Fiorentina

Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah has joined Fiorentina on loan for the remainder of the 2014-15 season, the club has confirmed.    

The Blues' official Twitter account revealed on Monday that the Egyptian international will move to Florence in a temporary deal just hours after it was revealed Juan Cuadrado had signed in the opposite direction:

.@22mosalah has tonight joined Fiorentina on loan until the end of the season... http://t.co/pSUSOsjo3h #CFC pic.twitter.com/fgyWHkq0VH

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 2, 2015

Salah has struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge since moving to Chelsea from Basel 12 months ago, leaving on the same day that Andre Schurrle returned to the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg:

.@Andre_Schuerrle has today finalised his move to Wolfsburg. Good luck Andre! http://t.co/fu7Cz4IWeq #CFC pic.twitter.com/tZEWWteSZt

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 2, 2015

Squawka points out just how little first-team football Salah managed to play over the past year, struggling to contend with the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar:

Mohamed Salah featured in just 542 minutes of Premier League action for Chelsea since signing last January. pic.twitter.com/Z8f3GGrscI

— Squawka (@Squawka) February 2, 2015

The 22-year-old will now look to replicate the impact Cuadrado had in Serie A, rekindling the form he once enjoyed in Switzerland's top flight and in the Champions League.

Chelsea have not yet made any indication of wanting to sell the winger when his loan spell comes to and end this summer, meaning a revival may yet see Salah earn a future in west London.  

Juan Cuadrado and Fiorentina had been rumoured to be working on a new contract for the Colombia international for days, and on Friday, the winger took to Twitter to confirm he had signed a new contract with La Viola.

In a statement (in Italian), he thanked his agent and the club and professed his love for Fiorentina:

Forza Viola! pic.twitter.com/kI0ypWh2HP

— Juan Cuadrado (@Cuadrado) October 24, 2014

Football-Italia provided a translation: "I’m happy for the renewal. I thank my agent Alessandro Lucci, the Della Valle family, the club as a whole and in particular the President Cognini for his availability. Forza Viola!"

Fiorentina have yet to officially confirm the news, but with the player already announcing the deal is done, an official statement is expected to arrive shortly.

Cuadrado's new contract will repeatedly run until the 2019 season, via Football Italia, with a base salary of €2.3 million and a €35 million buyout clause. GianlucaDiMarzio.com's David Amoyal believes this is an excellent move for La Viola:

Italian teams may have really struggled this week in Europe but getting extensions done for Pogba & Cuadrado is great news for Calcio

— David Amoyal (@DavidAmoyal) October 24, 2014

The Colombian was a reported summer transfer target for several top clubs, with Barcelona and Manchester United courting the 26-year-old in particular, via Goal's Chris Davie. A new and improved contract with a hefty buyout clause all but rules out a transfer at any point of 2015.

Injuries have limited Cuadrado to just five Serie A appearances and one domestic goal in the 2014-15 season, per WhoScored, and Fiorentina have struggled as a result. The new contract should boost the winger tremendously, however, and with their biggest asset now locked up to a long-term deal, the future looks bright for La Viola.

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Fiorentina took on Inter Milan on Sunday night, and within the first 20 minutes, Fiorentina had scored a pair of sensational goals from outside the box.

First, Khouma Babacar blasted the above strike with the outside of his boot in the seventh minute to make the score 1-0.

Juan Cuadrado then doubled the lead in the 19th minute with this impressive effort:

You won't tire of seeing this wondergoal from Babacar more than a few times: https://t.co/E6EVNrpxNT What a goal. #FiorentinaInter

— Total Italian Football (@SerieATotal) October 5, 2014

Cuadrado makes it 2-0. #fioint https://t.co/xjBwoXWASj

— 433LIVE (@433LIVE) October 5, 2014

We reckon the Babacar one is a touch better, but they're both excellent. Your thoughts?

[Vine, h/t ForzaItalianFootball; Vine, h/t 433Live]

Micah Richards has become the second Englishman to exchange the Premier League for Serie A this summer after confirming a loan move to Fiorentina.  

