The pair meet in the last 16 of the UEFA Cup but Moyes believes the competition could prove a stepping stone for both clubs.

They occupy similar positions in the Barclays Premier League and Serie A and so are in the hunt to join Europe's elite next season.

"I would see it (tomorrow's tie) more of two sides who in the future are going to be in the Champions League," said Moyes.

"Fiorentina are a very good team and I think there are a lot of similarities to Everton."

Both have yet to lose a match in Europe this season while Fiorentina's home record is even more impressive.

They have won their last three UEFA Cup games at the Artemio Franchi Stadium, and have yet to concede a goal at home to English opponents.

But Everton have won seven successive UEFA Cup fixtures and will not want that run to end.

"We are not worried," said England international Joleon Lescott.

"We have respect for them as a team but have done our homework and, if we show the same spirit and confidence in our ability as we have done recently, then hopefully we will get a good result."

That homework may have been centred around the threat former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu would have posed but the Romanian is ruled out of the first leg with a knee injury.

However, Mutu is not the only player Moyes has been focusing on as Christian Vieri has also made a big impression on the Everton manager.

"I remember I came here to watch the Italy national team in training at Coverciano prior to the last European Championships and I was very aware of Vieri then," he said.

"We went to sign Matteo Ferrari and I watched him training and it remains in my mind.

"He is a fantastic Italian player."

But Moyes does not feel one individual will decide the game, and knows his side will have to get the approach right as a team if they are to take a positive result back to Goodison Park.

"They are very strong as a team, maybe more so than any star," he added.

"They play with a good tempo and obviously had a fantastic result at the weekend and will have confidence from that.

"We understand that we are playing a very strong Italian team."

That was the case for Arsenal, who last night made the European champions AC Milan look ordinary at the San Siro as they secured a 2-0 victory to knock out the Italians.

Everton will look to follow in the Gunners' footsteps, with Lescott admitting he was impressed with the performance.

"If we can play better than Arsenal did in the Champions League or if we can emulate some of the moves Arsenal played yesterday, then we will do well," said the defender.

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli also saw the Gunners despatch Milan and he is not expecting an easy game.

"I am worried. This is a real team who will make us suffer a lot," he said.