Fiorentina’s season has reached another testing Sunday afternoon, with Arthur Atta set to miss the visit of Como at the Franchi as Paolo Vanoli searches for the balance that can move the Viola’s league campaign forward.
The coach and the club
Atta has worked hard to make himself available, but the French attacking player will not recover in time for Sunday’s match. He has been receiving treatment at Viola Park for an abdominal overload suffered before the international break.
The former Udinese man was at the club’s training centre on Monday and again on Tuesday morning, while the rest of the squad returned to work on Tuesday afternoon following the defeat against Genoa. His sessions have been focused almost entirely on recovery work.
The Genoa fixture was Atta’s first Serie A absence of the season. The Como match will therefore be his second, despite his regular use in the early months of the campaign under both Fabio Grosso and Vanoli. His performances, like those of the team, have varied, but he has remained one of the most frequently selected figures in the side.
Fiorentina hope to have him back in contention for the trip to Inter at San Siro on 25 October.
A choice for Vanoli
Without Atta, Vanoli must decide whether to retain the 4-2-3-1 or choose a more guarded 4-3-3, a system that can become a 4-5-1 when Fiorentina are without the ball.
If he keeps the current shape, Pedro Gonçalves is the most direct replacement. The Portuguese player has yet to start a league match, although his physical condition is improving. He is not yet considered ready to complete a full 90 minutes.
Franco Mastantuono is another possibility, though his week has brought a separate concern. The Argentine underwent surgery on Tuesday afternoon for a fracture to the fourth metacarpal in his left hand, sustained during Genoa-Fiorentina. He is expected to return to the pitch from Wednesday as he works towards Sunday’s anticipated contest with Como’s Nico Paz.
A midfield-based solution would alter the picture. In a 4-3-3, Oulai could operate as the deep midfielder, with Nicolò Fagioli and Cher Ndour alongside him. Marco Brescianini is also an option for Vanoli.
There are several routes open to the coach, but Fiorentina’s need is simple: turn the next selection decision into points and give their championship a steadier direction.
