In a dramatic turn of events, Fiorentina witnessed Cristiano Biraghi’s penalty being saved by Mile Svilar, while Diego Llorente sealed Roma’s comeback with a last-minute goal, resulting in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Both teams entered the match on the back of UEFA victories on Thursday, with Fiorentina defeating Maccabi Haifa 4-3 and Roma overpowering Brighton and Hove Albion 4-0. Andrea Belotti faced his former club, with Lucas Beltran sidelined due to suspension and Christian Kouame nursing an injury. However, Lucas Martinez-Quarta and Arthur Melo made their return to the squad. Rasmus Kristensen was absent due to a suspension, leaving Tammy Abraham as the sole player on the treatment table, prompting a shift to a 3-5-2 formation.
Romelu Lukaku threatened early on, forcing a save from Pietro Terracciano following a pass from Paulo Dybala, but it was Fiorentina who took the lead. Maxime Lopez’s corner was met by Nico Gonzalez, whose flick found Luca Ranieri at the far post to nod in.
Fiorentina continued to press forward, with Rolando Mandragora and Belotti both coming close to doubling the lead. However, Gianluca Mancini’s early booking and subsequent risky challenges led to his substitution by Daniele De Rossi.
Despite Fiorentina’s dominance, Roma managed to level the score in the second half after a change in formation to 4-3-3. Dybala initiated the attack, finding Angelino on the left whose cross, deflected off Ranieri, assisted Aouar’s header from close range.
Fiorentina regained the lead through chaotic defending, with Mandragora capitalizing on Aouar’s failed clearance to flick the ball into the net. However, their advantage was short-lived as Roma were awarded a late penalty for a soft foul on Belotti by Paredes. Svilar once again demonstrated his prowess by denying Biraghi’s spot-kick, highlighting Fiorentina’s penalty woes in Serie A this season.
In the dying moments of the game, Roma piled on pressure and eventually found the equalizer through Llorente’s emphatic volley from Ndicka’s header, ensuring a share of the points in a thrilling encounter.
Fiorentina 2-2 Roma