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Alberto Gilardino's brace couldn't earn Fiorentina more than a 2-2 draw in Lyon, as they threw away a 2-0 lead in controversial circumstances.
The Viola were back in the Champions League after eight years, during which they had plunged into bankruptcy and Serie C. Cesare Prandelli adjusted his tactics for this tricky trip, placing Zdravko Kuzmanovic behind strikers Adrian Mutu and Alberto Gilardino. Lyon were missing Fabio Grosso after fracturing two ribs in Cyprus-Italy.
Sebastien Frey got down to smother a Fred snapshot from distance, but there was real danger on seven minutes. Bodmer's acrobatic intervention from a corner kick turned the ball on to the crossbar.
However, soon after Fiorentina took a shock lead. Luciano Zauri gathered a dreadful Jean-Alain Boumsong clearance down the right and his cross was met by Gilardino's header at the back post.
Lloris handled a Mutu cross-shot, then the visitors balanced out the woodwork count as a cracking Sergio Almiron free kick from 30 metres smashed against the bar.
Karim Benzema was hauled down to stop a dangerous counter and Juninho fired the resulting free kick straight at Frey. The French goalkeeper had to work a lot harder on 28 minutes when flying to palm away a Jeremy Toulalan shot with the outside of the right foot.
Fred came sliding on to a Benzema cross and turned it past the post, but Mutu pounced on a howler of a defensive error from ex-Juventus flop Jean-Alain Boumsong and brought a desperate save out of Lloris one-on-one.
It was a very even game at the Stade de Gerland and Fred nodded an Antony Reveillere cross past the post with Frey rooted to the spot. Moments later Benzema did the same on Sydney Govou's centre. Frey also needed a save to stop Montolivo accidentally scoring an own goal.
Lloris smothered a Riccardo Montolivo shot from the edge of the box and it was a precursor to Fiorentina's second goal! Mutu went on a run down the right flank and crossed for another splendid Gilardino cushioned header into the far corner, but once again the defending from Lyon was woeful.
Lyon were more aggressive after the restart and brought saves out of Frey with Benzema's shot, but soon ran out of steam. Prandelli went back to his favoured 4-3-3 in the final 25 minutes with Mario Alberto Santana.
Frey punched away a Juninho free kick and Lyon got themselves back into the game on 73 minutes, but it was a controversial goal. Zauri was down injured in the box, but was still considered to be keeping substitute Piquionne onside when meeting Benzema's assist. Fiorentina were furious, especially as Zauri had to be stretchered off after several minutes of treatment to a suspected fractured cheekbone and substituted by Martin Jorgensen, as a scuffle broke out with a series of arguments.
Lyon saw a way out now and Frey parried a Toulalan half-volley, while Juninho skimmed the crossbar.
The pressure was growing and the equaliser came six minutes from time, as Juninho dummied a shot at goal from his free kick only to slide it across for Benzema's angled drive.
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