Nikola Kalinic scores hat-trick as Fiorentina edge eight-goal thriller

Nikola Kalinic grabbed a hat-trick as Fiorentina came from behind to thump Cagliari 5-3.

The hosts took the lead after just two minutes when Davide Di Gennaro headed Nicola Murru's cross home.

But Croatia striker Kalinic hauled Fiorentina level when he nodded in Cristian Tello's 20th-minute corner.

Two goals in five minutes from Federico Bernardeschi then turned the game on its head and Kalinic fired the fourth shortly before half-time.

Udinese 2-2 Fiorentina

Fiorentina twice came from behind to secure a point in a 2-2 draw at Udinese.

The hosts went in front after 26 minutes when Rodrigo De Paul picked out Duvan Zapata to slot home, but Paolo Sousa's side levelled moments later when Cristian Tello's pass was expertly back-heeled into the net by Senegal international Khouma Babacar.

Udinese regained their advantage on the stroke of half-time when Thomas Heurtaux's cross was met by Danilo at the back post.

But Federico Bernardeschi equalised from the spot...

Aston Villa midfielder Carlos Sanchez joins Fiorentina on season-long loan

Fiorentina have signed Aston Villa midfielder Carlos Sanchez on a season-long loan, friv100play .

The Serie A side have the option to buy 30-year-old Colombia international Sanchez at the end of the campaign.

Sanchez scored one goal in 55 appearances for Villa and was part of the side relegated from the Premier League last term

Fiorentina complete signing of Gheorghe Hagi's son from FC Viitorul

Fiorentina have signed Ianis Hagi, the son of Romania great Gheorghe Hagi, from FC Viitorul.

The Serie A club announced the arrival of Hagi, a forward who will be 18 in October, on their official website.

His father, the founder and owner of Viitorul, has been quoted as saying his son is a better player than he was at the same age.

Speaking to The Times last year, he said: "He has talent and all the mental qualities. He plays with emotion, he is generous, he works for the team.

"He can provide assists, he makes decisions quickly and he's good with both feet -- I was always on my left foot.

"He has a lot of work to do, of course, but he is growing all of the time. We need to polish him, but he is better than I was when I was the same age.

"He will be captain of Romania one day."

Ianis Hagi made 31 league appearances for Viitorul last season, scoring three goals, and has represented Romania at youth level up to the under-18s.

Manuel Pasqual signs for Empoli after Fiorentina exit

Manuel Pasqual made 17 Serie A appearances in 2015-16.

Empoli have signed former Fiorentina captain Manuel Pasqual on a two-year contract.

Left-back Pasqual, 34, had been released by La Viola after making over 350 Serie A appearances for the club he joined from Arezzo in 2005.

Fiorentina's Tuscan neighbours Empoli announced they had secured his services until the end of June 2018 in a tweet from their official account.

Chievo Verona 0-0 Fiorentina

Chievo and Fiorentina shared the spoils in a goalless draw as both sides failed to find the breakthrough at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi.

Mauro Zarate had the best chance to break the deadlock with his second-half free-kick hitting the crossbar as Paulo Sousa's side extend their winless run to three games.

Having seen their Champions League qualification hopes dashed in recent weeks, La Viola remain fifth, holding on to the last Europa League qualification spot while the hosts sit in eight place.

Fiorentina angry after failing in appeal over Mauro Zarate suspension

Mauro Zarate (left) was sent off for an off-the-ball incident with Jeison Murillo.

Fiorentina have hit out at the Lega Serie A decision to uphold the three-game ban handed out to Mauro Zarate for a recent red card.

The Viola contested the punishment after forward Zarate was sent off in the 2-1 win over Inter Milan on Feb. 14.

He was shown a straight red card after an off-the-ball incident with Jeison Murillo, but Fiorentina said he had been provoked and his ban should have been reduced.

But the Serie A court of appeal ruled against them, and a club statement said: "We have taken note of this decision with shock and anger.

