Since we last met

Serie A: Lazio 4-0 Fiorentina, Stadio Olimpico, Monday 9 March

Buoyed by their Coppa Italia first leg victory in Turin just four days earlier, Fiorentina approached the subsequent Serie A encounter away at Lazio with their tails up.

But it was to be the Biancocelesti who would ultimately steal a march on Vincenzo Montella’s men in the battle for Champions League football thanks to a four-goal showing in Italy's capital.

Lucas Biglia’s cracking volley got the ball rolling on six minutes, with Antonio Candreva providing the second from the penalty spot after Felipe Anderson had been felled by Nenad Tomovic midway through the second half.

Veteran Miroslav Klose then put the icing on the cake with two close-range strikes near the end as third-placed Lazio put daylight between themselves and Fiorentina in the Serie A standings.

Europa League: Fiorentina 1-1 Roma, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Thursday 12 March

Having overcome Premier League side Tottenham in the previous round, the Viola were handed an all-Italian last 16 tie up against rivals Roma.

The first leg proved to be a tense and entertaining affair in Florence, with the hosts taking an early advantage on 17 minutes courtesy of Josip Ilicic’s sweetly-struck effort.

Former Viola man Adem Ljajic spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to level at the end of the first-half, before the 23-year-old’s frustrating night continued when he saw his spot-kick saved by Neto on the hour mark.

But Rudi Garcia’s men were able to bag an important away goal ahead of the return leg, Seydou Keita nodding in from a corner during the final 15 minutes.

Serie A: Fiorentina 2-1 Milan, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Monday 16 March

The Viola got back to winning ways after a heart-stopping 2-1 league success over Milan in Florence at the midway point of March.

Jose Maria Basanta had the best chance of the first half when his header struck the crossbar following a Fiorentina free-kick.

Determined to turn the screw, Montella threw on Joaquin and Milan Badelj at the break, but it was the visitors who went ahead through January signing Mattia Destro’s poked finish on 56 minutes. The goal, however, proved to be a false dawn for the Rossoneri.

First Gonzalo Rodriguez converted Joaquin’s wicked cross to equalise seven minutes from time before the latter then completed an amazing turnaround in the teeming rain when he diverted past Diego Lopez with around 60 seconds to play.

Europa League: Roma 0-3 Fiorentina, Stadio Olimpico, Thursday 19 March

The Viola booked their place in the Europa League quarter-finals after dispatching Roma 3-0 in the last 16 return leg in Rome.

Montella’s men, who are now due to face Ukrainian outfit Dynamo Kiev in April, inflicted the damage courtesy of three strikes in the opening 22 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico.

Rodriguez’s penalty had given Fiorentina the lead on nine minutes, with Marcos Alonso adding a second when he capitalised on goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski’s error.

The rout was sealed ahead of the midway point of the first half: Basanta rising unchallenged to head in a corner and send the travelling faithful wild.

Serie A: Udinese 2-2 Fiorentina, Stadio Friuli, Sunday 22 March

Fiorentina were made to settle for a share of the spoils after Udinese fought back to draw 2-2 in the Viola’s final Serie A match before the international break.

Mario Gomez’s second-half double had seen the visitors take a 2-1 advantage following Molla Wague’s first-half opener for the Zebrette.

The lead, however, didn’t last long as Greek international Panagiotis Kone struck on 62 minutes to peg Fiorentina back.

Chances came and went before the final whistle brought an end to proceedings. The result means Montella’s charges have not won on the road in Italy’s top flight since beating Inter 1-0 at the start of March.

Serie A: Fiorentina 2-0 Sampdoria, Stadio Artemio Franchi, Saturday 4 April

Fiorentina's return to Serie A action saw them overcome Sampdoria, managed by former boss Sinisa Mihajlovic, by a 2-0 scoreline in Florence.

After a goalless first period, Alessandro Diamanti picked out the bottom corner with a precise curler to make it 1-0 16 minutes into the second half.

Just 360 seconds later, it was two. January signing Mohammed Salah, who has proved a revelation since joining from Chelsea on loan, received the ball from Gomez and* *slalomed his way past two challenges before firing in at Emiliano Viviano’s near post.

Saturday’s result keeps the Viola within touching distance of the Champions League places, a competition* in which they have not featured *since 2010.