Football Season Guide

Since coach Prandelli left the team in order to become the manager of the Italian national team, Fiorentina turned into some extras of the Italian Serie A. They just became incapable of fighting for anything more than a place in the limbo, that is far away from the European spots and from relegation. A big change was needed at a managerial level and so it was decided that Montella, who had brilliantly impressed with Catania, was the right man. This change at the helm of the team was also accompanied by a real revolution in the squad. No less than seven regular players from the previous season were let go. Among them, Montolivo, Behrami, Natali, Gamberini and Amauri. Unlike the past season when almost no new players had arrived during the summer, this time Fiorentina management made quite an effort in order to strengthen the squad and to replace some of the players who left. In goals, Viviano will take Boruc's place since the Polish international was released. Roncaglia and Rodriguez will be expected to act in the back three together with confirmed Nastasic. The midfield was utterly renewed: Borja Valero, Pizarro, Aquilani and Cuadrado are all expected to provide both the quality and the muscles that were missing in the recent past. In the attack, El Hamdaoui, who joins in with one-year delay, will make it straight to the starting eleven. Fiorentina supporters hope that Jovetic will not be sold before the end of the transfer season, as it appears likely, for it would be a major blow since no comparable player was hired.