Serie A | Fiorentina 0-0 Sassuolo: Wait continues for Viola safety
Fiorentina and Sassuolo played out a 0-0 stalemate at the Stadio Franchi in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, which means that the Viola are still not quite mathematically safe from relegation to Serie B.
Fiorentina were without two of their first-choice strikers in Moise Kean and Roberto Piccoli, so turned to Albert Gudmundsson at centre-forward with support off the wings from Jack Harrison and Manor Solomon. Sassuolo did not have Domenico Berardi available, so named a front three of Christian Volpato, Andrea Pinamonti and Armand Lauriente.
Click here to read more about how today’s teams lined up.
David De Gea was called into action to make the first save of the game when Sassuolo hit Fiorentina on the counter attack 10 minutes in: Ismael Kone and Lauriente played a neat one-two on the left wing and the Spaniard pulled out a trademark stop with his legs to deny the sought-after Neroverdi midfielder.
Gudmundsson registered Fiorentina’s closest attempt of the opening exchanges with a backheel flick from a Dodo cross in off the right flank after 20 minutes, forcing Stefano Turati to tip an awkward effort behind for a corner.
10 minutes later, it was Harrison who provided the cross in from the Fiorentina right wing: Gudmundsson was being marked and couldn’t steer it in from the middle of the six-yard box, but Solomon should have at least hit the target from close range with the follow-up at the back post.
Fiorentina had their fair share of chances and should have done much better when they found themselves four-on-two in the Sassuolo penalty area after a quick Dodo counter attack, but Solomon managed to nick the ball off the feet of his own teammate, Luca Ranieri, and played it to Gudmundsson, who was unable to finish past Turati.
The game became increasingly open as the second half ticked on. Both side had their opportunities and the closest attempt fell Sassuolo’s way: Pinamonti hitting the post after a fine ball in off the left from Lauriente.
It remained goalless in the end, which means that Fiorentina will have to wait until next week at least to confirm their Serie A status for another season. The Viola are nine points clear of Cremonese in the drop zone heading into the final four matches of the 2025-26.
Sunday’s result keeps Sassuolo in 10th place on 46 points as they look set to record a respectable midtable finish.