The powerful defender, who has struggled for playing time at Manchester City over the past few seasons, moves to Florence with the prospect of getting his career back on track, City confirmed on Monday:

BBC Sport reported the feed for the deal:

Richards commented on his Twitter account following the move:

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany wished Richards well at his new club via his Twitter account:

Richards could be an excellent addition to the Viola's squad. The 26-year-old plays menacing football when fully confident, led by his considerable physical stature and willingness to battle. He is versatile enough to slot into either a full-back or central defender's role, but may need time to regain match sharpness after two years in the wilderness for City.

The Englishman has remained a bit-part player throughout the Premier League side's recent era of success. Sheikh Mansour's added riches has seen leaders such as Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta added to the club's ranks, meaning Richards is constantly fighting for limited spots.

Manuel Pellegrini opted to bring in both Bacary Sagna and Eliaquim Mangala this summer, providing a subtle hint that Richards was surplus to requirements before his Serie A switch was confirmed.

It is often suggested not enough British players travel abroad to establish themselves. Ashley Cole exited Chelsea in the summer and confirmed a move to Roma, a move which may have set the way for many others to take a chance.

Simon Peach of the Press Association admires Richards for opting to accept an alternative challenge, while Hayley McQueen of Sky Sports suggests he could have easily moved to another British side:

Fiorentina started their Serie A season with defeat to Roma. Nenad Tomovic featured at right-back for Vincenzo Montella's side, who also began with Gonzalo Rodriguez and Stefan Savic at centre-back. Richards could be brought in to play alongside Savic, his former City team-mate, especially if Juan Cuadrado is destined to stay and fulfil right wing-back duties.

A positive season with Fiorentina should see Richards reignite his hopes of returning to the England team. He felt "frozen out" under Fabio Capello before being overlooked by Roy Hodgson, but will give himself a chance of making it back into the international fray with a consistent run of form.

Richards should be heading toward his peak at this stage of his career. While it has been evident for some years he was never going to receive regular opportunities at City, the experienced defender can highlight his wide range of qualities by establishing himself at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Fiorentina picked up a player over the summer who could turn out to be one of the best to emerge out of Australia in a number of years in Josh Brillante.

The 21-year-old from Bundaberg, Queensland, has shown while playing for former club Newcastle Jets and the Australian underage sides that he is already a superb footballer and has the potential to become considerably better.

His pre-season form in a handful of friendly matches for Fiorentina indicates Brillante is already physically and mentally prepared for life in Serie A.

Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou selected the versatile player for his original 30-man squad for Brazil 2014 but cut him when he named his final 23-man squad. He has commented since, however, that he regrets leaving Brillante out.

The manager told FFA TV, as reported on the official Socceroos website, that he made a mistake in not including the youngster in the squad.

"Josh was extremely unlucky to miss the World Cup squad. That was probably the toughest decision I had to make. Probably in retrospect I might have even erred in not taking him."

Though he has only one cap at full international level thus far, Brillante is clearly in Postecoglou's plans. He was named in the first post-World Cup Australia squad to take on Belgium and Saudi Arabia in friendlies, as the side begins its preparation for the 2015 Asian Cup on home soil.

It would be a huge surprise if Brillante was not involved in the Asian Cup, and it may even be the tournament where he begins to make a name for himself at the international level.

He has already impressed in junior Socceroos teams. His performances at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey in 2013 were outstanding, and he even scored one of the goals of the tournament with a long-range screamer against El Salvador.

The powerful defensive midfielder, who is also comfortable at right-back, has already forged a reputation as a top quality player among fans of Australia's A-League, despite his tender years.

A product of the prestigious Queensland Academy of Sport Football Program, Brillante made his A-League debut in 2010 for the now-defunct Gold Coast United. 

When Gold Coast's licence was not renewed by Football Federation Australia, the teenager moved to the Jets, where he went on to establish himself as a first-team regular, making 46 appearances over two seasons.

Brillante is the type of rugged central midfielder that teams are built around. He is not only a tenacious and physically intimidating defender but skilled on the ball as well.

His pace and stamina ensure he can slot in at right-back with ease as well, which probably explains Postecoglou's regret in not selecting him in his World Cup squad.

