Fiorentina are in the Conference League after a dramatic draw away to FC Twente, including several huge wasted opportunities, Igor red card and an incredible Pietro Terracciano last-gasp save.
The Viola won the first leg 2-1 at the Stadio Franchi and with the away goals rule no longer applying in Europe, needed to protect that one-goal lead going into this decider. Igor returned from injury, but Gaetano Castrovilli was a long-term injury. Twente lost Julio Pleguezelo and Wout Brama, but gave Vaclav Cerny a start after his goal off the bench in Florence.
Arthur Cabral scored in the first leg, but the striker had to be a makeshift defender for a decisive goal-line clearance on 17 minutes, keeping out the Michel Vlap angled drive that had beaten Pietro Terracciano after a corner.
Moments later, Cabral nearly found the net at the other end, unable to finish the Jonathan Ikone roll across from the right.
Lars Unnerstall made a sensational reaction save on the deflected Riccardo Sottil free kick, changing direction mid-air, and Terracciano parried the Ramiz Zerrouki effort after Youssef Maleh gave it away.
Sottil twice tested Unnerstall at the near post, but Igor made a crucial block to deny Cerny’s tap-in when Virgil Misidjan caught Lorenzo Venuti napping.
There was a huge chance for the Viola when Ikone broke clear only for Unnerstall to come flying out to midfield to clear. The ball certainly grazed the goalkeeper’s arm, but as there is no VAR, the referee waved play on.
Christos Tzolis came off the bench and immediately stung Terraciano’s gloves from the edge of the area, while Ikone should’ve won it when sent clear on goal by Nico Gonzalez, but hesitated and was denied by Unnerstall sticking out a leg one-on-one.
FC Twente fans were repeatedly throwing bottles and glasses full of beer and water onto the field, especially on corners and when Sottil was substituted. Play had to be halted for the second time on 79 minutes for objects hurled at the Fiorentina bench.
Rolando Mandragora was so unlucky not to win the game on 85 minutes when his acrobatic overhead kick thumped the upright with the goalkeeper beaten on a Luka Jovic assist.
Igor was very harshly shown a second yellow card for time-wasting in stoppages, reducing Fiorentina to 10 men.
The drama kept going to the very end, as Nico Gonzalez sent Jovic clear on the counter only for the former Real Madrid man to essentially pass it back to the goalkeeper.
With almost the last kick of the game, a cross was whipped in from the left for a Joshua Brenet header and Terracciano somehow got down to claw it off the line with one hand. It was a simply incredible save.
Twente 0-0 Fiorentina (1-2 agg)
Sent off: Igor 93 (F)
At least they’re through.
Getting knocked out now would’ve dragged down Serie A’s coefficient even further