Fiorentina were hit by a last-gasp Villarreal equaliser after a spirited performance at the Madrigal.

The Viola needed penalties to squeeze past Groningen in the last round and came into the game as clear underdogs, but had an 16-game unbeaten run to defend.

While the result will have pleased the Tuscans, they came agonisingly close to a memorable victory.

The Gigliati cause wasn't aided by injuries to Azzurri midfield pair Franco Semioli and Riccardo Montolivo who watched from home.

Veteran marksman Christian Vieri started alongside the prolific Adrian Mutu leaving Giampaolo Pazzini on the bench.

Cesare Prandelli's men began fearlessly and had the better of the opening exchanges.

Danish winger Martin Jorgensen showed no rustiness after a long period out of action and nearly cut a ball back to Adrian Mutu in the fifth minute.

Jorgensen was again dangerous a minute later as his ball found Vieri, but the ex-Inter star was dispossessed inside the box.

Sebastien Frey had his first test in the Viola goal when he had to rush out to deny Marcos Senna and he did well to stop a header from ex-Milan front man Jon Dahl Tomasson shortly after.

The pace of the game slowed after a bright first 20 minutes and neither side looked willing to upset the status quo.

With three minutes remaining in the first period, Fiorentina saw Vieri denied by an onrushing Diego Lopez.

The first half ended with little drama with Prandelli the happier Coach, but the real action was still to come.

Just four minutes after the interval, the Viola went ahead.

Zadravko Kuzmanovic pounced on some sloppy midfield play from the hosts and fed Mutu whose cross from the left was steered home by Vieri for 1-0.

A tired Jorgensen left the pitch after 58 minutes for a richly deserved rest and Dutch starlet Anthony Vanden Borre entered the fray.

Goal hero Vieri was replaced by Pablo Daniel Osvaldo as Villarreal rolled the dice by sending Santi Cazorla and Turkish striker Nihat Kahveci on for captain Josico and Cani.

Nihat's first action was to squander a free-kick in a promising position with 20 minutes remaining as the Italians started to be pushed back.

Tomas Ujfalusi nearly had an opening on the counter-attack, but Diego Lopez arrived to fall on a long Mutu ball.

Mutu was denied by a dubious offside flag as Serie A's second-placed side looked capable of sealing the points.

With time running out for the Spaniards and the crowd showing their frustration, free-kicks and bookings started to accumulate.

However, there was a sting in the tale as Villarreal levelled with three minutes left.

Giuseppe Rossi's free-kick was met by the head of defender Joan Capdevila and the home fans breathed a sigh of relief.

Prandelli can be proud of the way his side performed and will be pleased with the draw, but his men came within a whisker of a heroic three points.

Villarreal: Diego Lopez; Angel, Godin, Fuentes, Capedevila; M Fernandez, Josico (Cazorla 63), Senna, Cani (Nihat 63); Tomasson (Pires 78), Rossi

Fiorentina: Frey; Ujfalusi, Dainelli, Kroldrup, Balzaretti; Pazienza, Liverani, Kuzmanovic (Donadel 75); Jorgensen (Vanden Borre 58), Vieri (Osvaldo 65), Mutu

Ref: Lannoy (Fra)