Rome (AFP)

AS Roma, 5th in the last year, only brought back one point from their trip to Hellas Verona (0-0), while Fiorentina won at home against Torino (1-0) , opening the 2020-2021 Italian Championship season on Saturday.

If Serie A began behind closed doors in Florence and Verona this Saturday, the clubs will be able to accommodate a limited number of spectators (1,000 maximum) on Sunday after agreement with the Italian authorities.

Without Edin Dzeko, approached at Juventus and left on the bench, AS Roma started in Verona with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and his rookie star Pedro.

At first dominating, the Romans were then jostled, like the strike of the former Niçois Adrien Tameze, deflected on the crossbar by goalkeeper Antonio Mirante (45th).

The bar also saved the Roma goalkeeper in the second period on a floating strike from Federico Dimarco (80th).

The bar, again, stopped the attempt of the Roman Leonardo Spinazzola (85th)!

A reaction from Roma, recently bought by American businessman Dan Friedkin, is expected at home next weekend.

But the task promises to be complicated since Paulo Fonseca's players will host Juventus.

In search of a tenth title this season in a row, the Old Lady made her debut at home on Sunday against Sampdoria Genoa.

Naples, for its part, goes to Parma.

- Ribéry captain -

On the Fiorentina side, with German Pezzella on the bench, Franck Ribéry inherited the Fiorentina armband for the inaugural match of the season at the end of the afternoon at the Artemio Franchi stadium.

After forty balanced first minutes, the Viola was the most dangerous just before the break with a header from the Ivorian Christian Kouamé pushed back by Salvatore Sirigu (42nd).

The same scene happened again four minutes later: head of Kouamé and a new even more spectacular parade from the former PSG goalkeeper (45 + 1).

Sirigu ended up bending on a strike from Cristiano Biraghi, back from Inter Milan on loan, as soon as the restart (47th), but the goal was finally canceled for offside.

It was not until the 78th minute to finally see the Florentines materialize.

Federico Chiesa, rather discreet until then, deposited Cristian Ansaldi in his lane before sending a center supported to Gaetano Castrovilli, author of the first goal of this new Serie A season.

In added time, Andrea Belotti believed to snatch the equalizer, but the Toro striker saw his goal canceled for offside (90 + 5).

© 2020 AFP