It was a chaotic and ill-tempered match in Sardinia, as both Cristiano Biraghi and Joao Pedro saw penalties saved before Riccardo Sottil scored against his old club for 10-man Fiorentina’s equaliser.

Watch the highlights here.

Serie A Highlights: Cagliari 1-1 Fiorentina

The Sardinians were badly depleted, as Leonardo Pavoletti and Arturo Carboni sat out bans, Kevin Strootman, Marko Rog and Sebastian Walukiewicz were injured, Keita Balde Diao in Africa, with Alessio Cragno, Alessandro Deiola, Charalampos Lykogiannis and others contracting COVID. The virus affected the Viola too, with Dusan Vlahovic and Riccardo Saponara infected, so January buys Krzysztof Piatek and Jonathan Ikone got their first starts.

Giacomo Bonaventura had the first shot on goal after 14 seconds, then Joao Pedro hit the side-netting after an accidental assist from Cristiano Biraghi’s back-pass.

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Fiorentina received a penalty for Raoul Bellanova’s late tackle on Alvaro Odriozola, but Biraghi stepped up and saw his spot-kick parried by Boris Radunovic.

Play halted at the 13th minute to remember Davide Astori, who spent most of his career at these two clubs.

Nico Gonzalez went on a run from his own half only to then turn the angled drive wide, but Joao Pedro almost scored when he squirmed past Igor at the by-line and the finish from the tightest of angles bounced off the inside of the far post.

Bonaventura and Gonzalez turned headers over from promising positions, while Nikola Milenkovic deflected a dangerous Razvan Marin free kick.

Cagliari broke the deadlock at the dawn of the second half, as a corner found the head of Joao Pedro, it looped into the far top corner with Pietro Terracciano caught off his line.

There was chaos on 63 minutes when Joao Pedro shrugged off Odriozola and set up Gaston Pereiro, denied only by a desperate Milenkovic block. The move continued with a cross for Joao Pedro at the back post, who couldn’t get it because Odriozola flailed an arm and handballed. Odriozola was sent off, although already on a yellow card and arguing he only handled because he’d been pushed. After a very long wait, Joao Pedro’s central and weak penalty was saved by Terracciano.

It was a chaotic match with the tension sky high and scuffles breaking out, even more when ex-Cagliari player Riccardo Sottil came off the bench and scored the equaliser for 10-man Fiorentina. He started the run from his own half, defenders backed off and the angled drive nestled into the far bottom corner. Sottil celebrated by holding his hand to his ear and mocking the local fans, earning him a yellow card.

Cagliari 1-1 Fiorentina

Joao Pedro 47 (C), Sottil 75 (F)

Saved penalty: Biraghi 8 (F), Joao Pedro 66 (C)

Sent off: Odriozola 64 (F)

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