Catania and Fiorentina met in their Serie A clash at Stadio Angelo Massimino on Sunday.
The home side had a new manager in place in Rolando Maran after Luigi De Canio was sacked, as they looked to remove themselves from the foot of the table, while the visitors were pushing to keep up their surge for a Champions League place.
Vincenzo Montella's side dominated the game from start to finish as they ease to a comfortable win as debutant Alessandro Matri grabbed a brace in their 3-0 victory.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the Serie A clash between Catania and Fiorentina.
What an important game we have in store here, as Catania are in dire need of a win this afternoon to get them back into the relegation fight at the foot of the table, as they have just 13 points from their 19 games so far. A win will drag them to within a point of safety.
Fiorentina meanwhile are also in need of the points to keep up their excellent season so far and their push for the Champions League places. They are currently third in the table and are five points behind third-place Napoli who have also played 19 games in the campaign.
The team news has been announced and we'll start with the home side.
CATANIA STARTING XI: Frison, Spolli, Bellusci, Biraghi, Rolin, Plasil, Izco, Barrientos, Rinaudo, Castro, Bergessio.
CATANIA SUBS: Legrottaglie, Leto, Guarente, Monzon, Andujar, Boateng, Gyomber, Keko, Capuano, Ficara, Lopez.
FIORENTINA STARTING XI: Neto, Rodriguez, Pasqual, Tomovic, Savic, Pizzaro, Fernandez, Valero, Vargas, Cuadrado, Matri.
FIORENTINA SUBS: Roncaglia, Compper, Bakic, Rebic, Aquilani, Joaquin, Vecino, Ambrosini, Wolski, Matos, Ilicic, Rosati.
New Catania boss Rolando Maran rings the changes from his side's Coppa Italia defeat to Siena, which ended up costing Luigi Di Canio his job. Meanwhile, Vincezo Montella hands new signing Alessandro Matri his debut for Fiorentina after completing a loan move from AC Milan.
The players are making their way out onto the pitch and we should be underway shortly.
We're underway in this Serie A clash.
Vargas brings down Castro down the right with a late trip and hands the home side a chance to whip an early cross into the box, with Barrientos standing over the ball.
The visitors do well to clear their lines as Barrientos's free kick loops over the first man and is headed behind for a corner, from the resulting cross from the corner Neto gathers with ease.
Fiorentina work the ball nicely around the back, they are starting to build slowly with a possession game and testing the Catania defensive backline for weaknesses in their positional discipline in these early stages.
SHOT! Plasil plays a nice one-two with Bergessio on the edge of the box and the striker lays it back into the path of the midfielder around 20 yards from goal, he strikes it low but without power and Neto is able to save quite comfortably.
Fiorentina try and hit the home side on the break as a ball is whipped out to Pasqual down the left and he tries to do too much to keep the play moving at speed and hits an ambitious ball into the middle, which allows Catania to regain possession to kill the attack.
Savic makes an important tackle to win the ball from Bergessio as Castro raided forward through the middle and tried to thread a ball to the striker, but the defender read it well and came across to make the challenge.
Cuadrado wins the ball for the visitors in midfield and instead of building an attack, he decides to go himself down the middle and he fires a shot at goal from about 30 yards, which sails well over the crossbar. What a waste.
CHANCE! Catania threaten down the right as Barrientos feeds a through ball inside the right channel for Izco, who raids inside the box and cuts back for Castro who shoots first time but his shot is deflected inches wide of the post by Savic. Good defending again.
From the resulting corner, Fiorentina are able to clear their lines as the cross from Barrientos doesn't beat the first man.
CHANCE! Catania come forward again and Izco finds Barrientos out wide and he cuts inside on his left foot and lifts a cross into the area, which is a bit high for Bergessio but he still makes contact with the ball, but Neto can make a comfortable save getting across to his right.
Fiorentina are looking to slow the tempo of the game down with their possession game and they're patiently knocking the ball around just inside the Cantania half, the home side are dropping off but as soon as they get within 30 yards of goal they begin to press, which seems to be working for them so far.
Matri gets in behind the Catania defence as a long ball is lifted over the top and the striker chases it down and Frison comes for the ball and beats the striker to it but misses his kick, but Bellusci is there to clear the danger before Matri can react to the mistake.
GOAL! Catania 0-1 Fiorentina (Fernandez)
Fiorentina take the lead as Pasqual plays a cross into the feet of Matri from the left on the edge of the box, he controls the ball into the path of Fernandez who hits the ball sweetly with the outside of his right foot and the ball swerves into the bottom corner of the net, beating the outstretched hand of Frison. An excellent finish.
Matri is nearly in again for the visitors as another long ball catches the home side out over the top and Frison has to be quick off his line to boot the ball clear of the striker, before he fire an effort at goal.
GOAL! Catania 0-2 Fiorentina (Matri)
Fiorentina double their lead and Matri gets a goal on his debut in an excellent move from the visitors. The ball was played down the left for Pasqual who beats his man before firing a low cross into the area and Matri got ahead at the near post and poked the ball past Frison into the net.
Catania are presented with a chance to respond as Savic brings down Bergessio on the edge of the area, with a heavy challenge.
