At Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Saturday afternoon, relegation-threatened Fiorentina stunned high-flying Como with a 2–1 win in Serie A’s 25th round. Despite Cesc Fabregas’ side controlling long spells of possession, first-half precision from Nicolò Fagioli and a second-half penalty from Moise Kean proved decisive. A late own goal from Fabiano Parisi offered Como hope, but Álvaro Morata’s chaotic dismissal in the final minutes undercut any chance of a comeback. The result dents seventh‑placed Como’s European push, while 18th‑placed Fiorentina earn three vital points in their fight against the drop.
First-half analysis
The opening 45 minutes followed a pattern in which Como saw plenty of the ball but struggled to turn territory into clear-cut chances. Fiorentina, set up in a 4-3-3 by Paolo Vanoli, were content to sit deeper and pick their moments.
The breakthrough arrived on 26', when Nicolò Fagioli struck for the visitors with a normal goal to make it 0–1. With no assist recorded, it underlined the midfielder’s individual impact from Vanoli’s three-man engine room. That strike separated the sides at the interval, with Fiorentina showing greater efficiency in the final third despite spending less time on the ball.
Fabregas’ 4-2-3-1, built around lone forward Anastasios Douvikas and a creative band of three, lacked the incision to unlock a compact Viola back line before the break. Crucially, there were no cards or substitutions in the first half, allowing both coaches to assess the initial tactical battle in full before making their moves at half-time.
Second half & tactical shifts
Fabregas reacted immediately at the restart with a double change on 46'. Nicolas Kühn was withdrawn for Jesús Rodriguez, and left-back Alberto Valle made way for defender Alejandro Moreno. The first switch suggested a desire for more direct attacking threat in the wide areas, while Moreno’s introduction offered fresh legs in the back line as Como pushed upfield.
The game became more fractious after the interval. On 49', Marc-Oliver Kempf was booked for a foul, a sign of Como’s increasing urgency and willingness to take risks higher up the pitch. That aggression backfired five minutes later: on 54', Moise Kean converted a penalty to double Fiorentina’s lead at 0–2, putting Vanoli’s side in a commanding position.
Fabregas responded again on 57' with another attacking reshuffle. Centre-forward Douvikas went off for Álvaro Morata, and midfielder Máximo Perrone was replaced by forward Jayden Addai. Those changes effectively tilted Como towards a more aggressive setup, sacrificing midfield control for extra firepower.
On 72', Fabregas made his final roll of the dice, withdrawing right-back Mergim Vojvoda and sending on midfielder Maxence Caqueret. With a defender off and a midfielder on, Como leaned even more heavily into a possession-heavy, front-foot approach.
The pressure finally told on 77', albeit in fortunate fashion. Fiorentina full-back Fabiano Parisi turned the ball into his own net, credited as an own goal for Como, to make it 1–2 and ignite the contest.
Tension spiked in the closing stages. Rodriguez was booked for argument on 82', reflecting Como’s frustration as time ebbed away. On 84', Vanoli sought to shore things up, withdrawing goalscorer Fagioli for midfielder Cher Ndour and replacing Kean with forward Roberto Piccoli, a double change that freshened both midfield legs and the attacking reference point.
The final minutes descended into chaos. Morata received a yellow card for argument on 88', then another yellow for argument on 89', immediately followed by a red card. Como finished with ten men, their main striker sent off after barely half an hour on the pitch. In the same 89' spell, Luca Ranieri was also booked for an off-the-ball foul, underlining Fiorentina’s willingness to contest every duel as they protected their narrow lead.
Statistical deep dive
The numbers paint a picture of a match in which Como controlled the ball but Fiorentina were more incisive. Fabregas’ side had 67% possession, completing 568 passes with an impressive 89% accuracy, compared to Fiorentina’s 280 passes at 76% accuracy and just 33% of the ball. Yet that territorial dominance did not translate into a superior attacking return.
Como attempted 16 total shots, more than double Fiorentina’s 7, but only 3 of those were on target. Fiorentina matched that tally with 3 shots on goal from far fewer attempts. The expected goals underline the story: Como generated just 0.85 xG despite their volume of shots, while Fiorentina produced 1.53 xG, showing they created the clearer chances and took them.
Discipline also shaped the narrative. Como committed 14 fouls to Fiorentina’s 12 and collected 4 yellow cards plus Morata’s red. Fiorentina, by contrast, received only 2 yellows. The late sequence of cards, especially Morata’s dismissal, encapsulated Como’s frustration as they chased the game with a man disadvantage.
Standings & implications
For Como, this defeat is a setback in an otherwise strong season. They remain on 41 points, with a healthy +20 goal difference after 24 games, sitting 7th and still in the European conversation, but results like this at home — now 6 wins, 5 draws and 2 losses — may prove costly in a tight race.
For Fiorentina, the win is enormous. They climb to 24 points from 26 matches, improving their goal difference to -9 and strengthening their position in 18th, inside the relegation zone but very much alive in the survival battle. With only 4 league victories before this trip and a poor away record, taking three points at a top-seven side could be a turning point in their season.