"The appeal made by Fiorentina is based on the correct interpretation of the referee's report of the game, which in view of similar and perhaps more severe incidents -- in our view -- had seen appeals lead to a consequent reduction of a three-game ban into a two-game one.

"Zarate's gesture was down to the provocation, verbal and physical, of no fewer than four opposition players who surrounded him, pushing and shoving him, so much so the linesman had to intervene to protect our player.

"His reaction should have been considered in the context it was in, in a moment of intense emotion. We therefore feel that the sanction on Zarate is absolutely excessive."

Zarate sits out Fiorentina's important clash with Roma this weekend.

The two sides are level on points in the race for third position and a place in the Champions League next season.

Title-chasing Napoli await Serie A giant killers

Former Napoli defender Paolo Cannavaro has played down Sassuolo's 'giant-killer' status as the Serie A minnows look to claim another scalp on their way to an unlikely place in Europe next season.

Cannavaro was a reluctant departee from Napoli when he was transferred to Sassuolo in January 2014.

But the 34-year-old centre-back is now a pivotal part of Eusebio Di Francesco's well-oiled, attacking outfit and has a simple explanation for their recent wave of success.

"This season we're a lot more aware of our capabilities compared to last season," Cannavaro, the 34-year-old younger brother of retired Italy international Fabio, told Sky Sport.

"We're growing as a team and what we've achieved so far is simply down to our performances."

Yet Sassuolo, who sit 10 points behind leaders Napoli in sixth place, are becoming the team none of this season's 'scudetto' challengers want to face.

Promoted to Serie A in 2013, Sassuolo are the only team to have escaped being beaten by all five of this season's title challengers.

De Francesco's men beat Napoli at home on the opening day of the season, drew away to Roma, beat Juventus at home, drew at home with Fiorentina and stunned Inter Milan 1-0 thanks to a late Domenico Berardi penalty two weeks ago.

Since their reverse to the Tuscans, Napoli have put their mediocre start firmly behind them to finish top of Serie A at the halfway stage of the season for the first time in 26 years.

The last time was 1990 and Diego Maradona was still strutting his stuff at the San Paolo.

Napoli's rise to the top prompted Maradona to claim last week: "If Napoli win the scudetto, I'll fly to the city by helicopter to party with the fans."

Napoli this weekend are the only title contenders playing at home, but with 19 games remaining and Juventus back in contention after a poor start, Maurizio Sarri's men have it all to do.

Juventus travel to Udinese looking for a 10th consecutive league win and will be without Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, unless he makes a speedy recovery from 'flu.

For the first time this season, coach Massimiliano Allegri is in a position to underline their objectives, telling Jtv in midweek: "We have to try and finish top and we've got the whole half of the season to achieve that."

But with several teams firing on all fronts, he added: "It could all come down to the final day, so it will be important to collect as many points, and as many wins, as possible."

Like Juve, Inter are only two points off the pace in third but Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci said: "If I had to name a team, for the way they play and what they've done in the first half of the season I'd have to say Napoli."

The comment won't have gone unnoticed by Inter, who travel to Atalanta in Saturday's early fixture looking to make amends for conceding defeat twice in their past three games but with the chance to go top.

Brazilian Felipe Melo will sit out the last of a three-match suspension handed down for a karate kick on compatriot Lucas Biglia in a 2-1 defeat to Lazio last month.

But the Inter midfielder hit out: "People criticise us because they don't like seeing Inter being near the top of the league. I'm sorry for them, but I don't care.

"A lot of them would like to be in our place."

Atalanta are on a run of four straight defeats, but another Inter slip-up would be embraced by the Nerazzurri's titles rivals, including Fiorentina, who visit AC Milan Sunday looking to make amends for last week's 3-1 reverse to Lazio.

Roma, in fifth at seven points behind, welcome Verona to the Stadio Olimpico for former coach Luciano Spalletti's first game back in charge following the sacking of Rudi Garcia in midweek.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Saturday Atalanta v Inter Milan (1400), Torino v Frosinone (1700), Napoli v Sassuolo (1945)