Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Italiano was delighted with his players for their 2-1 win against Lazio on Monday night.

Jack Bonaventura struck the winner on the night, with Nico Gonzalez also failing with a penalty for the Viola.

Italiano later enthused: “Finally we managed to beat Lazio after three years.

“I feel immense joy, because aside from getting back to winning ways, it was a fantastic performance from the lads and we caused huge problems for a Lazio side that had been tough for us.

“We had prepared something different with Beltran's position, having Bonaventura a bit deeper than previous games, and it brought three points. Everyone sacrificed themselves and pushed hard, when you play with this focus, quality and mentality, it pays off. The attitude of the lads was extraordinary, as missing a penalty could've really killed us.

“The plan was not allowing Lazio to counter-attack, we thought the more we had the ball at our feet, the less danger we would face. Beltran and Bonaventura were connecting the midfield and defence.

“We are accustomed to some ugly surprises, especially in the final minutes. You can never relax against Lazio, as they have such quality and only need one moment of magic from their forwards to change a game. I asked Nico what was happening with the penalties, he swore he will convert the next one. He promised. If he misses again, he's in trouble!

“I am so happy for the lads and saw them celebrate in the locker room like the old days. When you prepare a match and see it work on the field, that is immensely satisfying. This was a much better performance than we've had recently, we had several steps forward in terms of attitude and quality, and those are the elements that win you games."