Padova surprise for Fiorentina

Fiorentina fans might have been expecting to face Frosinone in their first outing in this seasons Coppa Italia. The Serie B side had narrowly missed out on promotion back to the top flight at the end of last season. Managed by former AC Milan and Lazio legend Alessandro Nesta, they reached the final of the promotion play-off series. They only lost out after the tie finished 1-1 on aggregate because their opponents Spezia had finished higher than them in the league.

Yesterday however, in a home tie against Serie C side Calcio Padova, they suffered a shock 1-3 defeat after they had taken the lead inside 20 minutes. Padova then scored 3 without reply, all in the first half, with Simone Della Latta hitting two of the goals. With no further goals in the second half, it’s the Veneto side who march on to a Third Round tie at the Franchi, due to be played on October 28th.

Padova, while certainly not one of the giants of Italian football, have actually reached a Coppa Italia final, way back in the 1966/67 tournament, while competing in Serie B. They eventually lost out 1-0 to an AC Milan side winning their first ever Coppa.

In recent years they have since suffered their own financial difficulties before making a return to Serie B for just one season before relegation at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Their current manager is the well travelled Andrea Mandorlini who returned last season to the club he managed back in 2007. In between he has had spells at Siena, Sassuolo, Romanian club CFR Cluj, five years at Hellas Verona, as well as Genoa and Cremonese.

If Fiorentina overcome the Padova challenge, another Veneto side could await them, but only if Serie B side Vicenza Virtus pull off a shock at Udinese!