Claudio Ranieri was given a fitting send-off with a massively entertaining, end-to-end thriller between Cagliari and Fiorentina in Serie A on Thursday evening, as goals from Giacomo Bonaventura, Alessandro Deiola, Kingston Mutandwa – in spectacular fashion – plus Nico Gonzalez and then Arthur Melo’s dramatic penalty with the last kick of the game rounded off an excellent 3-2 result.
It is enough for Fiorentina to guarantee qualification to a UEFA competition through their Serie A ranking, although it remains to be seen whether they will play in the Europa League or the Conference in 2024-25.
It was Cagliari who controlled possession for the opening exchanges. Yerry Mina put in an emphatic tackle early on before marauding forwards to launch a counter attack, which ultimately came to nothing.
Mina’s ball in to Gianluca Lapadula in the area shortly afterwards, which was touched down perfectly for Nicolas Viola, who was only able to blast over for a goal-kick, was the first real opportunity of a fast-paced opening quarter.
Four minutes later, Simone Scuffet produced an incredible save to deny Andrea Belotti from an in-swinging free kick from deep. His strong wrist almost sent the ball out for a throw-in.
At the other end 26 minutes in, captain Deiola glanced a header over the crossbar from a corner. A pull on his shirt made it slightly unfortunate that Cagliari were not awarded a penalty. There were no shortage of big chances by this point.
It was Pietro Terracciano’s turn to make an important intervention just over a minute later. Lapadula burst forwards and released an unmarked Zito Luvumbo in the area, whose strike looked destined for the top corner, only for it to be miraculously turned over the crossbar. The keeper then pulled out a Gordon Banks-esque save from the resulting corner.
Luvumbo was sent through one-on-one shortly after the half hour mark, only to be denied by the feet of Terracciano once again.
Then, finally, the net was found, but it was Fiorentina, slightly against the run of play, who were celebrating. Bonaventura was freed by Antonin Barak on the edge of the area, and proceeded to lift a bent effort above Scuffet and into the far corner for 1-0.
The slick passing 🎯
The finish 😮💨Fiorentina take the lead in style through a neat strike from Giacomo Bonaventura!
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 23, 2024
It was a brilliant first 45, and though they went in behind at the interval, it was clear that Cagliari were wanting to send Ranieri off with a particularly special memory.
It took a VAR intervention for Cagliari to get themselves back level after the break. Matteo Prati lifted a cross into the middle of the area for Deiola to latch onto and stick past Terracciano, only for the linesmane to raise his flag while he wheeled away celebrating.
It was an issue for the Serie A officials in the control room to amend, and just over a minute later, it was officially and correctly awarded as a goal.
The moment of the match, however, came courtesy of Mutwanda, on just the fifth Serie A appearance of his career. In fact, he had only previously featured for a total of 23 minutes across those appearances.
The 21-year-old Primavera graduate picked the ball up on the left flank, before cutting inside and bending an outrageous effort into at the far post, right from the opposite corner of the penalty area.
🚨 Stop what you're doing and just appreciate the 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐝 on this finish!
Cagliari have come from behind to lead in Claudio Ranieri's final managerial game 🍿
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 23, 2024
Just under a minute from the 90th, Fiorentina were level again. It was Gonzalez who latched on to a fierce free-kick delivery from Cristiano Biraghi, tapping home from about two yards out.
Then, right at the end, VAR was called upon again to award a penalty after Lucas Beltran was kicked in the area. It seemed harsh at the time, but the officials were adamant they had made the right call.
After an incredible delay, it was Juventus loanee Arthur Melo who took the ball away from Beltran and Gonzalez. He, finally, was able to tuck away into the bottom left corner after a little stutter in his run-up.
VAR controversy secures Fiorentina European qualification with a 113th-minute winner 😳
Was it a penalty? 🤔
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 23, 2024
Already mathematically safe from relegation, Cagliari find themselves in the same position as they were at the start of the evening, sitting comfortably in 15th place with 36 points, albeit pending results from the rest of the Serie A fixtures over the coming weekend. Ranieri himself had said that that total would be enough for survival several months ago.
For Fiorentina, it confirms that they will be playing in a UEFA competition next season, although it remains to be seen whether that will be in the Europa League or the Conference. They still have a direct chance of qualifying for the former with their Conference League final against Olympiacos in Athens next Wednesday.
Full-time in Serie A: Cagliari 2-3 Fiorentina
Bonaventura (F) 39’, Deiola (C) 64’, Mutandwa (C) 85’, Gonzalez (F) 89’ Arthur (F) 90+13′.
Player statistic
| 39' |  |
Giacomo Bonaventura (Assist: Gaetano Castrovilli) | ||
| 44' |  |
Rolando Mandragora | ||
| 45+3' | |
Cristiano Biraghi |
| Alessandro Deiola (Assist: Matteo Prati) |
|
64' | ||
| 71' | |
Giacomo Bonaventura | ||
| Kingstone Mutandwa (Assist: Nahitan Nández) |
|
85' | ||
| 89' | |
Nicólas González (Assist: Cristiano Biraghi) | ||
| 89' | |
M’Bala Nzola | ||
| Yerry Mina | |
90+2' | ||
| Ibrahim Sulemana | |
90+4' | ||
| 90+13' |  |
Arthur Melo |
Match statistic
Starting lineups
Substitutes
Una serata incredibile all'Unipol Domus 🔥🤯
La @acffiorentina guadagna i 3⃣ punti nel recupero! #CagliariFiorentina #SerieATIM 💎 pic.twitter.com/vumFQqXr9T— Lega Serie A (@SerieA) May 23, 2024
Seldom does football ever surprise you anymore, but that was one of the most incredible games I’ve watched in years. The pendulum kept swinging from one side to another – amazing goal for 2-1, then Fiorentina equalise, then Lapadula scores a wonder goal but its chalked off for offside and then that penalty at the end. Literally had everything. It might not have been a win for Ranieri in his final game, but a true footballing send off.
Seems obvious now why Fiorentina ditched Mina.
Europa League or Conference League, that’s our level unlike some clubs who rely on other teams’ results to qualify for CL. Forza Viola !