Fiorentina, tough statement after threats to players and their families

Hard statement from Fiorentina after the match lost on Saturday at home to Sassuolo: “ACF Fiorentina expresses full solidarity and full closeness to the players and their families, following the unacceptable and shameful threats received in the hours following the Reggio Emilia defeat against Sassuolo. Behavior of this kind can have no place in soccer, nor in any sphere of our society. Ithe Club immediately contacted its members and the relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to protect the safety and peace of mind of the players, Staff members, their loved ones and families involved. ACF Fiorentina, in thanking the many supporters who have already expressed affection and support regarding these unfortunate events, reiterates that there will never be room for intimidation, hatred or violence. Our commitment to the protection of our players and their families remains absolute”.

Beyond everything else, the purple locker room is beginning to creak: the‘incident of the penalty during the match with the neroverdi was very significant and an immediate clarification will be needed to prevent the situation from degenerating. After the argument between Kean, Mandragora and Ranieri, Vanoli had spoken in a press conference explaining that the first penalty taker was someone else: “Gudmundsson“was supposed to take the penalty. “He&#8217s the first in the hierarchies but but he wouldn&#8217t kick it. The second penalty taker was Mandragora and Kean being a striker who is not scoring in this period, he wanted to shoot it him”. The words of the purple coach raised a hornet’s nest on social media, so much so that Gudmundsson himself had to intervene: on Instagram the Icelander gave a different version of what happened in Reggio Emilia. “I have never and will never refuse to shoot a penalty, I have always shot penalties for the club without any problems. On Saturday, another player caught the ball and wanted to take the penalty and I am not that kind of person who argues with my teammate in front of a full stadium”.

The Icelander&#8217s message is clear, not only to his coach but also toward the teammates involved in the incident. The incident occurred in the first minutes of the match played at Mapei Stadium. At 9′ the lily-colored team earned a penalty kick thanks to Muric’s foul on Parisi, but the purple players argued at the moment the shot was taken from the penalty spot. Mandragora approached to take the penalty but Kean intervened, intending to kick him. The blue striker stood in front of the ball and exchanged a few words with Mandragora. The standoff lasted until Fiorentina captain Ranieri intervened and pushed Kean away, allowing Mandragora to take and score the penalty kick that put the Viola ahead.

After Fiorentina’s goal, Kean, who was very displeased, did not join the celebration with the rest of the team, and returned to his own half of the field with his head down. However, the Tuscans were remounted and lost 3-1, deepening a crisis that seems to have no end.