Fiorentina vs Gubbio

Fiorentina came flying out of the blocks. Inside three minutes, Dodo slipped Roberto Piccoli through on goal, but Bagnolini raced off his line to smother the shot. Two minutes later, Arthur Atta bundled the ball in from a rebound but was correctly ruled offside.

Gudmundsson was Fiorentina's most dangerous outlet in the first half. He had a penalty claim waved away on eight minutes after appearing to be brought down in the box, then struck the post with a curling effort from the edge of the area after skipping past two defenders on 14 minutes.

The Gubbio goalkeeper Bagnolini made vital saves to deny Fortini twice inside a minute, while Luca Ranieri headed a corner wide from close range. At the other end, David De Gea was almost caught out by a Meconi cross that he misjudged, recovering just in time.

The deadlock was broken deep into first-half stoppage time. Ranieri's header was brilliantly saved by Bagnolini, but the loose ball fell to Atta, who was wiped out by the goalkeeper as he moved to pounce. Referee Curcio pointed to the spot, and Gudmundsson sent Bagnolini the wrong way with a composed finish into the bottom corner.

Grosso made 10 changes at half-time — only Brescianini and Fortini remained — and the reshaped side continued to dominate. Kean, on for Piccoli, should have doubled the lead within minutes of the restart, but his performances summed up an evening of profligacy in front of goal.

The Italy international, at the centre of persistent transfer speculation, was denied by Bagnolini on 58 minutes after a sharp turn and shot. Then came the moment that will trouble him most: on 63 minutes, a goalmouth scramble left Kean with the net gaping from six yards, but he somehow failed to steer the ball home.

Bagnolini was equal to Kean's header from an Oulai backheel on 77 minutes, and the striker missed three further chances between the 84th and 88th minutes. Gubbio, to their credit, never folded and defended resolutely throughout.

Albert Gudmundsson — The Icelandic international was Fiorentina's brightest spark. Deployed on the left of a front three, he repeatedly cut inside, forced saves, struck the woodwork, and coolly converted the decisive penalty. His movement and link-up play stood out above the rest.

Arthur Atta — The new signing from Metz was dynamic in midfield, showcasing the energy and quality that convinced Fiorentina to invest. He won the penalty through sheer persistence, getting to the rebound ahead of Bagnolini.

Christ Inao Oulai — Introduced with 15 minutes remaining, the 18-year-old Ivorian immediately made an impact. One backheel flick from a corner to tee up Kean drew applause from the Viola Park crowd and hinted at the technical quality that has fans excited.

Matteo Bagnolini (Gubbio) — Without the Gubbio goalkeeper, this would have been a rout. He made at least eight saves, several of them excellent, including a double stop from Kean and Fortini on 58 minutes.

Player of the match: Albert Gudmundsson

Fiorentina's chance volume (a dozen clear-cut opportunities) dwarfed the 1-0 scoreline. The gap between chances created and goals scored — Kean alone missed five presentable openings — is the headline metric. Gubbio registered zero meaningful attempts on target after the first half, reflecting a defensive display that was organised but never tested in transition. The 2,683 spectators at Viola Park saw a match that, in open play, was one-way traffic.

For Grosso, this was a useful first look at his squad in competitive minutes. "We are still a team under construction," he said afterwards. "The group needs to be filled in some roles where we are more exposed."

On Kean, who missed a string of chances amid links with Como and other clubs, Grosso added: "I found him a man. He's a very strong player. The market rumours are there. I'd be happy to have him, if not we'll wish him well."

For Gubbio, the performance offered encouragement. Domenico Di Carlo's side, preparing for the 2026-27 Lega Pro campaign, defended with discipline and had a spell of decent possession in the first half.

Fiorentina travel to London for their next pre-season fixture on Friday, while Gubbio continue their preparation with further friendlies next week.

A predictable win against a lower-division opponent, but the scoreline flattered Gubbio. Fiorentina created enough chances to win by three or four goals, and the profligacy of Kean and Piccoli will be a concern Grosso must address. The positives: Gudmundsson looks sharp, Atta and Oulai are promising additions, and the right-sided combination of Dodo and Fortini offered width and penetration. The next test — against stronger opposition — will reveal far more.