Overview
- Fiorentina lost 3-2 to Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road after Nicolas Madsen opened the scoring from a penalty and Smyth added a second-half double while Atta and Piccoli replied for the visitors.
- Fabio Grosso started a 4-3-3 and used heavy second-half rotation to evaluate the squad, moving several players out of their usual positions to test options.
- Reporters and coaches said QPR looked further ahead physically and technically, a gap the Viola partly blamed on having only about ten days of work under Grosso before the England fixtures.
- Standout performers included Oulai and Atta for Fiorentina but the team showed repeated problems on the flanks and defensive lapses that led to QPR’s second goal.
- The squad remains in England for a training session the next day and a friendly at Watford on July 29 that Fiorentina will use to raise fitness, sharpen wide play, and continue integrating new players in the run up to the centenary season.