After
the lacklustre play of the past two seasons culminated in an embarrassing
fracas involving manager Delio Rossi and striker Adem Ljajic, ACF Fiorentina
owners, the Della Valle family, sent a clear message: things had to change at
Florence’s Artemio Franchi stadium.
A
transfer revolution ensued in the summer of 2012, and 17 of the 26 registered
players for the 2012-2013 season are new to the club.
Perhaps
most importantly, the Della Valle family welcomed in manager Vincenzo
Montella. ‘L’aeroplanino,’ as he is affectionately known, has introduced a new
range of tactics and instilled a never-say-die attitude in his squad.
In
particular, his preferred 3-5-2 formation is making the most of the club’s
high-quality midfield resources. While some pundits have highlighted
Fiorentina’s lack of a midfield-enforcer, the creativity from the likes of
Borja Valero, Matías Fernández and David Pizzaro has shone through. Indeed,
with the imminent return of Italian international Alberto Aquilani, who has
been recovery from an injury, Fiorentina’s midfield is surely a formidable
force.
The
results? So far so good. As of mid-October, Fiorentina are sitting in sixth
position, a mere four points adrift of a Champions League spot. While the Viola
have suffered some disappointing defeats against Napoli and Internazionale,
their new fluid style of football has drawn the widespread approval of
Fiorentina fans. With upcoming games against Chievo, Lazio, Genoa and Cagliari,
this is a real chance for the Viola to harvest some league points and
consolidate their position in the Serie A standings.
