Pre-match

Giuseppe Iachini opted for Martín Cáceres over Lucas Martínez Quarta and Igor over Cristiano Biraghi. Andrea Pirlo went for three at the back. And the Fiorentina supporters went for a hell of a performance outside the stadium, making themselves heard inside the Franchi with shouts and a barrage of fireworks.

First half

Adrien Rabiot handball committed about as obvious a handball as you’ll ever see in your life, but it still took several minutes for referee Davide Massa and VAR fella Piero Giacomelli to award it. I mean,

Then Dušan Vlahović stepped up to the spot and, with all the pressure on him, went with the cucchiao, leaving Wojciech Szczęsny sprawled helplessly on the turf before peeling away with a Luca Toni tribute to celebrate.

Second half

With the instruction to come out and keep it tight, Fiorentina let Alvaro Morata in behind to equalize literally 30 seconds after the restart. Germán Pezzella was slow stepping up and Bartłomiej Drągowski could’ve maybe done a bit better as well.

Full time

Goals: Vlahović PK 29’; Morata 46’ (ass. Cuadrado)

Cards: Igor 40’, Cáceres 61’, Biraghi 88’; de Ligt 52’

What’s next

Fiorentina stay in 14th, but they’re now a point ahead of Spezia and 6 up on Cagliari; one more win should be enough to secure survival, although a few more wouldn’t hurt. This also marks the first time since 2010-2011 that Fiorentina hasn’t lost to the Notts County cosplayers in a Serie A season. Vlahović bags his 17th goal, the most for any Viola striker since Alberto Gilardino notched 19 in 2008-2009. Juventus, on the other hand, open the door for Atalanta to leapfrog them into 3rd, and for Napoli to pull level on points. European Super League, eh?