Most notable of all is his strong character and leadership qualities, especially for one so young.

He also possesses a ferocious shot from distance. Although he never managed a goal in the A-League, he has already scored for his Italian club in a friendly against Peruvian club Universitario.

This came after the Australian had wowed local commentators with a standout display in midfield against Estudiantes de la Plata and impressed new coach Vincenzo Montella with his physical preparedness, per Goal.com. 

Early signs indicate Brillante will feature regularly for Fiorentina in his first season in Italian football and may even command a first-team place.

Such a feat would be a huge achievement for the youth from Queensland, but one gets the feeling it will merely be the first step to bigger and better things.

Updates from Friday, Sept. 5

Eurosport lays out a timeframe for Rossi's return:

Fiorentina confirmed that the injury plagued striker will be out for four to five months after successfully undergoing arthroscopic surgery.

The 27-year-old United States-born forward complained of discomfort in the knee last month and did not play in Fiorentina's opening Serie A match of the season on Saturday when they lost 2-0 to AS Roma.

Updates from Wednesday, Sept. 3

Giuseppe Rossi has been named in Fiorentina's Europa League squad, despite the player requiring exploratory surgery on his knee.

Technical director Eduardo Macia insists the player is feeling "optimistic" over his chances of a swift recovery, per FIFA.com:

Rossi is very optimistic. He has an extraordinary mentality, that of a champion, and this is why we are calm. He never gives up and he will continue to give so much satisfaction to Fiorentina. His only focus right now is to return as soon as possible to be 100 per cent.

Updates from Monday, Sept. 1

Giuseppe Rossi is set for yet more surgery as Fiorentina seek to discover the full extent of his most recent knee injury.

The Serie A club tweeted the following on Monday:

Original Text

Fiorentina hitman Giuseppe Rossi is out of his team's opening game of the Serie A season against Roma after sustaining a knee injury.

The Press Association (via FIFA.com) highlights that the former Manchester United striker hurt his right leg during training but tests show the injury is not more serious.

The 27-year-old has suffered with knee injuries in the past with the same right leg being damaged last season, leading to a four-month layoff, per the PA.

Italian sports correspondent Daniella Matar also confirmed Rossi's injury via Twitter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7im2P9UNs8Q

Fiorentina released a statement regarding Rossi's prognosis, per the PA's report: "The tests done have excluded any muscle injuries in his thigh. However, the exams did reveal signs of excessive pressure being put on his right knee. The player will rest and receive appropriate treatment for at least seven days before undergoing further tests."

Despite the injury, the news that it is a minor problem will please fans and staff of the Viola. Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella expressed to La Gazzetta dello Sport, per the report: "I am sorry for him. He knows he has to live with these problems. Fortunately, it's not something serious."

Rossi was prolific for his club during the 2013-14 Serie A season, scoring on a near-weekly basis when available to play.

He hit 16 goals in 19 starts in the domestic league campaign, per WhoScored.com, proving how valuable he is to the club's fortunes and results. 

The player has previously undergone two operations on the currently damaged right knee to repair cruciate damage, so any additional issue physically in the joint will cause alarm bells to ring.

Rossi has always been a dangerous striker, and his potential was spotted at an early age at Old Trafford. But the player could not break into the first team on a regular basis, and the American-born player moved to Villarreal to revive his career. 

His six years in Spain saw him maintain a healthy reputation for himself before he made the leap into Italian football in 2013.

Fiorentina will be hoping to get the Italy striker back on the pitch as soon as possible to team up with Juan Cuadrado, if the Colombian does not participate in a transfer away from Florence.

The team will need both players to hit the heights of last season, which saw the club finish fourth in the table, winning 19 matches from its 38 games, per ESPN FC.

Giuseppe Rossi did eventually get to Brazil this summer, just not in the way that he had hoped.

Left out of Italy’s World Cup squad, the Fiorentina striker at first allowed himself a summer holiday, spending time with friends and family in the Bahamas and New Jersey.

But before long it was time to get back to work. The Viola had a grueling preseason schedule planned, the highlight of which was an ambitious tour of South America.

