Having surged to within one point of the Serie A summit, Fiorentina will aim to pick up where they left off before the break when they visit Como on Sunday.
When international football intervened, the Viola had won six league games on the spin; meanwhile, their ailing hosts are without a win in six and sit just above the drop zone.
Match preview
© Imago
A stunning Moise Kean hat-trick earned Fiorentina victory over Hellas Verona last time out, extending their unbeaten streak in the Italian top flight to eight matches, of which they have won seven.
With only two points separating the whole top six in Serie A, the Tuscan side are just one behind league leaders Napoli, and they are very much in the Scudetto race as things stand.
Following his switch from three to four men at the back, up-and-coming coach Raffaele Palladino has transformed the Viola's fortunes, and they are now closing in on a club record of eight straight league wins, set back in 1960.
Not only is Kean firing goals home for fun at one end, but Fiorentina have also tightened up at the back and could now keep five consecutive clean sheets away from home for just the second time in their Serie A history.
The sole hiccup since the start of October was a surprise loss to APOEL in the Conference League - a competition in which Palladino heavily rotates his squad - so he will be keen to resume normal service at home to Pafos on Thursday.
First, though, Fiorentina will head for the lakeside surrounds of Stadio Sinigaglia, where they have been starved of success down the years.
© Imago
Como are unbeaten in their last seven Serie A home matches against Sunday's visitors, although their most recent top-tier win over the Viola at any venue was back in December 1988.
Since then, the Lombardy club have mostly flitted around the lower leagues, but earning promotion from Serie B last season allowed them to take their ambitious plans to a new level.
Having experienced something of a reality check this term, the Lariani occupy 15th place in the standings, and they remain without a win since posting consecutive victories over Atalanta BC and Verona in September.
Cesc Fabregas saw his side denied an overdue success by fellow strugglers Genoa just before the international break, as they conceded an equaliser in second-half stoppage time at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
That setback cruelly extended Como's winless streak to six, and for all their attacking talent - such as in-demand forward Nico Paz and ex-Fiorentina striker Patrick Cutrone - a shaky defence has cost them dearly so far.
Although they have avoided defeat in half of their fixtures, they are the only team with no clean sheets this season, and that bodes ill for the visit of Kean and co.
Team News
© Imago
Fiorentina have an almost clean bill of health heading into a packed pre-Christmas schedule, as only Amir Richardson is definitely ruled out of Sunday's game by injury; however, Albert Gudmundsson is still struggling with a thigh problem and may not make the bench.
The latter's strike partner Moise Kean has stepped up in the Iceland international's absence, having found the net in each of his last three league matches, making it 11 goals in 14 games since moving to Florence. Kean only made a couple of fruitless cameos for Italy in the UEFA Nations League, though.
Capped once by the Azzurri to date, Como's top scorer Patrick Cutrone will now come up against a club for whom he scored four times in 30 Serie A appearances.
The hosts will be without the services of Ignace Van der Brempt, Sergi Roberto, Gabriel Strefezza and Manchester City loanee Maximo Perrone due to injury, so Lucas Da Cunha could continue in midfield, having scored in the 1-1 draw with Genoa.
It remains to be seen whether Emil Audero regains his place between the posts, or if veteran goalkeeper Pepe Reina will start opposite his Spanish compatriot David de Gea.
Como possible starting lineup:
Audero; Goldaniga, Dossena, Kempf, Moreno; Engelhardt, Da Cunha; Verdi, Paz, Fadera; Cutrone
Fiorentina possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Gosens; Adli, Cataldi, Bove; Colpani, Beltran; Kean
We say: Como 1-2 Fiorentina
While a two-week break may have disrupted Fiorentina's momentum, they will return to action against a Como side that simply cannot keep the back door shut.
The Lariani have shipped 10 goals in four games since returning to Stadio Sinigaglia after development works delayed their first home fixture, and the Viola are well-equipped to punish them further.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
