There is the final whistle! A comprehensive win for the Viola!
90' +1
We are into the first of an additional two minutes.
90'
Richards again makes another brilliant run beyond the defence and Pizarro attempts to find him. The Englishman does not shy away from challenging Samassa for it and the ball comes loose. Gomez then blazes it over the top, but can breathe a sigh of relief as the referee pulls play back for a foul on the keeper.
88'
F. Bernardeschi has scored a goal for Fiorentina! Assist by M. Richards.
GOOOOOOAAAL!! Bernardeschi spins away from Leveque on the near side and then bends the ball low into the far corner! A great strike on his European debut!
87'
Pasqual whips a teasing cross into the penalty area and Gomez makes a near post run to get on the end of it. He is a little too early, and the delivery slightly too high, to connect and Samassa takes no risks by punching it away.
85'
Gomez makes a run across the top of the box and receives the ball to feet. One good touch would set him up to shoot but he seems to lose all control of his legs and stumbles over the ball, losing the opening to shoot.
84'
Here they manage to win a corner, but Giresse's delivery is punched out by Tatarusanu.
83'
Guingamp are just looking to soak up the pressure and pounce on the break. However, when they do get the ball and push forward they are only willing to commit three men up, making it difficult for them to get anywhere near Tatarusanu's net.
81'
C. Beauvue gets yellow.
Beauvue is the sixth man to go into the book this evening for a late tug on Kurtic as the midfielder looked to break into the Guingamp half.
80'
Giresse whips the corner towards the near post but it is unable to find a route through a host of bodies to find the target and the Viola come away with possession.
Minute
Description
79'
J. Basanta gets yellow.
Sankoh races forward for the first time this evening but upon reaching the byline and looking to move inside he is hacked down by Basanta. It was a cynical challenge from the Argentine but it got his team off the hook.
77'
Vargas tries to thread another diagonal pass through the defence for Bernardeschi, but once more Leveque is the man to deal with the threat and clear it away.
75'
Vargas keeps the ball in play at the byline and hooks a deep cross into the box. It evades all the purple shirts inside the area and is cleared away by Leveque.
73'
Richards makes another great run in behind the defence and is picked out with a lovely ball over the top. He manages to bring it down but his touch leaves it behind him and allows the Guingamp defence to recover.
72'
F. Bernardeschi enters the game and replaces J. Cuadrado.
71'
L. Douniama enters the game and replaces C. Mandanne.
Cuadrado is withdrawn for the hosts, bringing to an end a brilliant performance from the Colombian. The Viola faithful will surely be utterly delighted they managed to retain his services for another season.
69'
That two-goal cushion will be a huge relief for the hosts. They certainly heeded the warning that was Beauvue's effort and now look sure to cruise to an opening matchday win.
67'
J. Cuadrado has scored a goal for Fiorentina! Assist by D. Pizarro.
GOOOOOAAAAALLL!! THERE IT IS! Cuadrado ghosts in behind the defence and plucks down Pizarro's excellent pass. He kills it with his first touch then looks up before guiding the ball into the far corner! Fiorentina double their lead.
66'
That is a reminder for Fiorentina that they cannot settle on this one-goal lead. A single slip-up at the back would see a potential three points turn into one, so they need to start making more of their superior possession.
64'
GUINGAMP ALMOST GET ONE! Beauvue cuts inside and outside of his man before firing at goal from 20 yards. It looks to be heading for the top corner but Tatarusanu leaps up and claws the effort over the roof of his goal.
63'
Lionel Mathis (4) and Sylvain Marveaux (2) are the only Guingamp players to have scored in European competition. The latter has been subsituted, and it is difficult to see where a goal for the visitors might come from.
62'
T. Giresse enters the game and replaces J. Pied.
61'
Richards makes a good run in behind the defence and is played in by Cuadrado. He gets his head up and tries to cut the ball back to Gomez but Kerbrat manages to get in the way.
60'
Once more Cuadrado controls a searching long ball exquisitely, keeping it in play near the byline. He rolls it back to Kurtic but he only manages to pick out a white shirt in the box.
59'
WHAT A SAVE!! Pizarro is given acres of space from which to shoot and he arrows a low shot from 30 yards out. It looks to be heading wide, but Sambassa makes sure and parries it behind for a corner.
58'
Vargas attempts to thread a pass into Gomez inside the box but Yatabare slides in brilliantly to intercept the ball and carry it away down the left wing.
