In a meeting of two managers appointed earlier in November, Paolo Vanoli was also targeting his first win as Fiorentina head coach.
Eager to deliver for their new boss, the visitors almost made the perfect start inside five minutes, with Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi parrying Moise Kean’s effort before making a brilliant reflex save to deny Roberto Piccoli from the rebound.
His opposite number, David De Gea, was then called into action in the 13th minute, saving Charles De Ketelaere’s fierce effort down to his left.
The former Spain international then thwarted Davide Zappacosta from a tight angle after Ademola Lookman’s 27th-minute pass dissected the Fiorentina defence. As half time approached, Carnesecchi saved from Piccoli one-on-one, and De Gea pushed De Ketelaere’s shot from 18 yards wide.
However, the Fiorentina goalkeeper could do nothing about the opening goal four minutes before half time, when Odilon Kossounou’s whipped cross-shot from the edge of the penalty area deceived De Gea and flew into the far corner, giving the Ivorian his first goal for La Dea.
Kean should have equalised almost immediately after the break, but the striker got his close-range volley all wrong and it looped into the arms of Carnesecchi.
That botched attempt soon proved costly too, as Atalanta sealed only their fourth SA home win in 2025, when Fiorentina failed to clear a 51st-minute corner and Lookman was on hand to rifle the loose ball into the net – the 11th set-piece league goal conceded by the visitors this season.
With Palladino’s side in control, De Gea then contorted himself to keep out Marten De Roon’s glancing header. Of all the visiting contingent, Kean was the most determined to salvage something and saw a header cleared off the line by Gianluca Scamacca, before nodding against the post 14 minutes from time.
Fiorentina could not find a way back into the contest despite his efforts, and the still-winless Viola (D6, L7) duly remain second-bottom of the table and five points from safety, while Atalanta have risen two places to 11th.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)