Final score

15 February 2014 20:45

Fiorentina
1' (2nd half) Cuadrado
1 - 2
Inter
20' (2nd half) Icardi
34' Palacio
Referee: Antonio Damato / Linesmen: Giallatini, Dobosz / Fourth official: Grilli / Assistants: Orsato, Guida
Watch highlights
Minute Text commentary
46' The teams head into the dressing rooms with the Nerazzurri leading 1-0 thanks to Palacio's 34th-minute strike. Forza Inter!
46' Handanovic does well to keep out Vargas' near-post drive
45' One minute of added time to be played
44' Rolando is cautioned for a foul on Gonzalo Rodriguez
43' Jonathan fires in a low cross, Milito dummies, Nagatomo can't got a hold of it and the ball runs to Neto
39' Handanovic takes flight to punch clear a Fiorentina corner
34' GOAL FOR INTER! Palacio chests down Guarin's chipped pass and fires past Neto: 1-0 to Inter!
31' Compper carries the ball forward unchallenged and shoots from range, Handanovic blocks and smothers it
28' Milito cuts inside from the right, checks and dummies a cross before shooting into the side netting
27' Vargas tries with an ambitious attempt from 35 yards out: he blasts it into the stands
22' Hernanes corner: Palacio flicks it on, there's a penalty box scramble and the ref blows for a foul by Inter
19' Inter are cranking up the pressure here, Palacio tries to cross, Hernanes finds Nagatomo but it comes off a Viola defender. Corner
17' Jonathan is booked for a foul on Pizarro
16' Another chance for Inter. Hernanes lays it off for Milito, who angles in a low effort that's blocked by Neto
13' Woodwork! Palacio breaks forward and strikes it well across Neto but is denied by the post! Guarin can't follow it up
7' Handanovic gets a fist to a free kick whipped in from deep, it falls to a purple shirt but Inter eventually clear their lines
4' Palacio was almost in there! Neto makes a hash of a backpass and El Trenza pounces but the ball runs out of play
1' Welcome to the Stadio Franchi for tonight's Week 24 clash between Fiorentina and Inter
1' The Nerazzurri take the kick-off to get this match under way. Forza Inter!
1' Jonathan, Guarin, Kuzmanovic, Hernanes and Nagatomo form the five-man midfield while Argentine duo Palacio and Milito are up top
1' Mazzarri has opted to stick with the same line-up that beat Sassuolo last week. Handanovic starts in goal with a back three of Rolando, Samuel and Juan Jesus
Minute Text commentary
49' The ref blows the final whistle, Inter have beaten Fiorentina 2-1 at the Franchi!
49' Matri sends in a low cross, Gomez is inches away from equalising at the death. Close shave!
48' Matri is booked for protesting
48' Corner for Fiorentina, Aquilani can't get his header on target
45' The 4th man signals four minutes of stoppage time
45' Matri heads wide
44' D'Ambrosio tries to thread a low ball past Tomovic into the path of Palacio but the defender cuts it out
42' Final switch for Mazzarri, D'Ambrosio is on for Nagatomo
41' Nice ball in from Taider, Rolando is inches away from connecting
40' Palacio leads an Inter counter-attack, he spreads play out to Icardi, who attempts the return pass but Tomovic puts it behind for a corner
38' Corner for Fiorentina, Ilicic heads wide under pressure from Hernanes
37' Samuel is booked for a supposed foul while waiting for a corner to be taken
34' Last roll of the dice for Montella, Cuadrado is replaced by Matri
33' Palacio is away down the left, his cross for Taider is blocked and Neto gathers
31' Nice link-up play from Juan Jesus and Icardi, the ball is played to Palacio, who is bearing down on goal but can't control it
27' Another change for Inter: Taider comes on for Guarin
26' Palacio picks up a yellow for protesting
25' A blatant foul on Juan Jesus by Pizarro goes unpunished by the referee
24' Guarin's free kick is met in the air by Icardi: just wide
23' Montella throws on Mario Gomez, making his return to the pitch following a five-month layoff. Joaquin comes off
20' GOAL FOR INTER! Nagatomo's cross is met first time by Icardi and his finish is clinical. Inter back in front!
15' Aquilani is cautioned for protesting
15' Guarin goes into the book for a foul on fellow Colombian Cuadrado
15' Samuel connects with the corner: straight at Neto
15' Nice play from Nagatomo down the left, his cross is put behind for a corner
10' First change for Mazzarri: Icardi comes on for Milito
10' Hernanes shoots from outside the box, it's blocked by the Viola rearguard
5' Milito touches on for Palacio, who enters the box and wins a corner
1' The Viola get Fiorentina v Inter started again. Forza Inter!
1' Goal for Fiorentina. The Viola come racing out the blocks. Cuadrado curls an equaliser into the corner via Juan Jesus. 1-1
Samuel
8.15
8.15
Milito
5.59
5.59
Nagatomo
7.05
7.05
Jonathan
6.08
6.08
Jesus
6.59
6.59
Guarin
7.05
7.05
Palacio
8.16
8.16
Handanovic
4.71
4.71
Kuzmanovic
6.26
6.26
Icardi
7.65
7.65
Rolando
6.8
6.8
Taïder
6.15
6.15
D'Ambrosio
6.3
6.3
Hernanes
7.5
7.5
Average rating 6.72
5 shots on target 4
10 shots off target 4
11 fouls committed 16
9 corners 6
0 offsides 2
58% ball possession 42%
Viola never scoreless at home in last 16 matches

