High-Flying Fiorentina Face A Tough Test Away To Inter Tonight

In just three home matches this season, Fiorentina have accrued a total of nine points, also finding the back of the net no less than ten times in front of packed out stands. The current campaign has seen season ticket sales increase to over 22,000 for the first time since 2013/14, a summer in which the Viola faithful were optimistic about the high-value purchase of striker Mario Gomez.

Yet the current transfer window didn’t bring in any household-name buys, merely a continuation of a policy focussed on developing young players in order to keep the club’s operating costs at a reasonable level. The supporters had long-since been protesting about such lack of investment and so on the surface at least, it seems difficult to see why they have turned out in such numbers.

The answer is simple.

Exciting football has returned to the Stadio Artemio Franchi and – along with a set of players who respect the shirt by trying their hearts out every week – this is all that those who frequent the Art Deco stadium really ask for. A packed out Curva Fiesole was rocking last Saturday when an enjoyable 3-0 win sent the Tuscan fans home happy, an atmosphere to be envied across the peninsula.

Of course, this side – the youngest in Europe on average – are going to make mistakes, and perhaps reaching the Europa League places is the most they can hope for this season. Yet the fans are fully behind them as they embark on a journey of both self and collective improvement, and this love for those who represent them is truly unconditional.

“Every game is a test and you have to be prepared for them,” Viola boss Stefano Pioli revealed before their midweek clash away to Inter. “We must show our identity on the field, regardless of how strong our opponents are. A front three is our way of playing, trying to outscore than our opponents. There’s been great teamwork, but we’ve been looking for players with quality and pace so we can always be a dangerous team.

“We’re an ambitious group and our focus must be to win the next game. The objective is clearly to improve on our finish last season.”

These are sensible words from a Coach who has also been fully embraced by the fans, but as Fiorentina sit in third place with the best goal difference in the league after five matches, could he be erring on the side of caution?

Such attacking mentality has genuinely delighted the fans at home, but the Viola must improve on their away performances before a surprise finish in the Champions League is even discussed. Tonight they travel to San Siro to face an Inter side who have been erratic in their early matches, a good test for an attacking and confident Viola.

If they can garner another three points, plus continue their superb home form on Saturday versus Atalanta, perhaps it will be justified to raise the bar for them just a little bit. Of course, they have been helped by poor form from rivals AC Milan, AS Roma and Inter, but all the initial signs seem extremely positive for Fiorentina.

With the fans behind them and a fearless attitude, the sky really is the limit for what these youngsters can achieve.