Fiorentina 1 Belenenses 0
La Viola have made heavy weather of the Europa league campaign losing at home to Basel and Lech Posnan. One Fiorentina blogger called the arduous competition the “Long and Winding Road”. If you are second in serie a – and remember we only have three Champions League places with Fiorentina regularly finishing fourth- player resources have to be carefully managed. Thus only needing to draw at home manager Paolo Sousa rested Gonzalo, Ilicic and Kalinic, all of whom can be expected to play in the key game at Juve this Sunday.
Things became stressful once Basel had taken the lead against Posnan. If Belenenses scored and won they go through. Happily Babacar scored the only goal of a dull game. Fiorentina finsihed their group in second place. The draw is this Monday with the likes of Manchester United joining the competition as Champion League rejects.
You really wonder if it’s all worth the trouble. Liverpool and Tottenham, who are going for Champions League places, will have the FA Cup too – do they need away travel in Europe on a Thursday night? Certainly Fiorentina do not.
