Mastantuono: I love Florence, aim to improve defensive performance

Hupu Football News | August 10th

Fiorentina fans welcomed Mastantuono in style, treating him like a true star. Real Madrid had carefully studied potential loan destinations to ensure a productive spell, and Fiorentina appears to be the ideal place for the Argentine attacking midfielder to begin realizing the potential he developed at River Plate.

"It was a very special day for me. I really wanted to come here, and I really like it here," Mastantuono said in his first interview as a Fiorentina player, speaking to the club's official media. "This is a club with a great history, and I am very excited to play for a team with such a long tradition."

Serie A's Argentine Connection

Serie A has historically been welcoming to Argentine talent. Fiorentina legend Gabriel Batistuta remains the Argentine player with the most goals in Serie A history.

"I talked to some of them, and they told me I should come here. That's another reason why I wanted to come to Fiorentina," Mastantuono explained.

A Club in Transition

Mastantuono is fully aware of the history of Florence and Fiorentina's recent struggles. In the just-concluded season, the club feared a dramatic relegation to Serie B at many moments. Compounding the difficulties, the death of club president Rocco Commisso in January 2026 was a heavy blow to the entire Viola organization.

However, with Fabio Paratici as sporting director, Fiorentina is attempting to turn things around through major signings. The club has already spent over €100 million in the transfer market and plans to complete further deals in the coming weeks. Mastantuono's arrival adds the finishing touch to this transfer window. With Fabio Grosso becoming the new head coach, Fiorentina has rekindled hope.

Tactical Fit Under Grosso

In recent friendlies, Grosso has begun to show what he wants to build at Fiorentina. Mastantuono's role fits perfectly as the right attacking midfielder in the 4-3-2-1 formation the coach is developing. Based on his performances at River Plate, the Argentine is not a player fixed to the wing for dribbling; he needs to enter the "sharp angle" areas of the penalty area more frequently to showcase his refined left-footed finishing.

However, this is not the only formation Grosso has tried. He has also used a system similar to 4-3-1-2, where Mastantuono can play as the "number 10." Additionally, a setup with three center-backs and wing-backs has been considered, with players like Dodo or Jimenez as wing-backs, giving Mastantuono full freedom in the middle.

Self-Assessment and Ambition

"I am an attacking player who likes to enter the penalty area," Mastantuono described himself during his unveiling ceremony. But he is well aware of his main area for improvement.

"I want to improve my defensive performance. I know Italy places great emphasis on this aspect of training, and I think that's a good thing. It's an area where I want to improve."

Grosso has already explained the requirements to him. "I talked to the head coach, and he welcomed me warmly. I hope to start training and playing as soon as possible," Mastantuono admitted, feeling fully ready.

Source: Marca

Posted in Shanghai | Read 539

Replies

User 1: Come on, hope you return to Real Madrid soon.

User 2: Bro, don't leave the Viola pitch full of holes from your falls. You might as well try your hand at wrestling in the same weight class.