Fiorentina are ready to play their fourth 2025/26 Serie A match and second home match in a row at the Stadio Franchi (which we’ve grown used to seeing with its ongoing construction work).

Fiorentina v Como will start at 18:00 CEST. For those who love statistics, Fiorentina will be playing at this time of the day for the first time this season. So far they have played two matches at 18:30 CEST against Cagliari and Torino respectively (two draws) and one that they lost to Napoli at 20:45 CEST.

When it comes to statistics and previous matches, the two teams have played a total of 20 matches against one another (including the Serie A, Coppa Italia and lower leagues) in Florence, with Fiorentina winning 12 matches, Como winning five and three draws.

The match will be officiated by Kevin Bonacina. So far he has been the referee for only five matches in Serie A, one of which was this year (Napoli v Cagliari) and four during last season. He has also officiated five Coppa Italia matches throughout his career, one match this season (Udinese v Carrarese), three last season and one during the 2023/24 season.

Overall Como have won ten matches, the same number as Fiorentina, along with six draws. In their previous matches in Florence, Fiorentina have been more successful than Como, with eight wins, two draws and four losses. The last time Como won against Fiorentina, apart from their 2-0 win with one goal by Assane Diao and one by Nico Paz, was on March 8, 1987, when they beat Fiorentina 1-2.

The first match in Florence between the two teams took place in the Seria A 1949/50 season, on matchday 26, with Como winning 0-1. The player who has scored the most goals in these matches is Giancarlo Vitali with a total of five goals, followed by Christian Rigano and Vittorio Ghiandi with three goals each.

Throughout his career, Stefano Pioli has faced Como twice. On both occasions he coached Salernitana (the first time he lost an away match, while the second he won at home, with both matches ending 1-0). This will also be his first match against Spanish coach Cesc Fabregas.

Como have always opted for a back-four formation so far this season. Their two-man midfield is very flexible because of Nico Paz’s movements, who moves back and forth from the midfield to attack. Their formation can shift from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 based on how the game is going and the team’s attitude.

The Spaniard is also this season’s top scorer so far, with a total of two goals scored, both at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia: one was in the 2-0 match against Lazio and the other in their latest Serie A match against Genoa, which ended 1-1.

Many players have played for both teams over the years.

Pietro Vierchowod started his professional football career at Como and contributed to the club’s rise from Serie C to Serie A in a long journey from 1976 to 1981, with a total of 135 appearances. The following year he won the 1982 World Cup with the Italian national team and joined Fiorentina. He only stayed for one season but immediately became a pillar of the team and came extremely close to winning the league title (we’ll refrain from talking about the end of that season, but everyone remembers what happened).

In chronological order, yet always in the hearts of Fiorentina fans, we have Stefano Borgonovo, who played his first two Serie A matches for Como, before joining Fiorentina and playing together with Roberto Baggio, with the two great players eventually being nicknamed “B2.” Throughout that season he scored an impressive 14 goals. Thanks to that success he then joined Milan, where he won everything. The later part of his life was painful, as he fought against ALS, which he nicknamed “the bitch.”

Luis Oliveira joined Fiorentina in 1996. Over a period of three years in Florence he contributed to the team’s success, scoring a total of 26 goals. He enjoyed a second youth at Como, as he became the 2001/02 Serie B season’s top scorer and contributed to his team being promoted to Serie A.

Andrea Tarozzi is currently assistant coach at Fiorentina, but he played for both teams, making 114 appearances alongside Pasquale Padalino, Mauro Bressan, Mirko Benin, and Stefano Rossini, who all played for both clubs.

Patrick Cutrone scored five goals in 34 appearances during his year in Florence. Moreover, he scored 14 goals for Como in the 2023/24 season, also becoming MVP.

So, the Florence-Como connection is also made up of some names from football's past, and all that remains is to wait for new chapters in this story between these two clubs.

The paths of Florence and Como will cross on Sunday evening, adding a new chapter to this exciting rivalry, which also involves two owners who are investing heavily in the Italian league.