London test for the new Fiorentina: prediction for the QPR vs Fiorentina match on 25.07.2026
London test for the new Fiorentina: prediction for the QPR vs Fiorentina match on 25.07.2026
On Saturday, July 25, 2026, Loftus Road in London will host a friendly between QPR and Fiorentina. Kick-off is set for 3:00 PM local time. For the hosts, this is a continuation of a fairly successful pre-season, while the Italian side is only just adapting to the demands of new head coach Fabio Grosso.
- Also read: Can Stevenage contain West Ham's revamped attacking line? Friendly match prediction: Stevenage vs West Ham.
QPR have found their rhythm and are solid off the ball
Last season, the Londoners finished 15th in the Championship, so Julien Stephan's team needs not just physical preparation this summer, but also visible progress on the pitch. The first friendlies have shown that the coaching staff is placing special emphasis on compactness and defensive discipline.
QPR remain unbeaten in pre-season so far. The London side drew 0-0 with First Vienna, beat Wiener Neustadt 3-1, and then edged Wycombe 1-0. The winning goal in the last game came from Richard Koné in the 80th minute. Across three friendlies, they've conceded just one goal and kept two clean sheets.
The match against a Serie A opponent will be QPR's toughest test of the summer. The hosts are unlikely to try and outplay the Italians in possession. Instead, expect cautious football, with a mid- or low-block and quick breaks through Ilias Chair, Paul Smyth, and Koné.
QPR's new signing Tariq Lamptey, who joined from Fiorentina, is still recovering from a serious knee injury and is almost certain to miss the clash with his former club. There are also question marks over Karamoko Dembélé's fitness.
Fiorentina begin their rebuild under Grosso
Last season was a real disappointment for the Viola: they finished 15th in Serie A and didn't feel safe until the final rounds. In June, the club appointed Fabio Grosso on a two-year deal, and he's begun rebuilding the team around a 4-3-3 base formation.
Grosso's teams usually try to stay compact, avoid constant aggressive pressing, and look to move the ball forward quickly after winning possession. But it will take time to implement these principles. Fiorentina's squad has changed significantly this summer, and the newcomers are still getting used to each other and the coach's demands.
Joining the club are defender Radu Drăgușin, midfielders Arthur Atta and Giovanni Fabbian, and just before the trip to England, Alex Jiménez and Crist Inyao Ulayi were also added. Meanwhile, Robin Gosens has left, and Fabio Parisi is still recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. Marin Pongračić joined pre-season later than the main group, so Grosso is almost certain to keep experimenting with different combinations in London.
The first notable result of pre-season was an 8-1 win over the club's youth team. But it's hard to draw any serious conclusions from that: the level of opposition QPR will provide will be much higher, and Fiorentina also have friendlies against Gubbio and Watford lined up.
Probable line-ups
Given the friendly nature of the match, both teams could field two different line-ups and make plenty of substitutions.
- QPR: Charles — Adamson, Dunn, Edwards, Kemper — Vale, Madsen — Smith, Chair, Sanyaolu — Koné.
- Fiorentina: De Gea — Dodô, Komuzzo, Drăgușin, Fortini — Fagioli, Mandragora, Atta — Gudmundsson, Kean, Piccoli.
The above line-ups are provisional: Stephan is actively rotating his squad, while Grosso is still testing newcomers and different roles in the 4-3-3 system.
Pre-match facts
- QPR are unbeaten in their first three pre-season friendlies.
- The Londoners have conceded just one goal in those matches.
- QPR kept a clean sheet in two of those three friendlies.
- Fiorentina are going through their first pre-season under Fabio Grosso.
- The teams have never met before in official competitions.
Rotation doesn't guarantee a goal fest: QPR vs Fiorentina prediction
On paper, Fiorentina have more individual quality, but the Italians are only at the start of a major rebuild. Grosso is implementing a new system, the squad has plenty of new faces, and some potential starters are not yet at peak fitness. In this scenario, the visitors may need time to build attacking cohesion.
QPR have already played three friendlies and look physically sharper. The Londoners are well-organized off the ball, don't allow opponents many chances, and will surely try to make things as difficult as possible for the Italians.
The friendly status means we'll likely see a lot of substitutions, but that doesn't necessarily mean a high-scoring affair. QPR are unlikely to open up against a higher-profile opponent, while the new-look Fiorentina are still finding their rhythm. The best value may be on a low-scoring contest.
Prediction: under 2.5 goals.
