Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli has taken an understanding approach despite his side losing their last two games.

The Viola lost 2-1 away to Genoa in midweek to follow a narrow home defeat to Napoli at the weekend.

But Prandelli was not about to criticise his players in public ahead of Sunday's home game with Catania in Serie A.

"I am proud of my players," Prandelli insisted. "We played a very good game (at Genoa) and although we have made some mistakes, we have created a lot.

"In football you are not always rewarded for your efforts but if we play with the same spirit as we did at Genoa, we can do well."

Fiorentina have been on the receiving end of some debatable decisions in recent games but club patron Andrea Della Valle refused to complain and praised Prandelli's squad.

"They are a great group," he told Radio Blu.

"In the last few defeats there were various negative events which went against us. A bit of bad luck, a few oversights by the referee, but we are ready to start again from Sunday.

"Of course the defeat against Napoli hurts more than that of Genoa, but that happens.

"Let us leave referees to work in peace. This year bad decisions might be happening a lot to us, but it's only bad luck.

"We remain confident for Sunday even though in front of us we have a wounded team who should not be undervalued."

Defender Cesare Natali will miss Sunday's game through injury while midfielders Mario Santana and Martin Jorgensen are major doubts.

Catania have also lost their last two league games, going down 2-1 at home to Chievo in midweek after being beaten by the same score away to league leaders Inter Milan at the weekend.

But while Fiorentina sit safely in eighth place in the Serie A standings, Catania are just one place and two points off the bottom of the table.

And striker Giuseppe Mascara has urged his team-mates to maintain a united front as they attempt to end their poor run of form this weekend.

"We are not giving up," said Mascara. "We must remain united and I am convinced that we will bounce back immediately.

"The defeat against Chievo is painful because this team plays good football and it's absurd that we don't collect points.

"We must look forward with optimism."