UECL | Fiorentina 0-1 AEK Athens: Crisis goes from bad to worse

Fiorentina were unlucky to see two goals ruled offside by VAR, but ultimately their crisis goes from bad to worse with a Conference League home defeat to AEK Athens.

The Viola were still looking for their first Serie A victory of the season, as new coach Paolo Vanoli oversaw back-to-back draws with Genoa and Juventus. In the Conference League, Stefano Pioli had won the first two matches, then caretaker manager Daniele Galloppa fumbled a lead to lose 2-1 in Mainz. Dodo, Robin Gosens and Tariq Lamptey were out of action, with Roberto Piccoli nursing an ankle sprain too, so Edin Dzeko started upfront. AEK missed Frantzdy Pierrot and Dereck Kutesa, while ex-Inter midfielder Joao Mario was signed too late to make the UEFA list. Familiar faces included ex-Fiorentina striker Luka Jovic, former Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, Roberto Pereyra, and Cagliari-owned midfielder Razvan Marin.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

Stavros Pilios drilled wide from a promising position after robbing Rolando Mandragora, then Edin Dzeko’s header was fingertipped over the bar from Fabiano Parisi’s cross. On the resulting corner, Strakosha parried the Cher Ndour header into the path of Albert Gudmundsson to bundle over the line, but the goal was disallowed by VAR for offside.

Instead, it was AEK Athens who broke the deadlock when the Fiorentina defence stood and watched as Mijat Gacinovic stuck out a boot to prod in the Pilios flick from Lazaros Rota’s cross, undisturbed from six yards.

It was very nearly 2-0 moments later when Jovic came sliding in just unable to connect with the dangerous Pilios cross.

Rolando Mandragora had the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time, but only after Dzeko was clearly offside on the assist.

Fiorentina also thought they had scored on 56 minutes when a shot was deflected into the path of Luca Ranieri by Gudmundsson, but after a very long VAR check, it was eventually ruled offside.

Zini came off the bench and nearly doubled the AEK advantage, as his angled drive bounced off the inside of the far post on 73 minutes.

The Tuscans also rattled the frame of the goal with a Dzeko header on a corner, with Ranieri unable to turn in the rebound off balance.

Jovic tried to lob De Gea from distance and the goalkeeper had to rush back to fingertip over the bar, while Rolando Mandragora blasted over.