Genoa host Fiorentina at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium on Saturday afternoon, with both sides hoping to move further away from the relegation zone.

Nineteen goals have been scored in the last four matches involving the visitors, in contrast to only eight goals scored in games involving the Rossoblu.

Match preview

Genoa ended a run of six league games without a win when they came from behind to beat relegation-threatened Parma just before the international break.

A second-half brace from substitute Gianluca Scamacca helped turned the game on its head after former Southampton striker Graziano Pelle had opened the scoring for the hosts in the 19th minute.

That result has seen the Rossoblu leapfrog Saturday's opponents Fiorentina into 13th place, nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Davide Ballardini's side are unbeaten in their last eight home Serie A matches, winning three and drawing the other five; the last time Genoa went nine games at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium unbeaten was back in November 2011.

The Rossoblu won this fixture against Fiorentina 2-1 last season, and another victory on Saturday would see them claim successive home wins against La Viola for the first time since 1992.

Fiorentina were unable to build on an impressive 4-1 away victory against Benevento as they lost 3-2 at home to title contenders AC Milan just before the international break.

With the match 1-1 at half time, La Viola took the lead six minutes after the break through veteran forward Frank Ribery. However, Milan responded quickly when Brahim Diaz equalised in the 57th minute, before Hakan Calhanoglu swept a brilliant right-footed effort into the bottom corner 18 minutes from time to seal all three points in Florence.

That result moved them down one place to 14th in Serie A, seven points above the drop zone and Fiorentina have now won, drawn and lost five matches each on home soil this season.

La Viola will be hoping star striker Dusan Vlahovic can regain his goalscoring form after blanking against Milan; the Serbian has scored nine of his 12 Serie A goals since the turn of the year, including a first-half hat-trick in the victory against Benevento.

Head coach Cesare Prandelli has been heavily criticised for his style of play and mediocre results since taking the reins in November but claiming three points on Saturday would ease the pressure and any fears of a potential relegation battle.

Team News

Genoa left-back Luca Pellegrini (muscle) remains the only long-term injury concern for Ballardini.

Striker Mattia Destro is set to start up front and could score 10 or more goals in Serie A for the first time since the 2016-17 season with Bologna.

After scoring twice against Parma, Scamacca could be handed a start in attack ahead of either experienced forward Goran Pandev or Uzbekistan international Eldor Shomurodov.

Fiorentina will be without forward Aleksandr Kokorin (muscle) and centre-back Igor (groin), who are both suffering with injuries.

Midfielder Sofyan Amrabat has recovered from a back injury but Erick Pulgar, Gaetano Castrovilli and Giacomo Bonaventura are all expected to start ahead of him.

Former Genoa striker Christian Kouame – who has made 17 substitute appearances so far this season, more than any other Fiorentina player – is set to start on the bench once again with Vlahovic and Ribery to lead the line.

Genoa possible starting lineup:
Perin; Masiello, Radovanovic, Criscito; Zappacosta, Zajc, Badelj, Strootman, Czyborra; Scamacca, Destro

Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
Dragowski; Milenkovic, Pezzella, Quarta; Caceres, Bonaventura, Pulgar, Castrovilli, Biraghi; Ribery, Vlahovic.

We say: Genoa 1-1 Fiorentina

Both Genoa and Fiorentina will feel that a victory on Saturday could be enough to ensure their Serie A status for another season.

Since the 2013-14 season, 10 of the 15 fixtures between both clubs have ended as a draw and with little to separate the two teams, we think that this encounter could finish level once again.