The Florentine defense has recorded the worst record of goals conceded in almost thirty years, with 15 goals conceded in the first eight games of this season. The most marked comparison comes with the 1992-93 season, when the team conceded 18 goals, including 7 against Milan. Since then, Fiorentina have not conceded more than 14 goals, even in the difficult 2001-02 season, which ended in failure. The current result makes intervention on the defensive department urgent if the team intends to recover positions in the standings.
The problem became evident from Fabio Grosso's debut on the bench. The team conceded four goals against Roma, another four in the Italian Cup match against Benevento and five goals in their first three league matches, including three against Frosinone and two against Torino. The constant reorganization of the defensive line, with changes in the central pair (from Dragusin-Ranieri to Dragusin-Viery and then to Dragusin-Pongracic), contributed to the instability of the department and the difficulty of consolidating a solid defensive structure.
Coach Paolo Vanoli kept the Dragusin-Ranieri pairing, but the results were mixed. De Gea's goal remained clean only in the Italian Cup match against Pisa (3‑0); in Serie A, the goals conceded were two against Venice, two against Genoa and one against Naples. Vanoli expressed the need to review the formation, especially for the next match against Como, evaluating the inclusion of Viery in place of the former Real player on the full-backs to cover the external lanes, while maintaining the help of the midfield.
The club has recognized that defense is an urgent priority to improve their position in the table. Vanoli's management aims to stabilize the defensive line, reduce the goals conceded and create a more coherent department. With the next match against Como scheduled, Fiorentina will have to demonstrate that they have found the right defensive combination to reverse the negative trend and return to competing for the top of the championship.