Fiorentina v Siena: Champions League, Anyone?

Jesus, Fiorentina are good. I know Siena are in the bottom four and didn’t pose that much of a challenge, but the Viola in the first half were easily as good as any team team in Serie A, and would have been trouble no matter who they were playing. They play magical, one-touch football, and have such a young, skilled core that their target of seriously competing for the Scudetto in 2010 seems almost laughable conservative. I mean, so far this season they’ve taken points off of Juve, Roma and Milan and, along with Inter, are one of two undefeated teams in the league. Plus, they’ve not yet lost in Europe, albeit “only” in the UEFA Cup. All of that screams title contenders now, if they can stay healthy, and not get worn out by the combination of Europe and the Coppa Italia.

Today they had Siena pinned back in their own half for nearly all of the first 45 minutes and, though they weren’t making a firing range of Dmitrios Eleftheropoulos’ goal (Is Alex Manninger hurt, or has he lost his place to the Greek? Anyone?), they kept the ball forever and created some fantastic chances before Giampaolo Pazzini scored a completely sick goal. Franco Semioli headed the ball to him from about a foot away, and Pazzini somehow semi-settled it on his chest and, in the same motion, volleyed the thing over his shoulder and under the bar. The man may not be scoring enough for some people’s tastes, but the goals are pretty spectacular when they happen. Mutu’s finish on the second goal later in the half, meanwhile, was entirely pedestrian, but the slick interplay that led to it was anything but, much like the move that led to Semioli’s easy chance (he missed from literally a yard and a half out) just after the restart.

The Viola took their collective foot off the gas in the second half and Sebastian Frey had to make a couple of good saves, but Siena certainly were never a threat to take any points. Things got a bit more ragged after Cesare Prandelli made his customary three substitutions (taking Riccardo Montolivo out of the midfield would do that to any team), but another wonderful, unselfish move started with Mutu near the halfline and ended with a tap-in for one Christian Vieri, salting the game away once and for all with about 20 minutes remaining.

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Category: Fiorentina, Rumors & News, Serie A