Rome - As it sometimes happens in two-leg knock-out situations, Fiorentina were left with a bitter victory as they said farewell to their dreams of advancing to the Champions League's quarter-finals. Although beaten 3-2, and with a 4-4 aggregate, it was Bayern
Munich that progressed late Tuesday in Florence through that cruel, but practical, rule that adds value to goals scored on the opponents' pitch: The away goal rule.
After a couple of hours under sleet and freezing wind, the Florence fans closed the evening venting their disappointment with chants against UEFA and its president Michel Platini.
Because fans often get carried away by their passions, and because the elimination was indeed hard to swallow, they blamed the European ruling body for the wrong they suffered in the away leg, when a missed offside call allowed Bayern a late 2-1 win.
Predictably, the German side were labelled thieves, but their coach Louis van Gaal cut a gentleman's figure when he said he understood Fiorentina's bitterness and conceded that "the decisive goal was the one scored (by Miroslav Klose) from an offside position in Munich."
A frustrated Cesare Prandelli could not help recalling the crucial episode two weeks earlier at the Allianz Arena.
"I feel great bitterness, but I'm proud about how the team played," the coach said. "The season is not over yet. There are the conditions to still do well."
Club owner Andrea Della Valle said that Fiorentina "showed Bayern how to play football. Florence should be proud of these boys. Unfortunately, it's not worth much, but it is useful to bounce back in the home league.
"I can't explain how a team like ours, who play such a football, can be so behind in the standings."
The 11 remaining
Serie A games will be an uphill struggle for the Purples, now lying eight points adrift of the sixth place granting a berth in the Europa League.
Securing a berth for the next Champions League, after two participations, requires filling an 11-point gap, provided
Italy retains the currently allotted four berths.
There is also a chance to clinch an
Europa League berth by winning the Italian Cup, where Fiorentina on April 14 are to welcome
Inter Milan in a semi-final after a 1-0 defeat in the away leg.
It will be a chance to end a negative spell during which, as captain Riccardo Montolivo said, "it too often happens that we get to within an inch from the finish line without reaching it."
