Fiorentina and Atalanta shared the points in a 1-1 draw on Friday as both clubs brought underwhelming Serie A campaigns to a close.
Roberto Piccoli gave Fiorentina the advantage shortly before halftime and appeared to put the Florence side on course for a positive finish to the season. However, Pietro Comuzzo’s own goal eight minutes from the end allowed Atalanta to rescue a draw.
The result confirmed Fiorentina’s lowest league finish since 2019. Although the club currently sits 14th in the table, it could still drop lower depending on the results of Genoa and Cagliari later this weekend.
Neither side produced a memorable performance in a match that reflected the frustrations both clubs experienced throughout the campaign.
Fiorentina’s recovery came too late
Fiorentina endured a terrible beginning to the season and failed to register a league victory until the 16th round of matches.
Improved performances after the turn of the year helped the club climb away from greater trouble and recover several places in the standings. Despite that progress, the team was unable to climb into the top half of the table.
Piccoli’s first-half strike briefly gave supporters hope of ending the season with a victory, but the late equaliser prevented Fiorentina from signing off on a winning note.
The draw ultimately underlined how difficult the campaign had been for the Florence club, whose improvement arrived only after a long struggle earlier in the season.
Atalanta settle for Conference League place
Atalanta also completed a disappointing year after finishing in the top four during each of the previous two seasons and qualifying for the Champions League on both occasions.
This time, the club will end the campaign in seventh position, securing a place in the Conference League rather than Europe’s top competition.
Recent form has been especially poor for Atalanta, who have managed only one victory in their last seven Serie A matches.
The late own goal from Comuzzo at least allowed them to avoid defeat, but the draw did little to improve the overall feeling surrounding a season that fell below expectations.