Fiorentina lift gloom with win over Bari
Reuters - Saturday 23 October 2010, 21:00
MILAN - Marco Donadel's stunning strike
helped Fiorentina to a 2-1 home win over Bari on Saturday which
dragged the surprise strugglers off the bottom of Serie A.
The midfielder netted a rare goal after 34 minutes when his
curling effort from 30 metres went in off the post.
Forward Alberto Gilardino grabbed the second on the rebound
eight minutes from time to settle a bad-tempered encounter and
hand the Florence side their second win in eight league games.
Alessandro Parisi pulled one back for Bari in stoppage time.
Fiorentina, who reached the Champions League round of 16
last season, have since been beset by a series of problems.
Their form tailed off at the end of the campaign and
long-time coach Cesare Prandelli left to manage Italy, with new
boss Sinisa Mihajlovic hampered almost immediately when forward
Stevan Jovetic was ruled out for six months with knee trouble.
Other injuries and a lack of quality recruits in the
transfer window contributed to their poor start this term while
the club's owners have clashed with fans and fallen out with the
city council over a new stadium.
Striker Adrian Mutu was supposed to offer a ray of light
next Friday when his nine-month drugs ban ends but the Romanian
is now being investigated by police over an alleged assault in a
bar and Fiorentina have vowed action if he is found guilty.