Juve suffer 3 0 defeat at Fiorentina as pressure mounts on Motta

FLORENCE, Italy - Juventus were roundly beaten 3-0 at Fiorentina in their Serie A clash on Sunday, heaping further pressure on under-fire manager Thiago Motta after a second successive heavy defeat.

Juve have never featured in this seasons title race and were knocked out of the Champions League by PSV Eindhoven last month followed by a Coppa Italia exit to Empoli.

Juventus are fifth with 52 points, one point behind fourth-placed Bologna, who leapfrogged Mottas side with a 5-0 thumping of visitors Lazio earlier on Sunday. Fiorentinas win lifts them one point ahead of AC Milan into eighth spot on 48 points.

Juve, after a 4-0 hammering by Atalanta last weekend, were two goals down early on in Florence to a Fiorentina side which had suffered four defeats in their last five league games.

The home sides Robin Gosens had his initial header from a corner blocked by Juventus defender Renato Veiga but when the ball came back to him his rifled shot was deflected off Khephren Thuram before nestling in the net for a 15th-minute lead.

Three minutes later, Nicolo Fagioli, on loan at Fiorentina from Juve since last month, played a through ball into Rolando Mandragora who shot first time from outside the area low into the far corner.

It was a first half light on opportunities, with Fiorentina finding the net with their two efforts on target while Juventus failed to test home goalkeeper David de Gea.

Today we didnt create any danger despite having the ball and the opponents scored at the slightest chance, Motta told reporters.

Juve began on the attack after the break but a weak header by Veiga was easily gathered by De Gea and the visitors were further behind eight minutes into the second half.

Albert Gudmundsson collected a pass from Fagioli