So, the boys arrived to Cortina, basically safe and sound, except for Camporese who was already broken and Adem who's suffering of a backache – SINISA, STOP GETTING ROUGH WITH THE BABY – and they're training hard, despite of the rain. The new kits have been presented, Sinisa has won something, it has rained almost all the time and, in the meantime, they have managed to defeat the Cortina 12-0 and named a new Captain and a new vice. Good boys.

( The arrival to CortinaCollapse )

( One training, two trainings, moar trainingsCollapse )

( New kits + Sinisa winning somethingCollapse )

( Fiorentina 12 - 0 Cortina, aka they finally won somethingCollapse )

(So. Much. Fail.)
Apparently after this match, again, players were crying (and not just Vlada). When you've got grown men in tears on a semi-regular basis, and when they're not tears of joy, you know things are NOT GOING WELL. This tear-jerker is almost too painful to talk about, but it ended with three goals in four minutes in the second period of added time, thanks to good individual work from D'Agostino and Santana, the usual, poaching brilliant from Crespo, and yet another astonishing clanger from Avramov. And, if you're a pessimistic sort, that's pretty much it for the season: The Coppa was the only concrete thing for which the team were playing, and now that that's gone all that's left is to avoid relegation. JFC this is depressing.

PARMA 2-1 FIORENTINA (AET) [highlights|Gazzetta pagelle|ratings table]
Marcatori: 9' sts Santana (F), 10' sts e 13' sts Crespo (P)

Parma: Pavarini; Zaccardo, Paci, Dellafiore, Pisano (11' pts Lucarelli); Candreva, Dzemaili, Morrone; Valiani, Bojinov (36' st Crespo), Giovinco (15' sts Paletta). A disp.: Mirante, Feltscher, De Vitis, Finocchio. All. Marino
Fiorentina: Avramov; Comotto, Camporese, Kroldrup, Gulan; D'Agostino, Donadel (1' st Bolatti); Cerci, Ljajic (9' pts Santana), Marchionni; Babacar (42' st Seferovic).


Up next was supposed to be Inter, but since they're busy with the Club World Cup, that match will be reschedule for some time in 2011, and Fiorentina will get to sit around and think about this match forever and ever.

(Amazingly, Mutu's teammates were just as pleased for him as he was with himself.)
The first half was deeply forgettable, but the second was better, and Fiorentina battled and believed in themselves the whole way. Hurrah! Mutu getting his first goal -- and a well-taken one, at that -- is a relief to everyone, as was Artur's ridiculous save while his whole team were busy celebrating Donadel's disallowed goal.

La Viola are still not far from the bottom, but the defensive crisis seems to have passed (knock on wood), and they've achieved some stability, both of which are very reassuring indeed, particularly given the all the people who are out injured. Sinisa's pleased, anyway, and there haven't been any "Forget saving the children, save us" signs from the tifosi lately -- fingers crossed both those things continue.

Fiorentina 1-0 Cagliari [highlights|ratings table|pagelle: Gazzetta, CF]
Marcatori: 7'st Mutu

Fiorentina: Boruc; De Silvestri, Gamberini, Camporese, Pasqual (34'st Piccini); Donadel, D'Agostino (28'st Zanetti); Santana, Ljajic (43'st Bolatti), Vargas; Mutu.
Cagliari: Agazzi; Laner (1'st Ariaudo), Canini, Astori, Agostini; Naianggolan, Conti, Biondini; Cossu (39'st Ragatzu); Nenè (15'st Lazzari), Matri.


Up next, barring a strike, is Udine away, with Pasqual added to the injury list.

(Everyone, meet superhero!Artur.)
Even though only a point has come out of them, that's two matches in a row -- against good teams, and without Monty, Frenchie, Mutu and Jojo -- featuring a lot of fight and toughness from La Viola, which is exciting progress indeed. The boys in purple were determined and incredibly organized and, though, they couldn't quite hold out and get the clean sheet, Sinisa must be very pleased indeed -- they've come a long way from the lifeless lumps who played the first couple months of the season. Oh, and Artur is amazing, Camporese is fantastic, and JMV just might be back.

Juventus 1-1 Fiorentina [highlights|pagelle: Gazzetta, CF|ratings table]
Marcatori: 4' autorete Motta (J), 37' st Pepe (J)
Espulsi: Felipe (F)

Juventus: Storari; Motta (36' st Lanzafame), Bonucci, Chiellini, Grosso; Krasic, Felipe Melo, Aquilani (13' st Pepe), Marchisio; Quagliarella, Del Piero (13' st Iaquinta).
Fiorentina: Boruc; Comotto, Camporese (24' st Felipe), Gamberini, Pasqual; D'Agostino, Donadel; Santana, Ljajic (20' st Marchionni), Vargas; Gilardino (11' st Babacar).


There is apparently a Coppa match against Reggina in two days. Two days! I guess we should expect to see a lot of babies, and maybe a Vlada in goal.