The
Viola secured a spot in the Champions League round of 16 on November 24,
besting French giants Lyon 1-0 before a near-capacity crowd at Franchi stadium.
With the win, the Viola not only clinched their spot in the next round, but
also leapfrogged Lyon into the top spot in their
group.
The
Viola faced Lyon for the fourth time in two
seasons in the Champions League. A bitter rivalry has developed between the two
clubs and it seemed fitting that Fiorentina should finally beat their French
opponents in order to advance. The atmosphere at the stadium was electric, and
the match was likewise very intense even though Lyon had secured their own
qualification a match-day prior.
The
Viola started brightly, piling on the pressure and hitting the post twice in
the opening 20 minutes. Midway through the first half, Marchionni superbly
controlled a seeking long-ball and managed to beat Lyon fullback Cissokho, who
was forced to bring down the speedy winger and after a second of indecision,
the referee pointed to the penalty-spot. With Mutu and Jovetic both out with
injuries, it was Vargas who stepped up to convert the penalty, fittingly
rocketing his shot high into the net passed Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris and sending
the home fans into euphoria.
Lyon would come back strong in the
second half, and Frey was forced to come to the rescue more than once before
the final whistle was finally blown. Fiorentina would still have qualified with
a draw. However, given their somewhat sour recent history with Lyon and their strong performance
on the night, fans were holding their breaths as Lyon threatened for the final
15 minutes, and they were delighted to celebrate another victory in the
Champions League.
Fiorentina to invest in new players in January
Set
to earn a handsome 25 million euro thanks to their Champions League exploits,
Fiorentina will likely be an active player during the transfer market in
January. Sporting director Pantaleo Corvino has long been following Boca Juniors’
19-year-old defender Ezequiel Munoz and is hoping to secure the signing by
January. Aside from the promising Argentine, several other names and rumors
continue to swirl, with the priority seemingly on finding another striker and
central midfielder to complement the squad. However, coach Cesare Prandelli has
made it clear that no rash decisions will be made, and bringing in promising
young talent will continue to be the focus of investment.
The
Viola also look set to offer Montenegrin wonder-kid Stevan Jovetic a new, more
attractive contract in January to both reward to his recent performances and
tie the youngster to the club for the future.
Stadium update
The
increased funds also bring the Fiorentina closer to finalizing plans for the
Cittadella Viola, the new, state-of-the-art stadium complex proposed for Sesto
Fiorentino. The next hurdle is attending to bureaucratic details, and it may
still be some time before the plans become official.