They travelled all over the continent, taking on Estudiantes, Palmeiras and Universitario de Deportes, before flying back to Europe for further friendlies against Malaga and Real Betis. They will face Real Madrid in Warsaw on Saturday.

After that, Rossi might need to get some sleep, if this recent tweet is anything to go by:

He was not really complaining, of course. Rossi is happy to be back playing football after all the frustrations of the last eight months.

He had worked relentlessly to get back into contention for the World Cup after tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee this January, only to then be dropped from Italy’s squad during the final round of pre-tournament cuts. 

Cesare Prandelli, manager of the Azzurri at the time, defended his decision by arguing that Rossi had still appeared too tentative during the country’s warm-up game against the Republic of Ireland, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (quotes in Italian).

The player responded angrily to that claim, venting his frustrations in a series of messages on Twitter: 

It was easy to sympathise with both parties. Prandelli was only doing what he thought best for Italy’s World Cup chances.

Their early exit makes it tempting to second-guess all the manager’s decisions, but there is no realistic way of knowing whether Rossi would have made a difference. He had played just five times since the injury, and never for more than 70 minutes. 

On the other hand, Rossi was long overdue a chance to play at a major international tournament.

One of the most technically gifted strikers of his generation, he was overlooked by Marcello Lippi before the 2010 World Cup and missed out on Euro 2012 after suffering successive cruciate ligament tears while playing for Villarreal.

Bought by Fiorentina in January 2013, he had finally looked back to his best at the start of last season, scoring 14 goals in 18 Serie A games. But then came a clumsy tackle by Livorno’s Leandro Rinaudo in January. Rossi was out for another four months.

Was this just bad luck, or evidence of more fundamental physical flaws? Might Rossi’s body simply not be robust enough to survive the rigours of life as a professional footballer? It is a thought that he refuses to entertain. 

During an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport this week, Rossi had it put to him that his knee was “made out of crystal.” He disagreed strongly with the assertion (quotes in Italian). If he believed that, what would have been the point of going through so much painful rehab just to get back to this point?  

Still just 27 years old, Rossi remains convinced that happier, healthier days are ahead of him. Fiorentina’s fans want to believe it as well. They caught a glimpse last season of what a special player he can be, even though Rossi argued at the time that he was not yet back to his peak, as reported by ESPN FC's James Horncastle.

He knew that he had been even better at Villarreal in 2010-11, scoring 32 goals in all competitions. 

Can he recapture that kind of form in the upcoming campaign? There are reasons to think that he might.

Rossi scored twice in the three league appearances that he made at the end of last season after returning from his injury back in May. He ought to be even sharper now with a full summer of fitness work under his belt. 

Assuming that Rossi stays in Florence—and his agent has dismissed speculation regarding a possible move to Liverpool, according to Tutto Mercato Web (h/t ESPNFC)—we can also say with confidence that he will have the tools around him to succeed.

Vincenzo Montella’s Fiorentina finished a comfortable fourth last season, scoring 65 goals.

This despite having to play without both Rossi and Mario Gomez for large chunks of the campaign. The German striker managed just nine league games between his various knocks and sprains.

On paper, Gomez looks like the perfect foil for Rossi—a tall and aggressive target man who can push defenders back and create space for his deeper-lying partner to operate in. They have the potential to become a devastating one-two punch. 

Already this summer they have shown that they can be a fearsome combination in at least one setting: around a ping-pong table. Rossi and Gomez each told reporters in separate interviews (quotes, in Italian, here and here) that they had formed a deadly doubles team, and were dominating all comers at Fiorentina’s preseason training camp.

Supporters will be happy to see the two strikers enjoying each other’s company. But most of all they will hope that both players can stay healthy this time around. If it happens then Rossi, Gomez and their team could be in for very good years indeed. 

Fiorentina made a big splash last summer when they landed Mario Gomez from Bayern Munich. Gomez and Giuseppe Rossi formed one of the best strike pairings in Serie A on paper. After a tumultuous first season together filled with injuries and disappointment, the forward duo is ready to rebound.

Gomez and Rossi started the Viola's opening match of the 2013-14 Serie A season against Catania. The latter scored in a 2-1 victory, but the former had a solid game despite not finding the back of the net.