Barrientos takes the free kick and he fires his effort over the wall but it doesn't have the power to beat Neto who gets down to his left to make the save.
Fiorentina are strolling this game at the minute, they've got their two-goal lead and are passing the ball with ease around the field and Catania are powerless to stop them. The home side need to up the ante if they don't want this game to be out of sight by half time.
CHANCE! Fiorentina come inches away from adding a third from a lovely attacking move as they switched play from left to the right with ease and Tomovic whipped a cross into the middle and Pasqual attacked the ball but could only flick his effort over the bar from 10 yards out.
GOAL! Catania 0-3 Fiorentina (Matri)
Fiorentina get their third of the afternoon thanks to another good attacking move down the left, Savic lifted a ball over the top for Pasqual who got in behind again and fired a low cross for Fernandez whose deflected shot was brilliantly saved by Frison, but Matri was there first to react to the rebound to fire the ball home.
It's all too easy for the visitors at the moment. There's no pressure on them with the ball whatsoever and Catania have the look of a team extremely low on confidence and know they are heading for defeat.
A serious looking injury for Tomovic as he goes down from a challenge from Rinaudo. The stretcher comes on and we'll have to wait to see if he can continue.
There will be one minute of added time.
HALF TIME: Catania 0-3 Fiorentina
Half time in this Serie A clash and it looks as all but over as Fiorentina have completely dominated the first half and deserve their 3-0 lead at the break. The visitors have defended solidly and have cut open the home side again and again in attack. It has been a debut to remember for Alessandro Matri, who has two goals and an assist to help his side on their way to a likely three points.
Catania have been second best and there's a reason why they are bottom of Serie A. They've been outplayed and beaten far too easily by the ball over the top and from crosses from the left by Pasqual who has been a thorn in their side all afternoon. They're on their way to another defeat unless they can somehow pull off a miraculous comeback, which doesn't look likely.
The players are back out on the pitch and we should be underway again shortly.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Roncaglia and Matos replace Tomovic and Matri for Fiorentina, while Rolin goes off for the hosts and is replaced by Leto.
We're back underway in this Serie A clash.
Catania get in behind Fiorentina for the first time in the game as Bergessio gets the ball and turns on the edge and slips a through ball in for Castro, but he is flagged offside and is first touch was poor anyway which allowed Neto to gather ahead of Barrientos.
Fiorentina win a corner down the right as Fernandez raids down the right and his cross is deflected behind and from the resulting cross from the corner, the home side are able to clear the danger.
The visitors come forward again and they work the ball impressively across the midfield before it comes to Valero on the edge of the area and he shoots, but he can only find the side netting with his effort.
Fiorentina are controlling the game with their passing game again in this half and Catania just can't win the ball at the moment as they are knocking the ball around with ease at their leisure in the hosts' half of the field.
YELLOW CARD! Barrientos goes into the book as his frustrations boil over when he brings down Vargas on the edge of the area. That gives Fiorentina an excellent chance to add to their lead.
OFF THE BAR! Fernandez comes within inches of getting his side's fourth goal as he curls an effort over the wall and on target only to see his shot crash of the crossbar and be cleared by the home side. You can't come much closer than that.
A shot on goal for the home side from Leto, who lets fly from around 30 yards out and his effort takes a deflection and goes over the bar winning a corner. Let's see if Catania can do anything with this?
The answer is no they can't as the delivery from Barrientos is poor and the visitors are able to clear the danger with ease.
It doesn't get much easier than it is for Fiorentina at the moment. They are just passing the ball with ease under no duress, while Catania have failed to muster anything in attack, it's like a pre-season game for the visitors.
Fiorentina win a free kick in another dangerous position. Valero whips in the ball from deep and Rodriguez gets his head to the ball but he can only head his effort wide of the target.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Ambrosini replaces Valero for the visitors, while Keko comes on for Castro in a change for the hosts.
Catania work the ball forward and it lands at the feet of Plasil who tries an effort from the edge of the area on the half-volley, but he can't test Neto has his shot goes wide of the post. That's the closest the home side have come after the break.
More possession football from Fiorentina as the home side just can't get the ball from them a sustain a period of play. It's excellent play from the visitors, who are easing to victory here.
CHANCE! Catania come close to getting a goal as Bergessio takes the ball down the flank and cuts the ball back for Keko inside the area, but the midfielder can't keep his head and he fires his effort wide from close range. That sort of day for the home side.
CHANCE! Mato collects a through ball from deep and raids into the area, he fires at goal under pressure from Bellusci and as a result his shot goes wide of the target from a tight angle. That could have been four if not for the good covering play of Bellusci.
Fiorentina are passing the ball around with ease again and appear to be shutting up shop to see out the win.
FULL TIME: Catania 0-3 Fiorentina
The referee blows the final whistle and Fiorentina ease to a simple victory of bottom-of-the-table Catania, who remain rooted to the foot of Serie A as goals from Alessandro Matri and Manuel Fernandez condemn them to defeat.
Catania offered very little throughout the game and were punished by a clinical Fiorentina side, who looked good with debutant Matri bagging two goals on his debut to continue their push for the Champions League places in Serie A.
That's all the action Stadio Angelo Massimino, thanks for joining our commentary of this clash. Until next time, goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
