Serie A, Week 38 – 16/5/10 – Stadium San Nicola
Strikers: Stellini 36′ (Bari), Rivas 95′ (Bari)
Referee: Giancola – Sent off: Gamberini 91 (Fiorentina)
Fiorentina end the campaign with a whimper, but it’s a celebration for Bari who finish in 10th place.
The mood was very different in the two camps. Bari felt jubilation at finishing mid-table after so many years in Serie B and wanted to thank the San Nicola crowd. Fiorentina’s failure to qualify for Europe and continuing uncertainty over Cesare Prandelli’s future meant they were simply eager for the season to end.
The Viola were decimated by injuries to Juan Vargas, Mario Alberto Santana, Alberto Gilardino, Manuel Pasqual, Cristian Zanetti, Gianluca Comotto and the suspended Per Kroldrup. Stevan Jovetic took on a new centre-forward role. Bari missed Riccardo Meggiorini, Mariano Donda, Andrea Ranocchia, Antonio Langella and the banned Belmonte.
Jovetic did put the ball in the back of the net after 11 minutes, but he was offside when the Adem Ljajic assist came in.
Ljajic was impressive and his long-range strike tested Jean-Francois Gillet, but Bari had a great chance when Vlada Avramov got down to parry Paulo Barreto’s snapshot.
Massimo Gobbi was stretchered off after a crunching tackle from ex-Fiorentina flop Nacho Castillo. Marco Marchionni’s effort took a deflection that lifted it inches off target.
Andrea Masiello almost scored an embarrassing own goal, as the ricochet hit his leg and bounced back over the bar.
It was Bari who broke through after 36 minutes. Castillo knocked down a corner for Cristian Stellini’s half-volley from six yards at the back post.
Riccardo Montolivo drilled a screamer just wide from distance, but it was so nearly 2-0 before half-time when Leonardo Bonucci ran on to an Edgar Alvarez through ball to hit the side-netting.
Avramov needed a desperate double save on the hour mark to deny Alessandro Parisi and the Sergio Almiron follow-up. Castillo should’ve doubled Bari’s lead, but incredibly fired wide when one-on-one with Avramov.
Jovetic wasn’t entirely convincing as a centre-forward, although he did threaten on 75 minutes when testing Gillet from point-blank range.
In stoppages substitute Alessandro Gamberini saw red for a crazy protest, as he pushed the referee in the chest with his finger, so the dismissal was inevitable.
Moments later Bari sealed the 2-0 scoreline with Emmanuel Riva tapping in Kamata’s assist from close range.
Squads:
Bari: Gillet; A Masiello, Stellini, Bonucci, Parisi; Alvarez, Gazzi, Almiron (Donati 69), Rivas; Barreto (Rivas 83), Castillo (Kamata 91)
Fiorentina: Avramov; De Silvestri, Natali, Felipe, Gobbi (Gamberini 30); Donadel (Agyei 48), Bolatti, Montolivo; Marchionni, Ljajic (Carraro 65); Jovetic
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