Date: 1998
This is the lovestory of a triangle. He is Gabriel Batistuta, she is Fiorentina, the other
one is the goal, all passionately together. This is a ritual that repeats itself since more
than 6 years ago and which has a well definite origin: wednesday September 4, 1991,
Dino Manuzzi stadium of Cesena, six minutes left into the game; on the bench
Sebastiao Lazaroni a brasilian coach with a slang as exhilarating as his football
tactics: Salvatori uprooted the ball from Lantignotti's feet and passed it to Dunga who
threw the ball to Batistuta who, sprinting faster than Leoni, entered inside the
goal-mouth, made a couple of feints and shot a rocket by his right foot. Fontana, the
opposite goalkeeper, thanked God for not being struck by Bati. It would have been very
painful.
Many years have elapsed, with two Cups and 150 goals. Batigol now has shorter hair
and two sons to gladden his free time but jersey and will are still the same. After a
summer that risked to make him change both, the cyclone Batistuta returned to blow
on the italian championship.
"I don't want to make any prevision because nothing causes more bad luck than
predicting how many goals one is going to score. I certainly have a crazy desire to
keep on having fun doing my best on the field. In a few weeks I freed myself from the
bitternesses and the doubts of this summer.This group, the enthusiasm that developed
around the team, the extraordinary commitment of coach Malesani, gave me back
confidence in Fiorentina. I can't say how far we can get but I'm sure we are going to
have fun together."
Batistuta has already scored 150 goals with Fiorentina
"It's difficult to pick the best one, but the one I scored versus Juventus, during my first
italian season, was a very sweet one, because I immediately realized how important it
was for the fans and because that goal came after a few weeks of abstinence which
pushed many people to doubt about my qualities."
There have been many bright periods but also a few moments to forget during his
italian experience, like the relegation of Fiorentina in Serie B.
"It was an unbelieveable end after a wonderful first half of the season. However also
that experience helped us and the fans to mature. Personally the biggest
disappointment was not being able to play the second semifinal game of the Cup of the
Cups versus Barcelona. If I think that I was disqualified for a foul I didn't even
commit..... . That was the same yellow card which was given West, a few weeks ago,
after that bad foul on Kanchelskis; a foul that could cost his career. Things like these
are very difficult to understand and my experience doesn't help me to make them
clearer."
Did you think you would win more when you just arrived at Firenze?
"Honestly if you arrive from Boca Juniors or River Plate you always expect to win
something, but since I'm here just Juventus and Milan won at least one championship.
For this reason I think the italian Cup and the Supercup we won have a great value. We
won the first one overcoming Inter in the semifinal and the second one, on the road,
over Milan that wasn't in crisis yet....because with my friend Tabarez they were better
than with Sacchi and Capello. However last season was a very disappointing one."
What after-effects you have to deal with after the disappointments of last spring?
"Someone tried to encourage me saying I whatever scored about 20 goals between
Championship and Cup, which is true but, in short, I didn't win anything, and I still have
to digest "that" yellow card."
In a few months there will be the World Championship and Passarella, after letting
you rest for many months, claimed that you are the only argentine player sure to go in
France!
"There is still time to make this kind of talk. This season is important for me because
I want to prove that Batistuta can still make big things on the italian football fields.
Obviously the World Championship is the best for a football player. I played one in
U.S. but in spite of an hat-trick in the first game, versus Greece, it didn't go the way I
wanted to. If Passarella really will count on me in France, I will try to do my best to help
Argentina, but I repeat, the World Championship is still far, and before it, there are
many important games to play with Fiorentina."
This is your 7th year in Firenze, what have the people and the teammates given you
over these seven seasons?
"These fans are special, they have a very delicate palate and are very demanding. They
have always been affectionate and have never contested me, even during the difficult
moments. Instead I had some problems inside the locker-room when I was just arrived.
I must say that I wasn't helped by all my new teammates (Branca and Borgonovo, for
exemple). I also remember that answering an interview I claimed that Latorre, a
teammate of mine in Boca and just signed by Fiorentina, was ready to play in Italy with
me. Someone misunderstood my words and got angry with me. For exemple Massimo
Orlando who then became one of my best friends. Another friend of mine is Beppe
Iachini, who's got a huge heart, on and off the field. Everytime is possible I still go
about with him, our wives are very tied.....instead of retiring he still plays......I'm just
joking . If Venezia started so well this season he's got a big part of merit. He never
quits, even when he has to face serious injuries. He really has a lot to teach to young
players."
Talking about youngsters, what can you say about Thiago and Lucas (your sons)?
"Thiago is a very quiet and sensitive child. He is very reflecting but when he sees a ball
he gets loose. Lucas is still too young. He is just one and half years old. He is a
dreadful plump child who only thinks to eat and to make a hubbub. There will be time
for football but I won't push them to become professional players. When my career will
be over I would like to retire with my family in our fazenda of Reconquista, spending
time eating many "asados" (the argentine grilled meat), hunting and fishing along the
Parana' river with our friends and drinking much "mate" (an hot infusion of herbs to
drink inside a little depleted pumpkin, by a metallic straw to share among the drinkers
in conformity with the indian tradition.); with just one warning for his wife Irina and for
Tany, the housemaid: don't put any sugar in Gabriel's "mate", if you don't want to see
him to get more angry than when he misses a goal".
Source: Solocalcio
Passarella assured that Batistuta will
be called to play the next World Cup
in France, but meanwhile he didn’t
line up Gabriel for the most part of
the preliminary heats. It’s a long story
that started in 1991 when Batistuta
was acquired by Fiorentina and the
former World Champion expressed
his doubts about Gabriel’s talent.
Batistuta, however, later became the
Captain of the National Team
coached by Passerella himself who
unsuccesfully tried to replace Gabriel
with his favourite young forward Hernan Crespo, in difficulties after an
unlucky season with Parma.