It was a match that summed up Fiorentina's season perfectly: tense, scrappy, and ultimately, just enough to get the job done. The Viola secured their Serie A survival in fitting fashion with a 0-0 draw against Genoa—a result that felt less like a celebration and more like a collective sigh of relief.
With star striker Moise Kean absent (celebrating the birth of his child from the stands) and Roberto Piccoli not fully fit, manager Paolo Vanoli finally listened to the fans. He handed Primavera starlet Riccardo Braschi his first start, leaving Albert Guðmundsson on the bench. Fabiano Parisi also returned to the lineup for a game that carried massive weight. With Juventus and Atalanta still to come, everyone knew this was the moment Fiorentina needed to lock in their top-flight status.
From the opening whistle, Genoa was content to sit deep and wait for counter-attacks, relying on their pace up front. That gave Fiorentina rare control of the game—but as has been the story all season, they struggled to turn possession into danger. Manor Solomon and Dodô sent in crosses with little result, while Nicolò Fagioli looked too casual when he had space around the box. The best chance of the half? A David de Gea save on a Leo Østigård header from a set piece—a reminder that Genoa's best threat came from dead balls.
It wasn't quite a classic "biscotto" (the infamous Italian term for a mutually convenient draw), but the effect was the same. Both teams tried, but neither had the cutting edge to break through.
The second half followed the same script. Fiorentina pushed forward without inspiration, while Genoa waited for a break that never came. Vanoli brought on Piccoli for the ineffective Braschi around the hour mark, but the veteran didn't change much. A goalmouth scramble from a set piece saw Robin Gosens clear off the line. Dodô had a late chance to set up a winner but completely missed his cross. And just like that, the final whistle blew.
Survival secured. It wasn't pretty, but in Serie A, sometimes that's all that matters.
As for young Braschi? The enthusiasm is there, but he's clearly not ready for the physical and tactical demands of top-tier football. He's a prospect worth keeping an eye on, but for now, Fiorentina's senior stars did just enough to keep the Viola flying in Serie A.