Delio Rossi was again left to rue his side’s defensive frailties on Sunday afternoon, as Rodrigo Palacio’s late equaliser for Genoa denied Fiorentina what would have been only their second away win of the campaign.
With the division’s bottom four clubs – Cesena, Novara, Lecce and Parma – all cancelling each other out at the weekend, a victory would have given the Viola an eight point cushion over the relegation zone, making the relegation run-in ever so slightly more comfortable.
It was yet another blow for Rossi in what has long been a complete write-off of a season, and he was understandably despondent following the final whistle, saying: “It’s a shame for the lads, because if we play games like this, then we deserve to win them.
“Perhaps the team lacks a little calm, as Fiorentina aren’t accustomed to fighting for safety. I changed the system to rely on some more experienced players, because these young lads cannot handle the pressure and it seems unfair for me to put too much responsibility on their shoulders.”
Rossi also revealed that he had offered to tender his resignation in the wake of the previous weekend’s mauling at the hands of bitter rivals Juventus, saying: “I expected more from everyone, including myself. This is why I offered my resignation [last] week, as it’s too easy to blame others.”
It is a noble sentiment, and an understandable one at that. However, though dropping points to such a late goal will always be a blow to any coach’s spirits, there were positives to be gleaned from Sunday’s trip to the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, not least the side’s reaction to falling behind.
Of the 14 league games in which Fiorentina have conceded the opening goal this season, they have gone on to lose on no fewer than 11 occasions. So, having gone a goal down thanks to Fernando Bellucshi’s early header on Sunday, the travelling support could have been forgiven for abandoning all hope there and then.
However, the side broke with the tradition of letting their heads drop when faced with the prospect of chasing the game, and rallied well to take a deserved second half lead.
Riccardo Montolivo showed lightening quick reactions to steer home Juan Manuel Vargas’ wayward strike to level the scores on the half hour mark, and when Cesare Natali guided a perfectly placed header into the top corner with 20 minutes remaining, the Viola looked to be on course for an unexpected win.
The nature of Genoa’s equaliser was disappointing however, with Palacio able to cut through a congested defence far too easily, allowing him to find the space needed to arrow a precise shot beyond the reach of Artur Boruc and into the bottom corner.
Whilst it would be unfair not to credit Palacio for having the vision and the ability to produce a goal out of seemingly nothing, the defending was ultimately typical of a side that has kept just one clean sheet in their last ten matches, and a major reconstruction of the defensive set up will be essential in the summer.
Next up for the Viola is a difficult looking match against Chievo at the Artemio Franchi. The Flying Donkey’s form away from home has been hugely impressive since the turn of the year, and has seen them pick up creditable draws at both Juventus and Bologna in recent weeks.
However, a win would see Rossi’s side go level on points with their opponents, and with the sides below them all facing difficult fixtures, this could finally be the weekend that any lingering relegation fears are finally cast aside.
