Italian Serie A News, Results, Analysis and Features on Football Soccer

Owen Neilson On February - 1 - 2012

Fiorentina vs Siena A Derby With A Difference

Unlike Notts County’s kit and Mister, the football term Derby used throughout Italy has largely diverged from its original English etymology.

While fans in the Premier League still expect two-footed tackles and rabid commitment when local sides meet, some Italian derbies incur little or in the case of Sunday’s meeting between Fiorentina and Siena, no added enthusiasm.

Only 700 Siena fans made the 70km trip across Tuscany for the early kick-off at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, while a portion of the home crowd remained outside the ground in protest at poor league form. Even Fiorentina owner Andrea Della Valle missed the match because of the fractious relationship with fans, so viewers could be thankful that at least 22 players took the field.

One of those was Juventus striker Amauri, who arrived on loan from Turin earlier in the week and the 31 year old had if not a memorable at least an encouraging debut in the Viola shirt.

An improvised overhead kick and a late volley were the stand-out chances for Amauri in Fiorentina’s comfortbale 2-1 win that moved them into the top half of the table.

Siena by all accounts take the rivalry more seriously as the smaller of the sides in Tuscany, but Giuseppe Sannino again set them up not to lose. Playing a 5-3-2 formation that drew with Napoli last week, Roberto Vitiello and Cristiano Del Grosso, both natural defenders, offered little attacking intent while the whole midfield persisted with cross field balls that only aided Fiorentina in organizing its defence. Mattia Destro and Emanuele Calaiò rarely received the ball in space with former Viola player Gaetano D’Agostino having the only shot on goal in the first half.

Read more at La Gazzetta della Bunga

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