Vincenzo Italiano hailed Fiorentina’s “ferocious approach” that saw them beat Hearts 3-0.
La Viola leapfrogged the Jambos in Group A of the Europa Conference League before meeting them again in Florence next week. Rolando Mandragora set the tone with a free header after just four minutes. The hosts huffed and puffed but struggled to worry their Serie A opponents, who doubled their lead shortly before the breakthrough Christian Kouame’s acrobatic finish.
Just three minutes after the restart, Hearts had a man sent off in Europe for the second time this season. Luka Jovic got the wrong side of Lewis Neilson from a goal kick and the teenage centre back instinctively pulled the former Real Madrid man back, which promoted the free to give him his marching orders. La Viola eventually took advantage of their extra man as Jovic finished off a flowing counter attack to remove any semblance of doubt that may have still been lingering as the game went into the final ten minutes.
