Enduring a wretched start to the campaign, Fiorentina entered Sunday's clash plagued by a distinct sense of 'déjà vu' following last season's managerial upheaval. With a paltry four points gathered from their opening six fixtures and Paolo Vanoli returning to the dugout, the hosts looked terribly fragile. Como, by contrast, arrived in Florence determined to sustain their fine start to the Serie A campaign.

Fabregas' charges seized control before the break with a blistering four-minute salvo. Liberali opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a pinpoint strike from distance following Maxence Caqueret's lay-off, before Nico Paz doubled the lead on 36 minutes, nodding home Alex Valle's inviting delivery from the left flank.

Fiorentina struck back just before the interval. Marin Pongracic pounced on a loose ball inside the box in the 43rd minute to beat Jean Butez and reduce the arrears, moments after Spaniard Jacobo Ramon had pulled off a desperate goal-line clearance with his head.

The home side thought they had restored parity in first-half stoppage time when Pongracic found the net once more following an assist from Franco Mastantuono, only for the strike to be chalked off for offside.

A frantic 53-minute opening period finally drew to a close with four goals scored and one ruled out after an extensive VAR review. Como headed down the tunnel with the advantage, leaving the 'Viola' thoroughly deflated after seeing a dramatic leveller wiped out seconds before the whistle.

Fiorentina poured forward in search of an equaliser after the restart. Alieu Njie squandered a fine opening in the 48th minute when his chipped effort over Butez shaved the post, while Cher Ndour also tried his luck from the edge of the area without testing the target.

Yet just as Fiorentina threatened to turn the tide, the 'Lariani' struck a decisive blow. In the 56th minute, Nico Paz outmuscled Franco Mastantuono before setting up Anastasios Douvikas, who calmly slotted a clinical low finish into the bottom corner to make it 3-1. The strike marked the Greek forward's third league goal of the campaign.

The defeat leaves Fiorentina languishing in the drop zone in 19th place, entrenched in crisis and haunted by the ghosts of last season that neither a coaching change nor fresh signings have resolved.

Como claimed three crucial away points to move fourth and stay firmly in the hunt for European qualification. Their focus now shifts to Wednesday's home clash against Manchester United in the Champions League.