In a stunning display of skill and determination, Fiorentina overwhelmed their long-standing rivals Juventus with a commanding 3-0 victory, keeping their hopes alive for a coveted top-four finish in Serie A. The match, which took place in Florence, saw goals from Robin Gosens, Rolando Mandragora, and Albert Gudmundsson, further intensifying the pressure on Juventus manager Thiago Motta as his team slipped to fifth place in the league standings.
The game proceeded despite initial concerns about flooding in the Florence area, and began with a poignant moment of silence to honour the memory of Fiorentina director Joe Barone, who passed away exactly one year prior. Fiorentina, coming off a successful Europa Conference League campaign, entered the match with renewed confidence, while Juventus were still reeling from a shocking 4-0 defeat at home to Atalanta the previous week.
Fiorentina wasted no time in asserting their dominance, with Robin Gosens opening the scoring from a set-piece. The German defender capitalized on a rebound, volleying home from close range after his initial header was blocked. Juventus’ woes deepened shortly after, when Rolando Mandragora doubled Fiorentina’s lead with a well-placed shot into the far corner.
The second half saw Juventus struggle to mount any significant threat, while Fiorentina continued to press their advantage. Albert Gudmundsson delivered the final blow, unleashing a powerful long-range shot that found its way past the Juventus defence and into the net, securing a 3-0 lead for the home side.
Fiorentina’s defence proved equally impressive, with Gosens making a crucial acrobatic clearance to maintain the clean sheet. Juventus’ frustrations were compounded by an offside call that denied them a potential consolation goal, and the match ended with concerns over an injury to Andrea Cambiaso.
This result marks a significant setback for Juventus, who have now conceded seven goals in their last two matches and find themselves slipping in the race for Champions League qualification.
Goals: Gosens 15 (F), Mandragora 18 (F), Gudmundsson 53 (F)
Fiorentina (3-5-2): De Gea; Pongracic, Marì, Ranieri (78′ Comuzzo); Dodò, Fagioli (’84’ Folorunsho), Cataldi (’88’ Adli), Mandragora, Gosens; Gudmundsson (78′ Beltràn), Kean (’88 Zaniolo)
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Weah (74′ Conceiçao), Kalulu, Renato Veiga (58′ Alberto Costa), Kelly (74′ Gatti); Thuram, Locatelli; McKennie, Koopmeiners, Nico Gonzalez (58′ Cambiaso, ’86’ Mbangula); Kolo Muani.