57'
M. Richards enters the game and replaces S. Savić.
Micah Richards comes on to make his Fiorentina debut, replacing Savic in defence.
56'
FACT: Guinhamp’s only win in seven European away fixtures was a 3-0 victory against Georgian outfit Kolkheti Poti in the 1996 Intertoto Cup.
54'
It has been all Fiorentina this half. The hosts have used their man advantage to monopolise possession and force their opponents to chase it across the park as they patiently probe for openings.
52'
S. Yatabaré enters the game and replaces S. Marveaux.
J. Kurtič gets yellow.
Beauvue does well to work his way out of the corner but is flattened as he looks to sprint away from Kurtic down the left. The late challenge earns the Viola man a yellow card.
50'
Two great chances for Fiorentina! Cuadrado creates the first but Pizarro is unable to tuck home from a cutback and the ball moves out to Tomovic on the right. He beats his man and then pulls it back to Cuadrado, but his first touch sees the ball get away from him and the chance goes begging.
49'
Almost a crazy own goal! Pizarro's attempted cross is flicked on by Angoua's flailing leg, causing it to loop up and drop just beyond the post with the keeper scrambling.
48'
Pizarro drills a pass to Cuadrado at the corner of the box on the near side but the Colombian gets his head up a moment too early and he fails to control the ball.
46'
M. Badelj enters the game and replaces Borja Valero.
We are back underway in Florence! It looks like that knock picked up in the first half did not clear up for Borja Valero so Badelj replaces him for the second half.
45' +2
There is the half-time whistle!
45' +1
We are into the first of two additional minutes at the end of the first half.
45'
From the set piece the ball is rolled to the right for Cuadrado to strike but he sends it straight into the wall. A waste of a great opportunity for the hosts to double their lead. In fact, the replays show it was Pasqual who blocked it! It might have been heading on target!
44'
Angou scythes down Gomez from behind 20 yards from goal and the referee awards Fiorentina a free kick.
43'
Samassa does well to come off his line and beat Gomez to a ball bouncing between the defenders and head it to safety. Fiorentina are just cruising now.
41'
A long ball catches Fiorentina unaware but Mandanne doesn't fancy his chances up against Savic so goes for an early shot. It is woeful, dribbling wide of the near post.
40'
S. Marveaux gets yellow.
39'
The referee isn't happy that Diallo is taking such a long time to leave the field and Marveaux protests the decision. It only succeeds in earning him a yellow card.
38'
M. Diallo gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
RED CARD! Diallo picks up his second yellow card of the evening for a late challenge on Pizarro. It wasn't particularly dangerous, but the referee deems it deserving of a second yellow card. Guingamp will have to play the remainder with 10 men.
36'
Fiorentina have certainly deserved their goal as they have been far more creative than their opponents. They looked to be letting their hold on the game slip so that goal has come at the perfect time.
34'
J. Vargas has scored a goal for Fiorentina! Assist by J. Kurtič.
Borja Valero makes his way back onto the pitch, which is welcomed by the home crowd.
GOOOOOOOAAAALL!! Kurtic works space for a cross out on the right and although it misses Gomez, Vargas is behind him to power a header into the back of the net!
33'
Borja Valero is caught on the half-way line and is forced to hobble off the pitch in order to receive some attention from the medical staff. He looks to be in some pain.
31'
Pied flights it in but the delivery goes straight to a Viola shirt. Another opportunity to worry Tatarusanu is wasted by Guingamp.
30'
Marveaux picks up the ball on the right and begins dribbling it across the Fiorentina half. He is caught by the backtracking Kurtic, who completely cleans him out and gifts the French side a free kick just outside the centre cirle.
29'
Vargas whips a cracking delivery in from the left but it is just too high for Gomez, who only manages to flick it on rather than diver it on target. The ball is only half-cleared and eventually falls to Pizarro, but the Chilean's half-volley is wild.
27'
Another wayward shot from Pied! Guingamp are being forced to shoot from distance but they cannot afford to keep wasting such opportunities. Again, the wide-man's right-footed effort sails harmlessly over the top.
26'
Kurtic scoops a pass up for the overlapping Tomovic but the full-back's first-time cross goes straight to a white shirt and the move breaks down. Clever pass from the midfielder there, though.
25'
Diallo is the first player to go into the book as he catches Vargas with an elbow as the pair contest an aerial ball near the half-way line.
24'
M. Diallo gets yellow.
JUST WIDE! Cuadrado has been involved in everything positive for his side and it is his delivery that finds Vargas in the centre. The Peruvian connects with it using his head but is unable to steer it on target.