Fiorentina have managed to score in their last 16 competitive matches at home for a total of 37 goals. The last time they failed to do so was in Fiorentina 0-1 Grasshopper in the Europa League on 29 August 2013.  

Samuel, 400 in Italy

This will be Walter Samuel’s 400th competitive match in Italy, including his time with Roma as well as with Inter. The games are broken down as follows: 281 appearances in the Serie A, 29 in the Coppa Italia, 83 in European competition and 6 in other tournaments. His first Italian appearance was in Hit Gorica 1-4 Roma in the UEFA Cup on 14 September 2000.

Inter coming off of 5 away losses in a row

Inter are coming off of a string of 5 consecutive away defeats, against Napoli (4-2 in Serie A), Lazio (1-0 in Serie A), Udinese (1-0 in the Coppa Italia), Genoa (1-0 in Serie A) and Juventus (3-1 in Serie A). The last time the Nerazzurri avoided a loss away from home was on 24 November in a 1-1 draw at Bologna, and the last away win was a 3-0 in Udine on 3 November (both in the league).

Montella v Mazzarri: 5 goal-filled clashes

There have been 5 previous competitive meetings between coaches Vincenzo Montella and Walter Mazzarri. The record stands at 1 win for the Viola boss, 2 for the Nerazzurri coach and 2 draws. Their sides have always managed to score, with 8 goals for Mazzarri’s teams, and 7 for Montella’s.

Montella v Inter: coach and player

As a coach, Vincenzo Montella has faced Inter 7 times, for a record of 2 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats. The Nerazzurri managed to score in each of those clashes for a total of 10 goals. As a player, Montella played against Inter in 19 competitive games, 17 of which came in the Serie A and the other 2 in the Coppa Italia. His record stands at 4 victories, 6 draws and 9 losses. In these 19 matches the “Aeroplanino” bagged 12 goals against Inter, making them his preferred target (along with Fiorentina). 

Mazzarri v Fiorentina: Inter coach undefeated for 4 years

There have been 21 previous meetings between Walter Mazzarri and Fiorentina, with a record of 5 wins for the current Nerazzurri boss, 9 draws and 7 Viola wins. Mazzarri’s last loss to the side from Florence came on 13 March 2010 in Napoli 1-3 Fiorentina in the Serie A. We should point out that Walter Mazzarri came up as a player through the Viola’s youth academy (from 1979/80 to 1980/81), where he won a Scudetto and a Coppa Italia at the Primavera level in the 1979/80 season.

