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Fiorentina and Inter want to get back on the winning track

Both teams have been at a decline over the last weeks and they currently lost the third position to Roma

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In the shadows of Saturday's great derby between Juventus and Napoli, Fiorentina and Inter will face each other on Sunday in Florence. They are direct rivals in the battle for the Champions League. In the first part of the season, these teams fought for the top of the league table, but poorer form after the Winter break has put them behind the leading teams. Besides, Roma have on Friday, with a win, took over the second spot for at least two days, so they will be motivated  and there will be no lack of fight for valuable points in this game.

Fiorentina have, in the last six rounds, won only two times, and that is not enough to keep up with Juventus and Napoli. After Zarate's goal in injury time got Fiorentina all thre points against Carpi, Paulo Sousa's team was not so lucky during last week's game at Bologna. Since they had to play with one less player for a half an hour against Donadoni's team, Fiorentina actually weren't too disappointed with only a point at Dall'Ara.

Fiorentina won their last three head-to-head games against Inter, and Paulo Sousa wants to continue that winning run:

- The game against Inter will be beautiful, at a high technical level and a great game for all of those mesmerized by football. They want to redeem themselves for the defeat in the first part of the season, and we want to feel proud of what we're doing with a win. It is normal to, in the title race, see teams that are constructed for those goals, but I will remain optimist as far as my Fiorentina is concerned. The value of this game is the same as always, it has to be like a finale to us. We know that no one will give us anything. 

For the game against Inter, Paulo Sousa cannot count on suspended midfielder Mati Fernandez, and midfielder Badelj, and newcomer defender Benalouane who are injurd. It is assumed that Fiorentina's coach will modify their usual 3-4-2-1 formation into 4-2-3-1, but it is questionable whether Kalinic or Babacar will start as the striker. 

In the last six rounds, Inter won only one game, and in the last round Mancini's team barely took a point against bottom-placed Verona. It was a weird game in which Inter had an early lead after Murillo scored after a corner kick, but Verona made a complete turnaround with three goals from set pieces. Mancini reacted by putting Perisic in, and the Croatian player responded with an assist and a goal for a draw. Inter have been dropping a lot and Mancini desperately needs good results in the next three rounds which bring them difficult away games at Fiorentina and Juventus, and home game against woken up Sampdoria. 

Mancini announced the game in Florence:

- This is not a deciding game, but it is important because this is the deciding part of the season. Throughout the last several weeks we threw away all the good work we had done in the previous five months. The team recovered well after the derby defeat and we definitely deserved to win in Verona, who scored three goals after corner kicks. Fiorentina are playing very well, but I hope this will be a turning point for Inter. What I see in practices and in the latest games is giving me confidence.

The away team from Milan are not having any injury problems, but because of a suspension, Mancini cannot count of defensive midfielder Felipe Mela. Inter's couch should set the team in 4-4-2 formation for this match, with Perisic and Biabiany as wingers, and Icardi and Eder, whom they acquired over the Winter, at the top of the attack from the start.