Viola Nation

The Viola see off an insignificant opponent in the Derby di Toscana, Coppa Italia Edition. Big man. Big voice. Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images Paolo Vanoli chopped and changed, bringing Marin Pongračić, Víctor Valdepeñas, Christ Inao Oulaï, Marco Brescianini, Wilfried Gnonto, and Mateo Pellegrino. Paolo Bianco made a bunch of changes to his XI as well. The bigger news was that the newly-built roof covering the Curva Fiesole had its floodlights switched on for the first time.

Both sides rotate ahead of what promises to be a typically fiery Tuscan derby. Big chance for Valde to prove that he belongs in the XI every week. Getty Images Paolo Vanoli shuffles the deck a bit, giving Arthur Atta and Nicolò Fagioli the day off. Christ Inao Oulaï and Marco Brescianini replace them. Marin Pongračić gets a rare chance at the back and Mateo Pellegrino returns up front, supported by Wilfried Gnonto making his first Viola start.

Fresh off its first Serie A win of the season, Fiorentina returns to the Coppa Italia. Having brushed aside Benevento, the round of 32, the Viola earned a Tuscan derby against the vile Pisa (boo hiss). It’s the second derby running for the Torri; they dispatched Empoli on penalties in the previous round. The match will be played Tuesday, 15 Septemeber 2026, at 20:00 GMT/3:00 PM EST, at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in beautiful Firenze.

The Viola (re)start the Vanoli era with a win behind Mastantuono’s hat trick, and we’ll ignore the bad parts for now. He’s off! Giacomo Cosua/NurPhoto via Getty Images Giovanni Stroppa had a defensive crisis on his hands but figured out something. Matías Moreno and Simon Sohm both started. Paolo Vanoli made a bunch of changes, including Viery at leftback and Alex Jimenez at rightback. Alieu Njie started on the left wing and Beto got the nod up front.

First start for the big guy. Paolo Giuliani/NurPhoto via Getty Images Giovanni Stroppa copes with his defensive crisis by shifting Matías Moreno into the center of defense with fullback Ridgeciano Haps pushed back to his left. Fiorentina loanee Simon Sohm continues in midfield. Paolo Vanoli, making his (second) debut as Viola coach at a stadium he knows well, has shaken things up quite a bit.

It’s been a few days since Fiorentina sacked Fabio Grosso after 3 straight Serie A defeats. The World Cup Winner was the first manager fired this season, setting up the 10th permanent coaching change of the 7-year Commisso regime. It’s an embarrassingly public misstep for sporting director Fabio Paratici, who was brought on board in the aftermath of Rocco Commisso’s death last year to provide a steady hand on the tiller.

Fiorentina takes the road still searching for its first point of the season, taking the long and winding road to the lagoon of Venice, where Venezia awaits. The Leoni Alati have also suffered three straight defeats and don’t even have a Coppa Italia win to fall back on but have looked sporadically feisty.

The Fabio Grosso era is over after 3 games, 3 losses, 9 goals conceded, and 1 scored. Paolo Vanoli is back in the saddle and trying to herd the Viola back into shape. Much like last year, he’s got a lot to do. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to worry about European games taking up his training sessions and sapping his players’ energy. Instead, he can focus on fixing what’s broken in this team. Even with that extra time, though, he’ll have to focus on a few specific areas of improvement.

“Vanoli, 53 [now 54], was something of a journeyman leftback during his playing days. He spent the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons with Fiorentina, winning the Coppa Italia (the club’s last major trophy), making 59 appearances with 3 goals, 3 assists, 9 yellow cards, and 2 red cards. He also played at Venezia, Hellas Verona, Parma, and Bologna, as well as 2-year stint in Scotland with Rangers, eventually retiring in 2007. In his career, he earned 2 caps for Italy and even scored against Belgium.

The Viola sack the manager after a 3-game nightmare start to the season. So long, Mister Big. Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images Fiorentina announced yesterday that Fabio Grosso has been sacked following 3 straight Serie A defeats to open the season. The 48-year-old leaves a team in crisis, with no identity, as Fiorentina begins looking for its 10th coach of the Commisso era.