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Malesani faces Viola history Sunday 27 January, 2008

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Alberto Malesani admits this can be no ordinary game as the Empoli boss comes face to face with his Fiorentina past.

“Obviously this cannot be a match like any other. Clearly Florence and Fiorentina represent an important step in my career,” said the Coach.

Malesani was a fan favourite for his wild celebrations on the touchline in the 1997-98 campaign, when he took them to fifth place in Serie A.

He has since been in charge of Parma, Verona, Modena, Panathinaikos and Udinese, but is back in Tuscany with Empoli.

“Now we must leave space to our current circumstances and the fact we must at all costs pick up points.”

It is a tricky local derby and Empoli are fresh from defeat to another neighbour, Livorno.

“If we start to list the Fiorentina squad then we’ll notice they are almost all internationals. This is a team built to last with a project based on the best youngsters in Europe,” continued Malesani.

“Empoli simply have to confirm what they have done well so far, plus a little more in terms of character, first of all because it is a derby and secondly as we need the points.”

channel4.com - Football Italia