The next match saw both forwards produce a cracking performance. Rossi and Gomez both completed braces in a 5-2 win over Genoa.

September 15 was the date that the pair began to experience some difficulties. Gomez suffered knee ligament damage against Cagliari and was expected to sit out the next three months, but he didn't return until February against Inter. The 29-year-old lasted just five more matches and then sustained another injury to his knee.

Rossi picked up the slack during Gomez's first absence. In fact, the Italian led Serie A in scoring until further complications to his previously injured knee essentially ended his campaign.

Rossi ended up missing out on the Italy squad for the World Cup. The 27-year-old played in just four games after he was deemed fit, so it was a possibility that his return to the pitch was premature.  However, this has never been proven.

As of now, both men have put those complications behind them. Considering all of the moves that have transpired in Serie A during the transfer window, Fiorentina find themselves lost in the shuffle.

Juventus remain a strong side, but they are now led by Massimiliano Allegri after former manager Antonio Conte stepped down in July. Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba are still wearing Bianconero, which they're happy about, per Allegri's statements to reporters.

Roma have signed multiple players but have also managed to hold on to hot commodities like Kevin Strootman and Mehdi Benatia thus far.

Napoli didn't go on a shopping spree like last summer, but they're still serious contenders for the Scudetto now that they've had a year to gel.

Inter rebuilt with newly arrived Yann M'Vila and Nemanja Vidic, among others. They should be regarded as a dark-horse competitor to secure a Champions League spot this season.

Lazio has also enjoyed a productive transfer window with new coach Stefano Pioli leading them this year. Their acquisition of Stefan De Vrij signalled their intention to qualify for European competition.

Fiorentina isn't on the radar, which is to their advantage. Rossi will be anxious to prove former Italy manager Cesare Prandelli erred in his decision to snub the striker from the World Cup squad. Gomez appeared in just nine league games in 2013-14, per ESPN FC, so he’ll be motivated to prove his worth. Both players are crucial to Fiorentina’s plans this season.

Another star who will be a big part of Vincenzo Montella's system is Juan Cuadrado. However, he is being pursued by Manchester United and Barcelona, per Teddy Cutler of The Independent. An important meeting between the Fiorentina board and the Colombian winger will take place Friday to address those rumours, per Football Italia.

If Cuadrado remains with the Viola it will be an added boost for the Tuscan side. If both of their top strikers are fit and their most in-demand player stays, Fiorentina supporters can expect their club to surprise the doubters much like Roma did last year.

Having already failed to score in Sunday’s defeat to the same opponent, Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella knew he needed a change. With just over 20 minutes left, his team were once again a losing by a single goal at Juventus Stadium against Antonio Conte’s all-conquering side.

With the return leg at home in seven days time, the tactician—who himself displayed an incredible eye for goal during his playing career—decided he’d seen enough from Alessandro Matri and replaced the former Milan striker with Mario Gomez.

The German had failed to score since a double against Genoa back in September, a knee ligament injury ruling him out for five months just two weeks later. He had returned to action in early February, making six appearances during which he managed to take a total of just three shots, looking far from the devastating finisher he was at Bayern Munich.

Yet what he had also become during his final season in Bavaria was a superb substitute, able to come on whenever his team needed a goal and find the back of the net with alarming regularity. With Mario Mandzukic firmly ensconced in the starting lineup, it was a timely reinvention of the player who cost Bayern around €30 million back in 2009.

Take last season’s German Cup semifinal against Wolfsburg where, with only four touches, Gomez scored a hat-trick in just six minutes to seal a 6-1 win. In Turin on Thursday night it would take a little longer—11 minutes passing before Josip Ilicic clipped a ball over the top of the Juve defence.

Angelo Ogbonna failed to intercept, allowing Gomez into the box with the ball at his feet, and the 28-year-old would make no mistake. Confident enough to hold onto the ball until Gigi Buffon committed himself, the striker coolly slotted underneath the goalkeeper to draw Fiorentina level.

