channel4:
Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu looks set to miss out on this evening's game against Inter, leaving Cesare Prandelli with a second-string attack.
The Viola had already been dealt a blow with the news that top scorer Alberto Gilardino was banned after his handball against Palermo on Sunday.
And Prandelli's striking options are even more limited as Romanian international Mutu is likely to miss out due to a knee problem.
The ex-Chelsea man has been hit by a variety of fitness issues this term since damaging his elbow in August.
Giampaolo Pazzini is now likely to partner Azzurrini international Pablo Daniel Osvaldo as the Tuscans look to humble the leaders.
Meanwhile, defenders Luciano Zauri and Gianluca Comotto are both in doubt for tonight's battle at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
GOAL.com:
The Romanian will not take part due to a knee problem he picked up in the Viola's final pre-match training session.
Mutu complained of severe pain in his knee on Wednesday and he has been ruled out of the game. It is believed the injury relates to a previous problem which had seemed solved but it has come back to haunt the striker and his club who are in big trouble up front.
The extent of the problem is not yet known but the very latest reports from Florence suggest the striker is 99 percent certain to miss out against the Nerazzurri.
The club have not confirmed Mutu's injury but it's likely he will undergo further examinations throughout the course of the day.
Coach Cesare Prandelli already had the Alberto Gilardino suspension headache to contend with and now Mutu's exclusion has caused further woes at the Artemio Franchi.
Prandelli will thus field Gianpaolo Pazzini and Pablo Osvaldo as the front two pairing as he tries to put together a last minute makeshift side.
It's not an ideal situation for La Viola who are chasing Inter in the top half of the table. The lack of fire power up front is likely to cripple their chances of success against Jose Mourinho's side.
Fiorentina are just a point off the pace and a win could see them go top of the table by the end of play tonight.