Paratici Confirms Fiorentina's Injury Woes for Kean, Emphasizes U23 Importance for Reforms

Fiorentina director Fabio Paratici has shared a concerning injury update regarding Moise Kean ahead of the team's match against Lazio tonight. He also reiterated the 'fundamental' importance of Under-23 teams for proposed reforms in Italian football.

The match is scheduled to kick off at the Stadio Artemio Franchi at 19:45 UK time (20:45 CEST).

Fiorentina enters this fixture following a disappointing 3-0 defeat in the Conference League quarter-finals against Crystal Palace on Thursday. The team is currently facing a significant injury crisis, with Moise Kean, Fabiano Parisi, Marco Brescianini, Niccolò Fortini, Luca Lezzerini, and Tariq Lamptey all sidelined. Additionally, Albert Gudmundsson and Nicolò Fagioli are suspended.

Paratici on Fiorentina's Situation

"Kean is doing everything he can to recover as quickly as possible, but we are uncertain about the timeline for his full recovery, as his condition tends to fluctuate," Paratici stated to DAZN Italia. "I prefer to concentrate on the players who are available. Piccoli is performing very well, and we have great confidence in him."

Paratici, who joined Fiorentina in February after departing Tottenham Hotspur, has been tasked with addressing the team's struggles. He commented, "When a club doesn't meet expectations, there are various issues. However, we are focused on finding solutions. We've rolled up our sleeves and are working diligently. We understand it will be a challenging fight until the end, and we will earn our place in Serie A one point at a time."

In the broader context of Italian football's efforts to restructure following their World Cup qualification failure, 18 out of 20 clubs have expressed their support for Giovanni Malagò's bid to become the new FIGC President.

"Malagò is an individual who has held a highly respected position with excellent results. He is a charismatic leader capable of representing us effectively and bringing fresh ideas, which we all should collaboratively propose and implement for Italian football as a whole," Paratici continued. "In my opinion, the Under-23 team is a vital component of these reforms, and more clubs should establish them. Once Fiorentina is sufficiently organized to do so, we will, given our strong youth academy. We believe this is a necessary step for developing young players."

Tonight's match marks a reunion between Paratici and Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri, with whom he had a brief stint at Juventus. "I haven't encountered Sarri yet. I want to emphasize that he was with us for a year at Juve, and despite public perception, it was a very successful campaign. We won the Scudetto, lost the Coppa Italia final on penalties, and also the Supercoppa Italiana. I'd say that was a very strong season."