Fallen giants Milan may flop again in Florence

Although the away side has won four of the last six head-to-heads between Fiorentina and AC Milan, the Rossoneri last tasted an away victory back in October. This explains their outsiders price of 3/1 with Coral for three points.

With Milan well off the pace for European football, it’s their hosts the Viola who are among those clubs to benefit. Vincenzo Montella is odds-on at 10/11 to steer them to a home win here, while a draw is 12/5.

Fiorentina are still short on options up front, with Mario Gomez and Giuseppe Rossi sidelined, though Alberto Gilardino should face his former club. This is his second spell in Florence, having signed from Milan initially in 2008.

Odds of 9/5 say Gilardino will come back to haunt the Rossoneri by netting against them anytime. Egypt winger Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, has six in nine appearances across all competitions since joining the Viola on loan from Chelsea, and is slightly better in that market at 2/1.

Slovenia attacker Josip Ilicic grabbed the opener in midweek as Fiorentina drew with fellow Serie A side Roma in the Europa League. It’s 13/2 that scores first again here.

Filippo Inzaghi has abandoned playing 4-3-3 in favour of a classic Italian tactic of a midfield diamond, which Carlo Ancelotti used to great effect at the San Siro when the current Rossoneri head coach was a player.

This switch has seen a change of role for winter window loan signing Alessio Cerci, now playing as a number 10, and top scorer Jeremy Menez going back up front.

Milan’s leading marksman Menez joins another recent arrival, Mattia Destro, in being decent value at 9/4 to net anytime in Florence. Cerci, meanwhile, is 16/5 in that market.

The Rossoneri also have a former Viola hero in their ranks, Riccardo Montolivo. Now fully recovered from a broken leg suffered just before the World Cup in Brazil, he is 9/2 to score against his old side.