Breaking Down Tottenham's Europa League Opponents Fiorentina

European draws sometimes seem a little predictable. 

It felt like Arsenal were always going to face Barcelona in the Champions League. Manchester United getting a comparatively easy opponent in Midtjylland for their Europa League knockout tie could also have been seen coming. 

Spurs drawing Fiorentina—the team that knocked them out at the same point of last year's tournament—is another that seemed preordained. 

When Tottenham crashed out last year, they gave a pair of diabolical performances, eventually being beaten 3-1 on aggregate.

Roberto Soldado produced his worst display in the away leg, characterising his Tottenham career in a single moment, somehow contriving to waste a two-on-none chance. 

La Viola were far from remarkable but managed to cruise through to the semi-final before their run was stopped by eventual champions Sevilla. 

Now Mauricio Pochettino has a chance for revenge. Spurs will travel to Florence for the first leg on February 18 before the return fixture at White Hart Lane seven days later. 

A vastly improved team, despite the underwhelming performance against Newcastle, Tottenham will be confident of getting vengeance this time around. 

Pochettino has constructed a highly effective defence and a team that have proved themselves well suited to European football. 

After his hat-trick in the Group J finale against Monaco, Erik Lamela will be keen to prove that he is at his best on the biggest stage, European competition. 

However, this year's Fiorentina are also stronger than they were 12 months ago. 

New manager Paulo Sousa has Fiorentina playing exciting, effective football. La Viola have scored more goals than any other Serie A club, and they've conceded just 15 times in 16 matches. 

They are a different side to last season, less reliant on counter-attacks and more intent on dominating the ball. 

Michael Cox of ESPN observed this development in an analysis of Sousa's first months back in Serie A, writing in late November that "in Europe's major leagues, only Barcelona, Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich are averaging a higher share of possession."

They sit second in Italy's top flight and will be a tough proposition for Spurs. 

Fabrizio Giovannozzi/Associated Press

Sousa is confident in his team's ability to compete with the best. When asked about a Serie A title challenge, per the Guardian, he said: "I continue to say that we can face anyone to win."

Nikola Kalinic, once of Blackburn Rovers, has led the way with 10 goals in 18 games since joining from Dnipro in a £4.2 million summer deal.

The Croatia international is not the only Premier League misfit to play a starring role in Fiorentina's impressive season so far. Marcos Alonso (Sunderland), Borja Valero (West Brom), and Giuseppe Rossi (Manchester United) were all generally underwhelming during their time in England but are key players in this team. 

Their most recent fixture, a 3-1 away defeat to Juventus, was a brutal affair. Eight yellow cards were doled out, six in a 20-minute second-half spell before the Turin club took the lead. 

This tie will likely be decided by close margins as both teams are evenly matched. Romanian goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu was at fault for Juventus' winner but so too was Hugo Lloris at fault when Ayoze Perez snatched Newcastle's unlikely winner on Sunday. 

Both Spurs and Fiorentina must navigate important domestic fixtures in the days before their European meeting. 

Fiorentina face a vital Serie A clash before the first leg, hosting Scudetto rivals Inter Milan four days before Tottenham arrive in Florence. Three days after the second leg, they host Napoli in a similarly seismic fixture. 

Spurs' trip to Florence comes days after they travel to face Manchester City. 

Fabrizio Giovannozzi/Associated Press

They could also be facing an FA Cup fourth-round tie, but they currently have no match scheduled between the two legs against Fiorentina.  

Spurs have generally dealt well with the hectic schedule that comes with competing both in Europe and the Premier League, but it has taken its toll on Fiorentina's domestic form. Sousa admitted that the strain has hurt his team on several occasions already. 

Both Pochettino and Sousa are tactically focused managers that believe passionately in their idiosyncratic styles of play. 

Each seeks to dominate the ball but they choose to use it in different ways. Each seek to utilise width through their full-backs but they are Sousa's key outlet while for Pochettino they create attacking space. 

Both coach their teams to move the ball swiftly out from the back. Fiorentina focus on quick passes, while Spurs are not above a long pass into space. 

This tie should produce a pair of fascinating matches.