After a quick KFC at Bologna train station, it was back to Florence for my next calcio experience. We arrived back shortly before 7pm, i split from the family and I had about an hour, just enough time for a quick stop at the Air Bnb and get myself to the Artemio Franchi. This proved more stressful than I had hoped as I ran around the quaint streets of central Florence and got myself to a bus stop, where my pigeon Italian was not doing much good in figuring out which bus I needed. Eventually I trusted my gut and jumped on one with a few purple scarfs. As more and more fans boarded at various stops I was definitely on the right one. Everyone piled off with the glare of the floodlights close by. I bought a scarf and made my way to the turnstiles. There was a great atmosphere building outside. I had heard amazing things about the noise inside this fairly modest old stadium.
I had minutes to spare as I eventually found my seat. The layout of the stadium was one I had not seen before with unusual stair cases and an open air feel to the lower tier even in the concourse, even though it was the Main Stand. I was absolutely thrilled with the location of my seat, just seven rows up from the corner flag. The scene to my left as the teams emerged was breathtaking. Curva Fiesole has to be seen to be appreciated. A sea of purple, huge flags and a shit load of noise. Everyone in my section was on their feet, singing and jumping in unison with the Curva. A virtual full house, just under 40,000. The Milan fans were situated in the far corner of the ground, packed in like sardines, making their own racket. Milan were not the Milan of a decade ago but would be a stern test for the Viola with Zlatan Ibrahimović recently arriving from LA Galaxy. For a mid table clash (Milan slightly higher) I couldn’t believe the level of noise. There was something truly special about this place and no wonder it has a reputation as an intimidating place for opposing teams.
I was seated next to a nice Italian lady, I guessed in her 60s, who spoke good English and took great interest in where I was from and why I was there. She honestly made the whole experience feel like a warm home cooked meal. Going out of my way to talk to strangers has never been my strong point but I’m happy for them to find me.
In the first half, Milan were the stronger team and in the 34th minute Zlatan Ibrahimović scored a magnificent goal at my end of the ground, controlling the ball on his chest, flicking it past one defender, bursting past another two like they weren’t there and cooly placing it in the corner of the goal. Unfortunately in Italy it seems the handball rule is interpreted differently to everywhere else. After checking the monitor, the referee ruled it out for brushing his arm, which looking back on the highlights, I don’t think it even did that.
Early in the second half, Milan lost their goalkeeper, Donnarumma to injury but a few minutes later Ante Rebic, a former Fiorentina striker, took advantage of some horrible defending and gave the visitors the lead. The section of traveling Milanese went mental. I could have been in there but I had already decided in my mind that I made the right choice. To make matters worse for the home team, their Brazilian winger Dalbert, on loan from the other Milan team, Inter, hauled down Ibrahimović through on goal (ish) and after originally getting a yellow card, the referee consulted the monitor and changed it to a red. There was still half an hour to go.
Amazingly, Fiorentina were the better team for much of that last half an hour and in the 85th minute, were awarded a very fortuitous penalty, when the former Milan striker Patrick Cutrone was alleged to have been brought down. Erick Pulgar scored from the spot, just. Substitute keeper Begovic got a strong hand on it but not strong enough. Even after that, Fiorentina had a great chance to win it but it ended 1-1. I smiled and shook hands with my new friend and made my way into the chilly Florentine night.
The experience was better than I expected to be honest. The stadium was even louder and even more iconic than i imagined. I left with a renewed warm fuzzy feel about Fiorentina. Forza Viola.
Fiorentina:
Dragowski, Milenkovic, Pezzella, Caceres, Lirola (Igor), Castrovilli (Cutrone), Pulgar, Duncan, Dalbert, Vlahovic, Chiesa. Coach - Iachini.
AC Milan:
Donnarumma (Begovic), Conti, Gabbia (Musacchio), Romagnoli, Hernandez, Kessie, Bennacer, Castillejo (Saelemaekers), Calhanoglu, Rebic, Ibrahimović. Coach - Pioli.
Goals: Rebic (56), Pulgar (85).
Attendance: 39,769.
