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Fiorentina To Play At St. James' Park
Written by Newcastle Utd
Italian giants to play United at St. James' Park in last pre-season friendly of the summer on 6 August
Newcastle United will entertain Serie A outfit Fiorentina on Saturday 6 August at St. James' Park (3pm) in their last pre-season fixture before kicking off their 2011/12 Premier League campaign against Arsenal the following weekend.
Fiorentina, managed by Serbian Sinisa Mihajlovic, finished 9th in Serie A last season and have within their ranks 47-times capped Italy international striker Alberto Gilardino and a name well known to British football fans, former Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc.
Nicknamed 'Viola', a reference to their distinctive purple colours, they have twice won the Scudetto (Italian Championship) and also lifted the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup back in 1961.
The two sides have met only once previously, in the Final of the 1972/73 Anglo Italian Cup competition, a match United won 2 -1 in Florence, with goals from full-back David Craig and an own goal from keeper Superchi.
United last faced Italian opposition in a pre-season game back in August 2007 when Sampdoria were defeated 1 - 0 at St. James' Park.
Ticket details will be announced shortly.