Fiorentina’s David de Gea and AC Milan’s Mike Maignan combined to save three penalties in a thrilling Serie A clash that saw Fiorentina edge Milan 2-1 in Florence on Sunday.
Maignan kicked things off by denying Moise Kean’s lackluster penalty.
As the first half drew to a close, De Gea made his presence felt, diving to his right to block Theo Hernandez’s attempt. After the break, De Gea once again came to the rescue, stopping Tammy Abraham’s spot-kick to keep Fiorentina in the lead.
Yacine Adli, on loan from Milan, opened the scoring for Fiorentina in the 35th minute, only for Christian Pulisic to level the score in the 60th with a spectacular volley.
The game was ultimately decided by Albert Gudmundsson’s long-range strike, capping off a counterattack in the 78th minute. De Gea played a key role in the goal, delivering a long ball that Kean cleverly laid off for the Icelandic forward.
The drama didn’t end there, as emotions flared in the closing moments. Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino was shown a red card, while Hernandez was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.
De Gea’s heroics made history, as he became the first goalkeeper to save two penalties in a Serie A match since Federico Marchetti in May 2016.
With this performance, the Spanish shot-stopper has now saved 10 of 52 penalties in Europe’s top five leagues, including his last three efforts, the most recent being against Fulham in May 2023.
Fiorentina’s victory strengthens their position in Serie A, while AC Milan will be left to rue their missed opportunities.
