Fiorentina vs. Siena, Preview: Rivals meet in Coppa Italia quarter-finals

Reaching the Coppa Italia semifinals might seem like a simple task for Fiorentina. After all, one of the best teams in Italy is hosting a team currently 14th in Serie B. However, cup matches are always different to league ones, and every mistake could mean elimination. The visitors will certainly be motivated to do everything possible to create problems for the viola, as eliminating their rivals would make advancing in the Coppa even more special for this second-division side.

Fiorentina are in excellent form, having won four of their last five matches in Serie A and the Coppa match against Chievo all without conceding a single goal. Vincenzo Montella will look to continue that run at Siena's expense, and to do so, he will pick the strongest possible team. Only Alessandro Matri, who scored two but picked up a small injury against Catania, and Stefan Savić will be rested. Marvin Compper is likely to start at the heart of the defense, and Josip Iličić is likely to get a chance playing the role of the "false nine".

Much like their rivals, Siena love attacking football. The side might be 14th in Serie B, but they've scored the most goals in the league and would be in 4th if it weren't for yet another pesky points deduction, an occurrence that seems to happen each season for the robur. Mario Beretta will likely employ a 3-4-3 formation, with Michele Paolucci, who previously played at Juventus and Catania, spearheading the attack. Former Torino star Alessandro Rosina lends experience, while the talented Niccolò Giannetti, the club's top goalscorer, will try to make life difficult for the viola defense out wide.

The prize for Thursday's winner? Meeting Udinese, who beat AC Milan on Wednesday night, in the two-legged semi-finals.

Giuseppe Rossi, Mario Gómez, Ahmed Hegazy, Nenad Tomović (injured); Alessandro Matri, Ante Rebić (in doubt)

Fiorentina (4-3-3): Neto; Facundo Roncaglia, Gonzalo Rodríguez, Marvin Compper, Manuel Pasqual; Borja Valero, David Pizarro, Alberto Aquilani; Joaquín, Josip Iličić, Juan Cuadrado

Siena (3-4-3): Simone Farelli, Carlos Matheu, Guillermo Giacomazzi, Paolo Hernan Dellafiore; Angelo, Francesco Valiani, Nico Pulzetti, Zouhair Feddal; Niccolò Giannetti, Michele Paolucci, Alessandro Rosina