Serie A | Udinese 2-3 Fiorentina: Comeback victory sends Viola into Conference League

UDINE, ITALY – MAY 25: Moise Kean of Fiorentina takes a shot at goal during the Serie A match between Udinese and Fiorentina at Stadio Friuli on May 25, 2025 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Fiorentina emerged with three precious points from this chaotic match against 10-man Udinese, leapfrogging Lazio to take a Conference League spot.

The Viola had some slender hope of snatching a Conference League spot, but needed other results to go their way too. Lucas Beltran returned from suspension, but Michael Folorunsho and Nicolò Zaniolo were out injured, with Pietro Comuzzo and Danilo Cataldi not at 100 per cent. The Friulani had Sandi Lovric and Thomas Kristensen suspended, with Jaka Bijol, Martin Payero and Isaak Touré injured.

There was a strange atmosphere after reports the Pozzo family had sold Udinese to American investors, ending a 39-year tenure at the club.

See how it all unfolded on the Liveblog.

It was a chaotic start, as Jurgen Ekkelenkamp almost snuck up on Pietro Comuzzo’s poor backpass.

Moise Kean had the ball in the net in the second minute, but only after he was flagged offside on the long David De Gea goal kick.

Kean also threatened to get on the end of a Robin Gosens cross, denied by a desperate Kabasele interception.

Instead, it was Udinese who broke the deadlock, as Oumar Solet knocked down a loose ball and Lorenzo Lucca smashed in first time from 12 yards at the near bottom corner.

Solet went for goal himself by testing De Gea from outside the box, while Kean couldn’t keep his half-volley on target from a Mandragora assist.

The hosts were reduced to 10 men in controversial circumstances, as Jaka Bijol received a second yellow card for his clumsy sliding tackle on Pablo Mari. He seemed to get the ball before crashing into the Fiorentina defender, but as it was a yellow card, VAR could not intervene.

Kean continued to push for Fiorentina, clipping the upright even though he was already offside.

The Viola did get their equaliser within 60 seconds of the restart, as Nicolò Fagioli had two attempts from the edge of the area charged down, with the third finally making its way through a sea of legs into the bottom corner.

Fiorentina made the most of the extra man by turning it around, as Amir Richardson pulled back from the by-line for a cheeky Pietro Comuzzo back-heel flick from six yards. It was his first Serie A goal and one that, with Lazio losing to Lecce, sent his team into the Conference League spots.

However, 10-man Udinese fought back and when Lucca knocked down a corner, Richardson fired the clearance onto Christian Kabasele, the ricochet going into the net from point-blank range.

Fiorentina knew Lazio were still losing to 10-man Lecce, so turned it around again when Gosens pulled back for Kean, who sent a defender to ground with a dummy and made the most of a Jordan Zemura deflection to wrongfoot Okoye.

Udinese 2-3 Fiorentina

Lucca 26 (U), Fagioli 46 (F), Comuzzo 57 (F), Kabasele 61 (U), Kean 82 (F)

Sent off: Bijol 40 (U)

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