; Ndour, Fagioli, Mandragora; Harrison, Gudmundsson, Solomon

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Martin; Ekhator, Vitinha; Colombo