Late drama in Florence: Kalulu fuels Juventus to a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Fiorentina

Match snapshot

In a stirring Serie A clash at the Artemio Franchi stadium, Juventus and Fiorentina settled for a 1-1 draw. Pierre Kalulu gave Juventus the lead just before halftime, while Rolando Mandragora struck to level for Fiorentina after the break. The result leaves Juventus in sixth with 20 points, five behind Napoli at the top.

Key moments and reactions

Kalulu said the team created enough chances to win but paid for a string of avoidable errors. The opener came from Filip Kostic in stoppage time of the first half, and Mandragora equalized in the 48th minute. Kalulu stressed the need to be more ruthless when in control and to improve discipline in defense and build-up play.

The match featured a controversial moment when the referee, Daniele Doveri, initially awarded a penalty for a shirt tug on Vlahovic, then reversed after a VAR check. The game was also marked by racist chants directed at Vlahovic from some Fiorentina fans, prompting captain Luka Ranieri to intervene and the crowd to quiet down after two stoppages in the first half.

Disciplinary and aftermath

Spalletti, the Juventus manager, admitted that the side cannot tolerate ongoing errors and urged players to raise their level to keep pace with the title contenders. He noted that the locker room silence suggested displeasure and emphasized the need for a different style of play in upcoming matches.

Vlahovic faced racist abuse, which prompted officials to take action, and Kalulu defended his team while calling for focus on football and a halt to off-field incidents.

Punchlines to keep you smiling: first line … second line …

Punchline 1: If football is a test, today’s lesson was on defense — apparently the syllabus forgot how to guard the net.

Punchline 2: They say in football the clock is undefeated; apparently the VAR can bribe it with more coffee to extend the drama.