Fiorentina’s sporting director Roberto Goretti openly acknowledged the frustration shown by travelling supporters after a damaging 3-1 loss to Sassuolo. The Tuscan side took an early advantage when Rolando Mandragora converted from the spot—after a brief disagreement with Moise Kean over who should take the kick—but the early spark quickly faded.
Fiorentina’s sporting director Roberto Goretti openly acknowledged the frustration shown by travelling supporters after a damaging 3-1 loss to Sassuolo. The Tuscan side took an early advantage when Rolando Mandragora converted from the spot—after a brief disagreement with Moise Kean over who should take the kick—but the early spark quickly faded.
Sassuolo overturned the score before the break, first with a deflected effort from Cristian Volpato and then through Tarik Muharemovic, who was left unmarked on a corner. Ismael Koné added another after the interval, sealing a result that deepened Fiorentina’s crisis. Despite around 4,000 fans cheering relentlessly throughout the match, their patience evaporated after the final whistle, when they vocally criticised the squad for what they felt was an unacceptable display.
Goretti, standing in for coach Paolo Vanoli at the post-game press conference, admitted the team failed to remain cohesive for the full match and understood the supporters’ reaction. He explained that the club had asked fans to rally behind the group after the defeat to Atalanta—and while the supporters delivered, the squad did not match their commitment.
The sporting director warned that the team’s repeated lapses cannot be ignored. He pointed to predictable, poorly coordinated attacking patterns—primarily hopeful crosses into the area—as a symptom of players losing trust in one another. He stressed that the club is facing a severe situation and must fight to avoid slipping further, insisting that surrendering to the prospect of relegation is not an option.
Fiorentina’s league campaign has fallen dramatically compared with the previous year; they currently sit 25 points below where they were at this stage last season. Even more concerning is the historical precedent: no Serie A side has ever stayed up after failing to win any of its first 14 fixtures.
This is already Fiorentina’s third managerial chapter of the season, following the dismissal of Stefano Pioli and a brief spell under interim boss Daniele Galloppa in a Conference League outing. Despite the turmoil, Goretti stated that Vanoli will remain in charge for now, though he did not hide that the club must review its situation with full honesty and may be forced into bold decisions.
Tensions within the squad were also on display during the penalty incident, where Kean and Mandragora argued before captain Luca Ranieri stepped in to separate them. Goretti said he was displeased to see this behaviour recur, noting it reflected a wider problem within the group.
