Coppa Italia quarter-final clash pits Roma against Fiorentina

Last season’s beaten Coppa Italia finalists Fiorentina will keep their chances for silverware success alive this time around, if they defeat Roma in the quarter-finals.

The two teams only played each other recently in Serie A, with the game finishing 1-1, a scoreline which Viola repeated in their last fixture away at Genoa. Mario Gomez dispatched first, and the German centre forward has odds of 13/2 to do so again. Alberto Gilardino represents good value at 5/2 in the anytime market, while Juan Vargas, who struck in the 2-1 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico last term, is 9/2 again anytime.

Away side Fiorentina are unbeaten in five fixtures across all competitions, though don’t fare so well against Roma. The draw recently put an end to a six match losing streak against the side from the Italian capital, but couldn’t hang on for a win, with Adem Ljajic equalising just after half time. The Serbian international is 2/1 to net anytime, and take his season total to eight in all competitions.

For Roma, form, as eluded to is well and truly on their side in the head-to-head. In this fixture in the league in August, they ran out 2-0 winners, with Radja Nainggolan and Gervinho on target, however the latter is on Africa Cup of Nations duty, with Ivory Coast in the semi-finals, as is new signing Seydou Doumbia. Nainggolan has been impressive for Roma this term and is 7/2 to dispatch anytime.

There could be a start for new loan signing, striker Victor Ibarbo, and the Colombian is 23/10 in the anytime market. An interesting fact for English viewers is that this match could also pit Ashley Cole literally against compatriot Micah Richards, with both full backs operating on opposite flanks. When the former scores, it is often spectacular, and as a result he, like the Manchester City-owned player is yet to hit the back of the net for Roma.

Both players are 10/1 and 9/1 to net anytime respectively, with the latter (Richards) posing more of a threat aerially from set pieces.