Penalties in Fiorentina v Inter

Fiorentina are one of the two teams in the 2013/14 Serie A season that have received the most penalties in their favour, 7, along with Genoa. Inter and Chievo remain the two teams who have received none so far. The last penalty whistled in the Nerazzurri’s favour came on 8 May 2013, subsequently missed by Alvarez, in Inter 1-3 Lazio. Since then 25 league matches have passed.

DA IMPLEMENTARE
wins(23) draws(35) defeats(29)

FLORENCE - After beating Sassuolo last week, Inter made it two wins on the trot by securing another three points at Fiorentina tonight. Palacio and Icardi grabbed the goals to give the Nerazzurri a 2-1 victory.

Mazzarri kept faith with the same line-up that won at the Meazza last Sunday and the Nerazzurri made a lively start to the encounter. Palacio was unlucky to see his shot come back off the foot of the post in the 13th minute having given Neto a scare a few minutes earlier. Hernanes and Guarin were bossing the midfield and the rearguard was alert and attentive.

In the 34th minute Inter got the goal their early dominance deserved and it came at the end of some superb build-up play. Guarin dinked a perfectly weighted ball over the defence for Palacio to control on his chest and smash past Neto.

Handanovic was called into action in first-half stoppage time to keep out Vargas' angled effort at the near post as the sides went in at the break with Inter leading 1-0.

Fiorentina restored parity immediately after the interval when Cuadrado's shot took a deflection off Juan Jesus and went into the corner.

Mazzarri's men didn't let their heads drop though and set about the task again. Icardi came on for Milito and within 10 minutes scored what proved to be the winner, meeting Nagatomo's whipped cross first time to finish clinically.

The Nerazzurri had chances to make it 3-1 but also very nearly found themselves pegged back at the death when Gomez was whiskers away from connecting with Matri's cross-shot.


Fiorentina 1-2 Inter (HT: 0-1)
Scorers: Palacio 34, Cuadrado 46, Icardi 65.

Fiorentina: 1 Neto; 2 Gonzalo (Tomovic 62), 3 Diakité, 5 Compper, 7 Pizarro, 10 Aquilani, 11 Cuadrado (Matri 79), 14 Mati Fernandez, 17 Joaquin (Gomez 68), 66 Vargas, 72 Ilicic.
Subs not used: 25 Rosati, 12 Lupatelli, 4 Roncaglia, 8 Bakic, 23 Pasqual, 27 Wolski, 30 Matos, 88 Anderson.
Coach: Vincenzo Montella.

Inter: 1 Handanovic; 35 Rolando, 25 Samuel, 5 Juan Jesus; 2 Jonathan, 13 Guarin (Taider 72), 17 Kuzmanovic, 88 Hernanes, 55 Nagatomo (D'Ambrosio 87); 8 Palacio, 22 Milito (Icardi 55).
Subs not used: 12 Castellazzi, 30 Carrizo, 4 Zanetti, 6 Andreolli, 14 Campagnaro, 16 Mudingayi, 19 Cambiasso, 20 Botta, 23 Ranocchia.
Coach: Walter Mazzarri.

Referee: Damato.
Booked: Jonathan 17, Rolando 44, Guarin 60, Aquilani 60, Palacio 71, Samuel 81, Matri 90+3.
Added time: 1 + 4 minutes.


starting lineups

Neto 1 1 Handanovic
Gonzalo 2 35 Rolando
Diakité 3 25 Samuel
Compper 5 5 Jesus
Pizarro 7 2 Jonathan
Aquilani 10 13 Guarin
Cuadrado 11 17 Kuzmanovic
Mati Fernandez 14 88 Hernanes
Joaquin 17 55 Nagatomo
Vargas 66 8 Palacio
Ilicic 72 22 Milito

substitutes

Rosati 25 12 Castellazzi
Lupatelli 12 30 Carrizo
Roncaglia 4 4 Zanetti
Bakic 8 6 Andreolli
Pasqual 23 9 Icardi
Wolski 27 14 Campagnaro
Matos 30 16 Mudingayi
Matri 32 19 Cambiasso
Gomez 33 20 Botta
Tomovic 40 21 Taïder
Anderson 88 23 Ranocchia
33 D'Ambrosio