Fiorentina vs Udinese preview - Udinese coach pleased with form

Posted Tuesday, October 28, 2014 by PA

Udinese coach Andrea Stramaccioni is thrilled with the way his troops are playing ahead of Wednesday's Serie A game at Fiorentina.

Stramaccioni, who replaced Francesco Guidolin at the helm in the summer, has Udinese to five wins in their opening eight league matches.

A 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Sunday lifted the Friuli outfit to third in Serie A, six points adrift of league leaders Juventus.

"We have taken an important step forward," Stramaccioni said with respect of his team's 1-0 defeat at Torino in the previous round. "We played very well against Atalanta and never looked in danger.

"We are delighted with our current position in the standings."

Stramaccioni, however, has urged his players to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

"We have taken 16 points so far, which is very good," the former Inter Milan tactician said. "But our aim this season is to avoid the drop.

"We now have a very difficult game at Fiorentina and we hope to do well."

Fiorentina face a stern test when they take on an Udinese side that has looked solid at both ends of the pitch.

Udinese have found the net 11 times and given away six goals so far.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, have won just two games this season, their last a 3-0 triumph over Inter Milan on October 5.

The Florence outfit head into the contest at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on the back of Sunday's 1-1 draw at AC Milan.

The outcome followed their 2-0 defeat at home to Lazio and left the Viola 11th in the standings, six points adrift of Wednesday's opponents.

Lack of goalscoring has been Fiorentina's main problem this season with the Viola having struggled without injured strikers Giuseppe Rossi and Mario Gomez.

Fiorentina have found the back of the net just six times in eight games.

"The important thing is that the team creates chances," Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella said. "Sooner or later the goals will come."

The hosts are without Argentinian defender Gonzalo Rodriguez, who serves a one-match ban.