As the halfway point of the 2024-25 season approaches, it's safe to say that Fiorentina have exceeded expectations so far. In fifth place in Serie A heading into their away match against Juventus, the Tuscan club were on pace for their best league finish since the 2015-16 season. This match also served as a major opportunity for Fiorentina to take a step closer to making the top four for the first time in a decade and clinch a Champions League qualification spot - something they haven't done since the 2008-09; while Fiorentina have finished fourth on three occasions since, in each of those years Serie A only sent three teams to the Champions League.
Fiorentina's match against the Bianconeri ended in a 2-2 draw - a result that does little to help either team as both are in pursuit of a top-four league finish. French midfielder Khéphren Thuram opened the scoring in the 20th minute; however, seven minutes before half-time Fiorentina got on the board via a goal scored by Moise Kean who got one over his former club by doing so.
Shortly after the interval, Thuram netted his own and his team's second goal. Throughout the second half, Juve were firmly in control of the match; as such, it came as a major surprise when with just three minutes remaining in regulation time, Kean initially mishandled a cross into the box but recovered quickly to set up Riccardo Sottil whose equalizing half-volley proved to be the last goal of the match.
Considering the fact that Juve had almost two-thirds of the possession and created a larger number of viable goalscoring chances throughout the match, Fiorentina were arguably let off the hook. They can't afford many more showings like this one during the second half of the season - that would be something which would likely derail their top-four push.
That being said, by far the biggest positive that Fiorentina would have taken from this match was another excellent performance by Kean who's been having a breakout season. After initially struggling to live up to the hype that surrounded him as a youngest at Juventus, Kean has been finally delivering on all the buzz from back then and turning the narrative of his career around.
With 11 league goals in 17 matches, Kean currently ranks third in the race for the Capocannoniere - Serie A's top scorer's award. This is a turn of events that no one could ever have envisaged even just half a year ago. At this point, Kean might even have a realistic chance of unseating Mateo Retegui from his spot as the starting centre-forward for the Italian national team within the next 12 months.
On the flipside, Fiorentina have to be concerned about the recent performances of the group playing just behind Kean. Fiorentina's trio in attacking midfield and out wide were clearly outplayed; they provided next to no resistance for Juve whatsoever. This has largely been the case throughout most of this season with players such as Andrea Colpani, Albert Guðmundsson, and Sottil (despite getting his name on the scoresheet against Juve) struggling to justify their selection in the starting 11. Could this latest match prove to be the impetus for Fiorentina to upgrade at one of those positions in the January transfer window? It remains to be seen.
With regard to the transfer window, Fiorentina have been linked with Lyon's veteran defensive midfielder Nemanja Matić. Though not necessarily a certainty to be in the starting 11, the Serbian would give Fiorentina an infusion of grit and guts which would certainly serve Fiorentina well during the final stretch of the season. Additionally, having taken part in more than just a few pressure-filled scenarios with everything on the line, the experience which Matić would add would be highly valuable.
With regard to the transfer window, Fiorentina have been linked with Lyon's veteran defensive midfielder Nemanja Matić. Though not necessarily a certainty to be in the starting 11, the Serbian would give Fiorentina an infusion of grit and guts which would certainly serve Fiorentina well during the final stretch of the season. Additionally, having taken part in more than just a few pressure-filled scenarios with everything on the line, the experience which Matić would add would be highly valuable.
As things stand right now, this is looking like Fiorentina's best season in quite some time - but having said that, there are some causes for concern especially if they're to put themselves in serious contention to make the top four. There's an opportunity for them to do so and cap off what's been in general a season beyond what anyone at the club would've imagined when it began - but for sure, there'll have to be adjustments made for that to happen.
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