Serie A | Fiorentina 0-1 Lecce: Pioli nightmare goes from bad to worse

The Fiorentina crisis just keeps getting worse with a humiliating 1-0 home defeat to Lecce, as Stefano Pioli is hanging by a thread.

It has been a traumatic start to the season for the Viola, managing just four draws and five defeats in Serie A, which prompted the resignation of director Daniele Pradè on Saturday morning. Robin Gosens joined Tariq Lamptey and Christian Kouame on the absentee list, with suspended Mattia Viti, but Edin Dzeko formed a new partnership with Moise Kean. Lecce were coming off back-to-back defeats to Udinese and Napoli, with Gaby Jean, Matias Perez and Filip Marchwinski long-term injuries. Riccardo Sottil returned to the bench against his parent club.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Lecce had by far the brighter start and took the lead when Medon Berisha tackled Cher Ndour to spark a counter-attack, then finished it off with a cushioned volley at the back post on Tete Morente’s cross from the right.

Moise Kean tried to respond, his effort parried by an outstretched Wladimiro Falcone boot, with Luca Ranieri offside on the rebound.

Dzeko’s header was straight at Falcone from the Niccolò Fortini cross, then Ranieri nodded over at the back post, but Kialonda Gaspar failed to make the most of a free header from Berisha’s corner.

Stefano Pioli evidently was not happy, because he changed the entire midfield three for the restart.

Tiago Gabriel bravely charged down a powerful Kean strike with his face, Fiorentina thought they had scored on 79 minutes when denied by an extraordinary Falcone one-handed save right on the line, the glancing header landing at the feet of Kean.

The referee pointed to the spot when Ranieri went down under minimal pressure from Santiago Pierotti, but the decision was changed following a VAR On-Field Review, as the Fiorentina defender had slowed down and let the opponent bump into the back of him, then lost his footing.

Kean wasted a chance in stoppages with a header into the ground, but Simon Sohm did worse when blasting a loose ball over from 14 yards. It was another defeat and Fiorentina were angrily jeered off the pitch.