Franco Mastantuono's Hat-Trick Leads Fiorentina to Victory Over Venezia
Franco Mastantuono tore up the script in Venice and rewrote a piece of history instead.
Fiorentina’s 19-year-old loanee from Real Madrid hit a devastating hat-trick as the Viola stormed back to beat Venezia 4-2 in the fourth round of Serie A, turning an awkward away night into a statement victory.
From early shock to total control
Venezia struck first. Akor Adams punished slack defending in the 22nd minute, putting the hosts in front and cranking up the noise around the ground. For a brief spell, Fiorentina looked rattled, second to loose balls and short on ideas.
Then Mastantuono took over.
He needed just seven minutes to flip the game. In the 29th minute, the Argentine found the net for his first Fiorentina goal since arriving on a one-season loan from Real Madrid. One minute later, in the 30th, he struck again. Two touches of class, and the match had spun on its axis. Venezia’s lead was gone, their momentum shattered.
Fiorentina grew bolder with every attack. The visitors began to pin Venezia back, working the ball with confidence, sensing that the contest could be killed off before the hosts regrouped.
The pressure told after the break. In the 66th minute, Matteo Pellegrino joined the party, adding Fiorentina’s third and giving them a cushion their dominance deserved. At 3-1, the Viola were cruising, Venezia chasing shadows and space.
A record-breaking treble
Mastantuono wasn’t finished. Deep into the second half, with Venezia stretched and desperate, he struck again in the 84th minute to complete his hat-trick and seal the points. It was ruthless, clinical, and carried a slice of history with it.
According to ESPN, the Real Madrid star is now the youngest Argentine ever to score a hat-trick in one of Europe’s five major leagues, surpassing Lionel Messi. Mastantuono did it at 19 years and 28 days, making him 231 days younger than Messi was when he hit his first career treble for Barcelona against Real Madrid on 10 March 2007.
For Fiorentina, those three goals were priceless. For Mastantuono, they meant even more. The treble not only opened his account for the club but also pulled him level with his entire goal tally from last season with Real Madrid, when he scored three times in 35 matches.
Venezia did find a late reply through Antony Haino, who grabbed a consolation to make it 4-2, but by then the night belonged to one man in purple.
Four goals on the bounce, a comeback win, and a teenager rewriting Messi’s record. Fiorentina knew they were borrowing a talent from Madrid — now Serie A knows exactly what they’ve got on their hands.
