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Fairplay in focus as Fiorentina host Inter Milan

SoccerNews in Serie A 29 Oct 2008

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What should be an intriguing top of the table clash at the Stadio Artemio Franchi between Fiorentina and Inter Milan on Wednesday is being overshadowed by the spectre of fairplay.

Although Fiorentina are fifth and Inter second, the visitors are level on points with top placed Udinese and the hosts trail both teams by only a single point.

Either side in Florence could end the day looking down on everyone else.

From a footballing perspective it should be a fascinating tie, particularly given Inter boss Jose Mourinho's dissatisfaction with certain players in Sunday's 0-0 home draw against Genoa.

Mourinho has vowed to leave two or three players out of the squad to teach them an important lesson: it's his way or the highway.

The former Chelsea boss claimed certain players, without naming names, were playing for themselves and not for the team and were failing to follow his instructions.

The game will be as interesting for who is left behind as it is for it's own outcome.

The other interest on the playing side will be to see just how far Fiorentina have come in the last 12 months and whether or not Cesare Prandelli's young team are ready to challenge for the title.

They have won their last four Serie A matches, however a year ago in the corresponding fixture at a similar time of the season, the two teams were also at the top but Inter won comfortably 2-0 and demonstrated they were a league above La Viola.

That performance provoked an impromptu rugby-style guard of honour as Fiorentina players formed two lines and clapped the Inter players off the pitch.

The Fiorentina name then became synonymous with fairplay, so it is ironic that this time around they enter the fixture under a fairplay cloud.

Fiorentina could well be without striker Alberto Gilardino, who copped a two game ban for scoring a goal with his arm in Sunday's 3-1 win at Palermo but are due to have an appeal against it heard on Tuesday.

Gilardino has been penalised after a disciplinary panel decided to look into the matter, viewed TV evidence and judged him to have deliberately knocked the ball into the net with his arm – in his defence he was being manhandled to the ground by a Palermo defender at the time.

It sets a dangerous and bizarre precedent.

If a player can be banned on video evidence for cheating then anyone who gets away with a deliberate foul, handball or infringement of any kind during a game should then be banned after a trial by TV following the game.

While that row is likely to rumble on, there is another top of the table clash taking place in Sicily where sixth placed Catania, just two points off the top, take on the leaders.

Fourth-placed AC Milan, who host Siena, and third-placed Napoli, who host lowly Reggina, could also both finish the day as leaders if they win and results go their way.

Struggling AS Roma will try to kick start their woeful season when they tackle Sampdoria at home.

Fixtures

AC Milan v Siena, Bologna v Juventus, Catania v Udinese, Chievo v Lazio, Fiorentina v Inter Milan, Genoa v Cagliari, Lecce v Palermo, Napoli v Reggina, AS Roma v Sampdoria, Torino v Atalanta

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