Ahead of their next Serie A match, Fiorentina’s number one threat comes from Pisa’s right flank, with the duo of Idrissa Toure and Stefano Moreo. The two players, despite playing in different positions, have impressive athletic skills that make them the key pillars in Pisa’s build-up play.

Stefano Moreo, in particular, defies the cliche of his position: his 1.91 meters in height would normally make him a classic fox in the box, but he often plays more like a physical false nine. As Pisa’s top scorer with five goals, Moreo not only covers the final third, but instead moves comfortably from the attacking midfield to the flanks, with a particular attraction for the right flank. He serves as the focal point for cushioning long balls and relieving opposition pressure, shielding the sphere to trigger team-mates out wide. His tendency to drop between the lines vacates the heart of the attack, creating valuable gaps for late runs and enabling Pisa to bypass the initial press with extreme effectiveness.

Another player who likes to move in that part of the pitch is Idrissa Toure, a versatile player who, despite having also played as a defensive midfielder in the past, seems to have found his ideal position as a right winger, putting Fiorentina under pressure in this position in the reverse fixture this season. The German player uses his 1.88 meters in height to dominate large sections of the pitch, acting as the crucial glue holding together a solid defense and the team’s attack. His stats clearly show how effective he is: Toure has won an impressive 116 aerial battles so far this season, which places him among the top 15 Serie A players in terms of recovered balls in the opposition half. This means that he not only waits for his opponents but can also take the initiative and cause his opponents to make mistakes through physical pressure. His ability to create mismatches against full-backs, combined with excellent timing on his runs, makes him a vital source of dynamism.

The synergy between these two players is an unusual threat to Fiorentina’s defense. The main dangers the Viola will have to deal with are linked to the Pisa players’ remarkable physical strength, which enables both players to make up for their deficiencies in possession. While Toure disrupts his opponents’ defensive structure with athletic initiatives and bursts from deep, Moreo influences the positions of the center-backs through constant physical contact. They both attract defenders who mark them, thereby freeing up the box and forcing the defenders to constantly have to handle collisions and tackles. Keeping this duo at bay will not only mean limiting their actions, but also neutralizing Pisa’s very engine, a task that will require Fiorentina to have an impeccable defense at the Franchi.