Fiorentina Vs Pisa preview: Relegation six‑pointer at the Franchi
The Tuscan derby — fiorentina vs pisa — arrives with concrete stakes on Monday, 23 February 2026: kickoff 12: 30 p. m. EST at Stadio Artemio Franchi in Firenze, where Fiorentina need three points to stay level with Lecce and Pisa sit on just 15 points and face the very real prospect of relegation.
Fiorentina Vs Pisa: Stakes and team news
Fiorentina travel into the derby buoyed by a 3-0 Conference League first‑leg win away to Jagiellonia Białystok, with Luca Ranieri, Rolando Mandragora and Roberto Piccoli on the scoresheet in that Thursday victory; the match came in freezing conditions, while the Franchi is forecast to be reasonably warm by contrast. Paolo Vanoli is suspended after a red card against Como, so Daniele Cavalletto will take charge on match day, and the squad is healthier than it was in Poland: David de Gea, Dodô, Manor Solomon and Moise Kean missed the trip but have recovered. Albert Guðmundsson is probably out for the derby.
Home edge, recent form and referee
History and recent home form give Fiorentina an edge: the club are undefeated in seven Serie A home matches against Pisa, conceding only three goals across those fixtures, and the Viola have recorded consecutive wins for the first time this season after beating Como and following up in Europe. The two sides drew 0-0 in their earlier meeting this season, a result that keeps the rivalry tight. Referee Maurizio Mariani — known for a laissez‑faire approach — will oversee a derby where both teams are expected to press physically from the start.
Pisa’s plight and coaching change
Pisa’s situation is stark: the Nerazzurri have just 15 points, have won only one league game all season and have failed to win any of 14 league fixtures since their lone success in early November. A recent run includes a goalless draw at Hellas Verona and a 2-1 loss to AC Milan in which a late Luka Modric strike denied them a point. Managerial change came earlier this month when Alberto Gilardino was replaced by Oscar Hiljemark; the new coach has so far overseen that draw and the defeat to Milan.
For Fiorentina, defensive fragility remains a concrete issue — the side has kept only a single clean sheet in its last 20 league matches — but the three goals in Białystok and back‑to‑back results give Vanoli’s squad a tangible lift ahead of the derby. A win would pull Fiorentina level with Lecce after Lecce’s 0-2 loss to Inter Milan earlier the same day, while defeat would deepen both clubs' relegation troubles: Pisa would be all but consigned to Serie B and Fiorentina would edge closer to the drop zone.
The match kicks off at 12: 30 p. m. EST on Monday, 23 February 2026 at Stadio Artemio Franchi in Firenze. After the derby, Fiorentina return focus to the second leg against Jagiellonia Białystok in the Conference League playoff, while Pisa look for their first top‑flight away win in decades and a result that could salvage memories from a season in peril.
