Everything has changed at Fiorentina and it is impossible not to give credit to Paolo Vanoli, a coach who, despite initial skepticism, has managed to pull the team out of the quicksand, at least for now. It has always been clear that Fiorentina’s squad was superior to that of their rivals in the fight to avoid Serie B.
No one ever doubted that: the Viola’s attack is not one suited to Serie B, nor even to the lower ranks. The talent at Vanoli’s disposal is on the level of European competition, at least the Europa League. The same can be said for the midfield and the wings (Dodô, Robin Gosens…), with Nicolo Fagioli and Rolando Mandragora, as well as Marco Brescianini, Jacobo Fazzini and Giovanni Fabbian, all highly talented players. The attack, of course, remains the team’s crowning glory.
Moise Kean alone is worth the entire attacking lines of other teams in that part of the table. In any case, after feeling the heat of hell, Vanoli and his men managed, for the first time, to climb out of the danger zone and move to a more relaxing spot. With the three points earned at Cremonese, they have reached 28 points, a full four points clear of the third to last spot. A solid distance of four points, effectively the value of two matches.
Giampaolo's monumental challenge
Cremonese, on the other hand, had endured a long crisis, culminating in Davide Nicola’s dismissal and the arrival of Marco Giampaolo on the bench. He has been tasked with a monumental challenge, especially given the need to rebuild the self esteem and confidence of a team that had shown no signs of improvement for months. In their last fifteen matches, Cremonese had collected only four points.
A disaster that made Nicola’s dismissal inevitable, even after he had once again been given the opportunity to lead a team from the very start of the season. Things did not go as he had hoped: quite the opposite. Nothing was working anymore and the standings told the harshest story of all. His departure became unavoidable.
Now it is Marco Giampaolo’s problem, a coach who will approach this final stretch of the season with particular motivation, searching for a result that can revive his career after so many difficult experiences. Cremonese, however, currently seems doomed, or at least that is the starting point. Things can only get better and probably that’s why he accepted this incredibly difficult job.
Going back to Monday night, Cremonese hosted Fiorentina in a match that ended in a striking 1-4 result, despite Fiorentina’s European commitments, which in theory should have left them more fatigued. From the very beginning, however, the game was almost entirely one sided. After just half an hour, Fiorentina were already leading 0-2. First Parisi and then Piccoli put the match firmly in Fiorentina’s control, with the hosts unable to respond.
Fiorentina appear safe
Nicola tried to intervene with two substitutions at the end of the first half, but in the 49th minute the score became 0-3 thanks to the goal scored by Dodô, the decisive blow that effectively sealed the match. David Okereke’s goal in the 57th minute never truly suggested a comeback. Then, in the 70th minute, Fiorentina added a fourth goal, the final strike. Another defeat, and one so heavy and discouraging, led Cremonese’s management to dismiss their coach.
Perhaps it is already too late, perhaps Giampaolo will manage something extraordinary, but Fiorentina have certainly gained a major boost from these three points. The Viola had already been in good form, with three wins in their last five matches, but this victory, achieved against a direct rival and in such convincing fashion, sends a very clear message to all the teams now stuck in that position.
Kean and his teammates do not intend to drop into Serie B and will fight until the very end to remain in Serie A and these three points may prove decisive at this stage. Good luck to Giampaolo, anyway!