The delicate balance of two-legged European fixtures only increased the value of that away goal, a strike that arguably puts the Viola in the driving seat when the two rivals face off again next week. Montella was full of praise after the final whistle, declaring his admiration for Gomez to Sky Italia (h/t Football-Italia) as he told them:

The first touch was wonderful, but also his physique and international experience. Combine all those and you get a world class goal. He could not have chosen a better moment to get back on the score sheet.

The coach could not have been more right about Gomez’s timing, and not only in terms of this match. With injury also denying Fiorentina the services of Giuseppe Rossi, his return to form is essential if the Viola are to finish the season in the same excellent style in which they began.

Among the early challengers to Juve’s domestic dominance, they have faded badly since the end of January, winning just one of their last five league fixtures, scoring just five times in that period. That is undoubtedly something of a slump for a team boasting the fourth most prolific attack in Serie A, and Gomez can certainly be the man to pull them from it.

Robbed of his leading scorer Rossi, Montella has few options but to rely on the German striker with Matri as the only real alternative. Arriving on loan from Milan, the latter made an instant impact, netting twice in a devastating 45-minute debut away to Catania, but he has failed to shine since.

Despite making a further 10 appearances, Matri has added just one goal to his tally at Fiorentina, proving just as profligate as he was at San Siro. Yet according to stats site WhoScored.com, he is averaging 1.9 shots per game for la Viola, proving their excellent midfield is still creating chances for its forwards.

With the gap to third-placed Napoli now 10 points, it is unlikely that Champions League football could return to Florence next season, but if their German front man can capitalise on the excellent play of Borja Valero and Juan Cuadrado, a trophy this term remains a distinct possibility.

With Fiorentina already in the Italian Cup Final and in an excellent position against Juventus, Mario Gomez might just prove decisive.

Tuscan derbies are full of passion and fighting spirit which result in games being played out in a vigorous manner. This harks back to the days when the states and principalities which now combine to make up Italy would take to the field in a much more sinister type of combat.

There are always causalities in war, just like there are always injuries in football matches. But when Livorno’s Leandro Rinaudo flew into Giuseppe Rossi on Sunday, it did not sit well with millions of onlookers.

This was primarily because the foul seemed intentional and unnecessary, and secondly because Rossi has been one of the stars of Serie A this year and was tipped to be a main player in the World Cup in Brazil. Last but not least, many simply felt for the young man after he seemed to suffer another major setback in his injury-ridden career.

Rossi has had successive anterior cruciate ligament injuries causing him to miss over two years of his playing career, but this season, all seemed to have changed. Fiorentina have benefited from his prolific form this term and will be anxious to find out the extent of the injury.

Coach Vincenzo Montella told Sky Sport Italia (h/t Football Italia):

We are all worried about Rossi...We are above all sad for his state of mind. It’s a real shame, as the foul seemed to be intentional and the player behind it didn’t even apologise. Usually when someone commits a foul like that you say sorry, as there was no way Rinaudo was going to get that ball.

It is now unclear how long the American-born forward will be out. Football Italia reports that Rossi will be flying out to the U.S. to be treated by Dr. Richard Steadman, who will conduct more tests before releasing his verdict.

Whatever the outcome, this is still a major blow to Fiorentina, who are chasing a Champions League spot, and to the national team, who will miss him if he's not in peak form for the World Cup in Brazil.

Rossi has scored 15 goals in 19 games for Fiorentina in all competitions with four assists to go with it. He has become one of the most feared strikers in the division and has been going through a renaissance befitting of his Florentine surroundings. With Mario Gomez still sidelined through injury, this leaves the Viola with some big gaps to plug with fixtures now coming thick and fast.

Cesare Prandelli will also be nervously awaiting the results, as he had previously praised Rossi's performance for the Azzurri in November, per ESPN FC: "I was delighted with them [Rossi and Balotelli], they harmonised immediately...they combined very well numerous times." The fact that arguably the more consistent and professional of his front two could be missing for Brazil will fill him with dread.

Much more will be known in the coming weeks regarding the extent of this injury, but the trepidation likely to be felt by Montella and Prandelli combined with the heartache for fans (not just Florentine) shows what an admired professional and exciting player the little American-born striker is.