Viola begin quest for UEFA Cup victory

ACF Fiorentina begin their quest towards UEFA Cup glory when they entertain AFC Ajax at Artemio Franchi this Thursday evening aiming to go one stage further than their semi-final run last season.

Penalty pain
The Viola played 14 games in the competition last season before losing to Rangers FC on penalties after a scoreless draw over two legs. This time around, however, they will have to play just over half that amount of matches to make it to the decider after a third-placed UEFA Champions League group finish.

Glory hunter
"Ajax are stern opponents, but our target is to win the UEFA Cup," the Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino said. "We are facing a hard task, but we'll try to overcome any obstacle in order to go as far as possible in Europe." Coach Cesare Prandelli is without right-back Gianluca Comotto, who twisted his left ankle on the eve of the game, has minor doubts over midfielders Martin Jørgensen and Sergio Almirón, while winger Mario Alberto Santana is a long-term absentee after rupturing the cruciate ligaments in his right knee earlier this month.

Winless streak
While Fiorentina came from 3-0 down to claim an unlikely point against Genoa CFC last Sunday to maintain fourth place in Serie A, Ajax secured their first win in five games with a 2-0 Eredivisie defeat of Feyenoord to keep the pressure on second-placed FC Twente. "After that bad run it was extra important to win this match," coach Marco van Basten said. "This gives confidence for the upcoming matches." Ajax had won 12 of their 16 games in all competitions prior to that recent blip, and they will have to rediscover that form if they are to end a run of nine games without victory against Italian opposition.

Midfield headache
Ajax are without a quartet of midfielders as Eyong Enoh, Siem De Jong, Ismaïl Aissati and Gabri will all watch from the sidelines. Jan Vertonghen is also out through injury while fellow defender Rob Wielaert is ineligible having earlier played in the tournament for Twente. Forward Javier Martina, who has only played in one match so far this season, has been added to the squad by Van Basten.