Hellas Verona Faces Fiorentina in Crucial Serie A Showdown

VERONA, Italy — On February 23, 2025, Hellas Verona will host Fiorentina at Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi in a highly anticipated Serie A match that sees relegation-threatened Verona vying for survival against a European hopeful Fiorentina. The match is crucial for both teams as they look to reverse their recent misfortunes.

Both teams enter the match with disappointing recent performances. Hellas Verona stands precariously above the relegation zone, having lost nine consecutive league matches against AC Milan, including a 1-0 defeat last week. With just one victory and two goals scored in their last seven matches, Verona holds the unfortunate title of scoring the fewest goals among Europe’s top five leagues so far in 2025.

“We need to turn things around if we want to avoid relegation,” said Verona coach Cesc Fabregas. “Fiorentina is a tough opponent, but we will give everything to earn points at home.”

On the other hand, Fiorentina is currently aiming for a Champions League spot but has also been on a downward spiral, having lost their last two matches, including a surprise defeat to Como last weekend. After an impressive victory against Inter Milan earlier this month, Fiorentina now finds themselves four points behind Lazio and Juventus in the race for European qualification.

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano expressed urgency for his team to regain momentum: “We need a win to get back on track. Hellas Verona is always a challenging fixture, but if we play to our capabilities, we can come away with a positive result.”

In terms of player availability, Fiorentina will miss key contributors due to injury, including Lorenzo Venuti and Nicolas Gonzalez. However, they will welcome back Moise Kean, who is back from suspension. Kean has a history of performing well against Verona and has scored five goals against them in his career.

Verona will be without their starting left-back, Daniele Furlan, who is serving a suspension. The team expects to field a lineup that includes Montipo in goal and defensive players like Dawidowicz and Ghilardi. The pressure is on the forwards, Suslov and Kastanos, to score as they face a Fiorentina defense that has conceded more than one goal in three of their last five away matches.

Fiorentina’s potential starting lineup could feature De Gea in goal, with Parisi and Ranieri bolstering the backline. The attacking front may see Kean leading the charge, supported by Zaniolo and Beltran, as the team looks to exploit Verona’s defensive vulnerabilities.

The previous encounter between these two sides ended in a 2-1 victory for Fiorentina at Bentegodi in May 2024, highlighting Verona’s struggles against the Viola. Overall, Verona has lost four of their last five matches against Fiorentina.

This Sunday’s matchup at Stadio Bentegodi is expected to be a defining moment for both teams as Hellas Verona seeks salvation while Fiorentina aims to keep their European aspirations alive. Fans on both sides are eagerly awaiting a thrilling encounter that could change the trajectory of their seasons.