Fiorentina had an excellent dress rehearsal for next Thursday's Conference League semifinal against Club Brugge. Coach Italiano's team won at home against Sassuolo by a generous 5-1 score.
The team from Florence took the lead after 15 minutes through Sottil, but it was waiting until the beginning of the second half before the game really broke open. In a span of twelve minutes, five goals actually fell. Defender Martinez doubled Fiorentina's lead, but ex-Genk midfielder Kristian Thorstvedt was able to counter immediately. The home team was not impressed and then scored three more times in no time: Gonzalez, Barak and again Gonzalez made it 5-1. Thanks to this victory, Fiorentina tips over Napoli into eighth place in Serie A. (SF)
Fiorentina: Christensen, Kayode, Martinez (71' Comuzzo), Ranieri, Parisi, Arthur (80' Lopez), Duncan, Ikoné (46' Gonzalez), Barak, Sottil (83' Castrovilli), Kouamé (71' Belotti).
Goals: 17' Sottil (1-0), 54' Martinez (2-0), 57' Thorstvedt (2-1), 58' Gonzalez (3-1), 62' Barak (4-1), 66' Gonzalez (5-1).