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Fiorentina handed Juventus its first defeat of the season on Tuesday by entering Turin — where they previously hadn’t won in over 12 years — and walking out with a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Having previously drawn six matches, the gap between Juventus in fourth and AC Milan in first now stands at seven points after 13 games. The club’s quest for a 10th straight Scudetto is already in serious jeopardy — especially with Milan, Inter, Napoli, Roma and Atalanta all still posing as challengers. After seemingly turning a corner under Andrea Pirlo last weekend, this result lays bare the transitionary nature of this Juve side.
Fiorentina entered Tuesday just two points above the relegation zone after going eight matches without a win. This trip to Allianz Stadium, a house of horrors for la Viola, wasn’t the obvious remedy for Cesare Prandelli as he searched for a first win since being reinstated as manager on Nov. 9.
But the idea of a comfortable Juve training exercise hit the fan in the third minute following an Aaron Ramsey turnover in Fiorentina’s third that quickly led to Franck Ribéry taking possession. The 37-year-old took a look and expertly dissected the high line imposed by Matthijs de Ligt and Leonardo Bonucci, sending Dušan Vlahović racing clear through on Wojciech Szczęsny.
It seemed as though a heavy touch might bring it too close to the Polish keeper, but the 20-year-old Serbian’s finish was a delightful little dink.
Vlahovic goal, Ribery assist. #JuveFiorentina pic.twitter.com/3SyUiZxCQv
— Jimmy (@Gatmaan) December 22, 2020
That punch didn’t serve as the wake up call you’d expect — Bonucci was asleep for the entire 90 minutes — and Juve’s problems were compounded in the 18th minute after Juan Cuadrado planted his studs into Gaetano Castrovilli’s shin.
The referee initially gave the Colombian a yellow card, but one look at the monitor was enough to quickly reverse it to a red.
Szczęsny pulled off a strong save on Castrovilli in the 27th minute to keep Juve in it, and the home side grew into the contest toward the end of the half with Cristiano Ronaldo threatening. The Portuguese legend did have the ball in the back of the net in the 57th minute, but his header was clearly from an offside position.
Pirlo reacted to the red card by bringing on Danilo, Federico Bernardeschi and Dejan Kulusevski, but Juve couldn’t find any sort of rhythm before Alex Sandro inadvertently made it 2-0 to Fiorentina in the 76th minute after diverting Cristiano Biraghi’s cross into his own net.
Gol / Alex Sandro (k.k.) 76’
Juventus 0-2 Fiorentina pic.twitter.com/5anup5zO1F— @FootGoalss Hesabını Takip Edin (@FootGoalssTkpEt) December 22, 2020
As well as getting some revenge on former players Federico Chiesa and Bernardeschi, Fiorentina’s joy was complete in the 81st minute when Martín Cáceres — who moved in the opposite direction — made it 3-0.
GL DE FIORENTINA
Cáceres 81'
Juventus
Fiorentina #SerieA pic.twitter.com/9H5ZEIXhL5— El Forastero (@ElForastero1982) December 22, 2020
Full Juventus Vs. Fiorentina Highlights
Juventus plays Udinese on Jan. 3 and then it’s a showdown with AC Milan — now the only unbeaten team left in Europe’s top five leagues — on Jan. 6.
