Fiorentina hero baffled by club's current Serie A plight

A look at the current Serie A table doesn't make for good reading for Fiorentina.  

The Florence side, who finished sixth last season and qualified for the Europa Conference League, have endured a dismal start to the season, and they are propping up the table eleven games into the campaign.

Few would have believed at the start of the season that the club would still be waiting for their first win of the season when the Christmas decorations were starting to go up, but it's a predicament that boss Stefano Pioli paid for earlier this month.

Having only been appointed at the start of the campaign, Piloi was given his marching orders after the club's wretched start and has since been replaced by Paolo Vanoli, last seen in charge at Torino. 

The new boss now has an uphill battle on his hands to try and rescue Fiorentina's season, a season that has left one former club legend completely dumfounded by the Viola's position. 

"I didn't expect them at all to be down there, last in the table," Stefan Schwarz exclusively tells DAZN News, thanks to the official Casino Banking Methods site. 

"Because the quality is there, the fan base is there, and we saw how well they did last season. 

"It's a very rich club in football culture and traditions, a well-respected club. So I don't know really what is going on there.

"It would be interesting to know a little bit more, why it looks like that. Is it more than just the games? Because maybe sometimes it could be some sort of organisation higher up, because it's not normal at all now.

"And Florence is not a happy facility at the moment." 

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It's a stark contrast to the Swede's heyday at the club during the mid-nineties, where, after starring for his country at the World Cup and during a brief spell at Arsenal, Schwarz joined Fiorentina in 1995 and spent three successful seasons in Serie A. 

During that time, the midfielder helped the club win the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana, when Italy's top flight was considered the best league in Europe. 

"I had such a fantastic time," Schwarz added.

"It's probably the hardest league and the most difficult league to play in. Not just on the pitch, but the demand from all the supporters and the passion for football, a religion for football.

"It was a tremendous three years. We won the Italian Cup and the Super Cup, which was very good.

"When you go to Italy, it's not just only to play and train. It's so much more to handle. It's very mental to play in Serie A.

"That's why I respect so many players that can play for so many years in Serie A because of the demand." 

Fiorentina's task doesn't get any easier this weekend as they go in search of a maiden victory in 2025-26, hosting Juventus, who are also under new management following the appointment of Luciano Spalletti. 

How to watch Serie A on DAZN? 

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You can watch Serie A games via the DAZN App, available on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles and web browsers.

If you do not have the App yet, follow these instructions...

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