Fiorentina 1-1 Genoa: Match report and highlights

Vincenzo Italiano rotated his side heavily ahead of the all-important Conference League quarterfinal against Viktoria Plzeň. Nikola Milenković, Arthur Melo, and Nico González all dropped out of the XI, making it quite clear that the club’s priorities are the cup competitions, as they ought to be at this point. Alberto Gilardino’s made a single change to last week’s team, prizing continuity. Having ex-captain Milan Badelj and famously failed transfer target Albert Guðmundsson out there added a bit of extra spice.

Before kickoff, there was a moment of silence for 26-year-old Mattia Giani, who died on the pitch of a heart attack this weekend while playing for Eccellenza outfit Castelfiorentino United, just southwest of Florence. After seeing Evan Ndicka collapse with a cardiac issue during AS Roma’s game (he’s apparently doing just fine), it’s a reminder of how fragile and silly all this shit really is.

Fiorentina started out well with Riccardo Sottil crossing for Andrea Belotti on the back post, but il Gallo headed miles over. The Grifoni got forward too as Luca Ranieri was forced into a desperate last-man tackle on Junior Messias. Lucas Beltrán and Giacomo Bonaventura combined for the former’s shot just high on the break, but Caleb Ekuban’s header forced Pietro Terracciano into a save on the other end and then whiffed a freebie off the ensuing corner, while Belotti got the ball in the net off a Beltrán feed but was an elbow offside. The goal came from Guðmundsson, who finished a penalty after Lucas Martínez Quarta and Fabiano Parisi combined for some true Keystone Cops defending.

Fiorentina had a couple of interesting moments but didn’t really threaten in the few minutes before halftime. When the whistle arrived, it felt like we were on the verge of history, considering that Genoa hadn’t won at the Artemio Franchi since 1977.

Ten minutes after the restart, Bonaventura played an absolutely gorgeous ball to the back post, where Jonathan Ikoné met it with a simple header to equalize. If only it could all be so simple.

The Viola took control and pinned Genoa deep, although they didn’t create many chances. Naturally, first-time Serie A referee Davide Di Marco awarded the Grifoni a penalty after Michael Kayode and Mateo Retegui got tangled on a corner (the only time Genoa had ventured out its half since the break), but a VAR check determined it wasn’t enough for another spot kick. Fiorentina kept pushing but managed nothing but sound and fury, signifying nothing as Genoa hung on; the only real remarkable moments were some bizarre refereeing decisions. In the end, a draw felt about fair.

Goals: Ikoné 54’ (ass. Bonaventura); Guðmundsson PK 42’

Cards: Ranieri 90’+1; Spence 63’, Bani 90’+6

Fiorentina returns to the Franchi on Thursday with a clash against Viktoria Plzeň on the menu; expect another tight, tense, and generally awful game. At the weekend, it’s a trip south to Salernitana, and then north to Bergamo for another midweek fixture at Atalanta in the second leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal.

Those cup competitions, of course, are about all the Viola have left. Now sitting 10th with 44 points, they’re 5 behind Lazio in 7th with a game in hand. That may not seem like much, but the competitive part of the Serie A campaign is likely over, given that this team has only won twice in the league since the new year. That sort of form means that the Coppa Italia and the Conference League are the likeliest ways to secure a European return, so expect to see plenty more games like this one.