Fiorentina captain Luca Ranieri expressed his pride and satisfaction after his side secured a 3–2 victory away to Udinese on the final day of the Serie A season, clinching a sixth-place finish and qualification for European competition.

The Viola, who have endured a season of ups and downs, showed their resilience and belief in the final stretch to seal a spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League, a reward that Ranieri and his team-mates feel is richly deserved.

“We’re happy because we finished sixth, which hasn’t happened since 2014. We were a bit unlucky too. Last year, sixth place meant qualifying for the Europa League, but this time it’s the Conference League. We’ve always believed, despite so many difficulties and I really think we had more than most teams this year. But we kept believing and now we deserve to celebrate in the dressing room and enjoy our holidays.”

As a homegrown talent who has worn the Fiorentina shirt since he was 14, Ranieri admitted the achievement carries personal significance, especially after the disappointment of missing out on a European final and points dropped earlier in the campaign.

“I've been here since I was a kid, but I speak for all my team-mates. On the pitch there are 11 of us, but behind us are so many more and we’re truly a family. Everyone gives everything every single day for this club. We were hoping for more and I think we deserved more. Still, sixth place is a good finish, especially considering we changed 17 players last summer. It’s the start of a new cycle, and beginning it this way is fantastic.”

After the final whistle, there was a moment of honest dialogue between the players and the club’s supporters, who voiced their own frustration about the season’s near-misses. Ranieri was quick to acknowledge the fans’ passion and support, even in disappointment.

“We understand them. We celebrated, whereas they were a bit subdued and we get it. We’re disappointed too as we wanted to take that extra step forward, but we’ve finished sixth, which is a solid achievement. I’m sure that when pre-season starts in July, we’ll build an even stronger bond with the Curva. They always follow us, be it a thousand or two thousand strong, even away in Europe. They’re always by our side.”

Fiorentina now look ahead to next season with a renewed sense of unity and determination, fuelled by the lessons learnt this year and the ambition to push even further.

“A new cycle has started,” Ranieri concluded. “And I’d say we’ve started it well.”