Spring cleaning goes wrong for Fiorentina

Spring cleaning goes wrong for Fiorentina

Fiorentina’s latest results could potentially compromise an entire season if the Tuscan outfit fails to win the Coppa Italia final in Rome against Napoli, which will be played on May 3.   The club’s elimination from the Europa League top-16 against Juventus, combined with the

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Wed 02 Apr 2014 10:00 PM

Fiorentina’s latest results could potentially compromise an entire season if the Tuscan outfit fails to win the Coppa Italia final in Rome against Napoli, which will be played on May 3.

 

The club’s elimination from the Europa League top-16 against Juventus, combined with the defeat in Turin versus the Bianconeri in the Serie A championship, have dealt a hard blow to the team trained by manager Vincenzo Montella, and yet another failed maturity test from the ‘boys in purple’.

 

The 1-1 draw obtained in the first leg at the Juventus stadium, with Mario Gómez scoring a goal months after his long lasting injury, had instilled new enthusiasm and renewed hope for Fiorentina fans, who already had the next round of the European competition in their sights.

 

As the saying goes, ‘One swallow does not a summer make, nor one fine day’, which pretty much sums up how Fiorentina’s moment quickly spun from riches to rags. First, the second leg against Juventus was lost in Florence, thanks to a ballistic beauty by Andrea Pirlo, as well as a poor performance by Fiorentina. Then, after a not so well played match, the Viola managed to win in Naples with a bit of luck, but lost Mario Gómez to injury (again) and the German will probably have to stay away from the playing ground for the rest of the season. Fortunately, this time, it was the German’s left knee that was injured and not the previously operated one.

 

Both Gómez and Rossi will probably not play another match during this season, even if the New Jersey-born striker is trying to get back to full fitness and is training hard to help his team mates in this final stretch of the season. Fiorentina is doing its utmost to recuperate the duo for the Coppa Italia final, as Matri seems unable to meet Montella’s needs.

 

The 12 points that currently separate Fiorentina from Napoli, as we go to press, are too wide a gap to bridge in the last seven games left to play in this Serie A season. It is safe to say that the Viola’s dream of clinching a spot for next year’s Champions League have vanished, even more after the Azzurri’s win against Juventus (2-0).

 

Nor can we say that Montella’s men have conclusively grabbed the fourth position in the standings, which grants direct access to the Europa League group stages. Indeed, Fiorentina needs to watch out for Inter Milan and Parma, both eager to obtain a spot in the next European competition, as well as Atalanta, who are seeking glory after six consecutive wins in the league.

 

The Viola will still be granted access to the Europa League, regardless of their final position, as they have reached the Coppa Italia final (Napoli is going to finish in third place, and therefore has already qualified for the Champions League). But if Fiorentina fail to win the Coppa and do not finish fourth in the League, they will have to take part in the preliminary rounds of the tournament, which start July 18 (just five days after the end of the World Cup in Brazil).  

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