Conference League: Fiorentina-Braga 3-2, Viola in the round of 16

From our correspondent Alex Frosio

February 23rd
– Florence

No one has ever been eliminated in Europe after winning 4-0 away. Fiorentina let themselves be touched by the hypothesis, going down 2-0 after just over half an hour, then they came back to their senses and showed traces of continuity in the results.

Anxiety

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The Italian had asked for an adequate approach for a “discounted” match and for this he chose a formation with fewer rotations than expected: Terracciano, Amrabat and Jovic top scorer in the Cup are resting, not Mandragora, Nico Gonzalez, Bonaventura. Cabral is the centre-forward, Bianco in front of the defence, Sirigu making his debut in goal. Fiorentina’s response was encouraging, with two chances in the first ten minutes, always maneuvering to the left: in the 8th minute Biraghi’s cross, Nico’s airlift and Bonaventura’s high turn, in the 10th minute another Biraghi’s cross directly for Nico calling the goalkeeper Sà at length. Braga makes a large turnover. It would seem because the thought is on the championship, instead it is Artur Jorge’s attempt to prove the sensational comeback. Suddenly, the Portuguese really are the team they need to be and that didn’t show up for the first leg. Fast, technical, insidious. And in the 16th minute he passes: Gomes escapes Biraghi and shoots diagonally, Sirigu extends but Viola falls asleep. Because the action continues and Castro strikes from the edge towards the corner. Unexpected, panic descends on Fiorentina. Hasty, imprecise. Overwhelmed. In the 23rd minute Djalò tries from outside with his right foot and Sirigu has to stretch. On 27′ Cabral in the area saves in extremis on Djalò’s serpentine as he prepares to shoot. It’s raining boos from the Franks. Fiorentina is not there. Braga yes, certainly not. In the 34th minute the double: Banza extends his head, Martinez fourth hole, Djalò blocks and shoots with his right foot at the same corner found by Castro. Even more boos from the stands of the Franchi. Now fear can almost be touched. But the Viola who ended up in the hole wakes up. So far only many crosses, as often in the league. Instead in the 37th minute Bonaventura finally proposes an internal overlap to Dodò who serves him, cutback from the back on which Mandragora arrives ahead of Mendes. Rolly meanwhile swapped positions with Bianco and the team gained. The 1-2 is oxygen that goes straight to Fiorentina’s brain. Who closes the first half with three more chances (but always from a cross): in the 41st minute Niakate anticipates Cabral, in the 47th minute Bonaventura for Nico with a header and Sa raises for a corner, in the 48th minute Dodò for Mandragora with a header and high ball.

Yellow

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It starts again with the left-handed Terzic in place of Dodò on the right, from where he can return to kick with his left foot. So it does in the 4th minute for Cabral who anticipates Paulo Oliveira, Sà tries to remove the ball from the line but the referee’s clock vibrates: goal. But the Var calls the match director Bastien, who goes to review: he takes five minutes and in the end he says it’s not a goal. As soon as play resumes, TV footage shows the ball crossing the line. A French pie. But now Fiorentina is back in control of itself and of the match. In the 13th minute the equalizer arrives, at this point deserved: break by Bonaventura, who then goes vertically from Saponara with a pass ready to be kicked on goal, and so he does the outside towards the far post. 2-2, Viola out of the hole. Enter Castrovilli and Ikoné for Bianco and Gonzalez. The referee combines another because while he admonishes Martinez Quarta he makes the game resume all the same and thank goodness Gomes, a nice peperino, gets wrapped up in front of Sirigu. At this point Fiorentina wants to win it. And only Cabral’s goal is missing. Here it is, in the 38th minute: very soft ball from Bonaventura, the man of the match with three assists, and the Brazilian breaking into the split. Fourth goal in a row. Did someone say continuity?