23'
A swift break on the right for Fiorentina results with Cuadrado trying to catch Samassa off his line. He fails to get enough on it, though, and the keeper plucks it down with ease.
22'
A lovely through-ball almost sends Marveaux through one-on-one with Tatarusanu but Savic is alert and makes an important interception. Guingamp are by no means shying away following the hosts early dominance.
20'
Pied picks up the ball on the left and starts running at the opposition. He brings it inside onto his right foot and, with options limited, he goes for goal. He strikes it from 30 yards out and it is always rising over the top.
19'
GOOOOOAAAL... no, it's been ruled out! Cuadrado cuts the ball back to the top of the box but Vargas is challenged as he attempts to shoot. It bounces forward and Gomez sweeps it home, but he was offside following the Peruvian's touch.
18'
Pasqual is the next player to send in a cross but it is straight to Mathis, who heads away. The Viola quickly move it back to the left for Cuadrado and the Colombian dribbles it in from the flank. He does not find space for a shot so lays it off to Pizarro, but the Chilean's driven pass towards Vargas is too powerful. That would have been a lovely move.
16'
Guingamp manage to catch Fiorentina short at the back with Marveaux dribbling at the defence. He passes right to Diallo but the midfielder's cross is too close to the near post, allowing Tatarusanu to get his hands on it unchallenged.
14'
A spell of possession for Guingamp now and it is greeted by whistles from the stands. They fail to make anything from it and Vargas looks to break down the left wing.
12'
Fiorentina are dominating possession at the moment, penning Guingamp back in their own half. Borja Valero clips a quality pass out to Pasqual, who eventually bends a lovely ball into the box with the outside of his boot. Gomez gets ahead of his marker to flick it on, but the only man behind him is Angoua who cushions it into his keeper's hands.
10'
Pizarro is pulling all the strings in midfield at the moment! The Chilean skips away from a challenge before feeding Cuadrado. He, in turn, tees up Kurtic for a shot at goal but it is blocked by the nearest white shirt.
8'
Pizarro angles a lovely pass out to Cuadrado on the right but the Colombian does not have room to put in a cross so rolls it back to Tomovic. The right-back's ball in is deflected and loops into the air and the keeper just about beats Gomez to it.
6'
Cuadrado brings down a long kick by Tatarusanu with class and spins into space before switching the play to Pasqual on the left. The defender's touch deserts him, though, as the ball slips beneath his foot and goes out for a throw.
5'
Beauvue receives the ball on the right and sends in an early cross between the defence and their keeper. Running back towards his own goal, Tomovic makes contact and hooks it behind for a corner.
3'
Mandanne gets in behind the defence and, with his back to goal, lays the ball off to Marveaux. He bides his time before attempting a cross and it is blocked by Tomovic, who is unable to keep it from going out for a corner.
2'
Gomez receives the ball and shifts the ball to his right in order to create space from which to shoot. It doesn't work, though, so he tries to force his way past Angoua but the centre-back comes out on top.
1'
We are underway in Florence!
Fiorentina face Guingamp as the Europa League kicks off for another season. Join us for our live play-by-play coverage.
Fiorentina strolled through last season's Europa League group stage, snaring 16 points out of a possible 18. However, the Viola have only won two of their previous six home games against opposition from France.
Guingamp won qualification for this season's Europa League after winning last season's Coupe de France, only a season after they won promotion to Ligue 1. This is their first ever appearance in the group stage of a major Uefa tournament.
The teams are out and the pre-match formalities are almost complete. Kick off is just a few short moments away!
HALF TIME - Fiorentina 1-0 Guingamp: The Viola take a slender lead into the break but they have been the far more threatening of the two sides. Vargas' goal is the difference but with the French side reduced to 10 men following Diallo's dismissal, it's difficult to see them finding a way back into this one.
Be sure to join me in 10 minutes for the second half.
Welcome back! The teams have returned to the field and the second half will begin shortly.
FULL TIME - Fiorentina 3-0 Guingamp: The Viola took the lead through Vargas in the first half and following the dismissal of Diallo they never looked like being beaten. Cuadrado and Bernardeschi rounded off the victory after the break to hand the hosts all three points on their Europa League group stage opener.
In the other Group K game PAOK thumped Dinamo Minsk 6-1 so the Viola will have to settle for second place in the table. Still, an accomplished evening for the Italians.
That is it from me, Tom Webber, for this evening. Thanks a lot for joining me!
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