Mutu's Florentine renaissance
Friday 18 April 2008
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Adrian Mutu has been Fiorentina's inspiration this season (©Getty Images)
As the ACF Fiorentina players trudged off at the end of their UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg against PSV Eindhoven, a sense of disappointment filled the Florence air. Cesare Prandelli's men, it seemed, had handed the initiative to their experienced Dutch counterparts by conceding a 1-1 draw despite having taken the lead through Adrian Mutu's 56th-minute strike. At least one man, however, was remaining stubbornly upbeat. "We've got a chance in the return, I'm sure of that," Mutu insisted. "We believe we can get at least one goal over there."
Blistering free-kick
Fiorentina have learned to trust their Romanian talisman and he duly backed up his words with a match-winning display at the Philips Stadion, swinging the tie in the Serie A club's favour with a blistering free-kick before sealing a memorable 2-0 success with his second of the night and sixth of the UEFA Cup campaign. Rangers FC manager Walter Smith will surely be speaking long and hard to his defenders about Fiorentina's inspirational playmaker before the sides begin their semi-final at Ibrox on Thursday.
‘Very proud'
For a club that was competing in Italy's fourth tier just six years ago after going into administration, the Viola's achievements have taken many by surprise. Currently fourth in Serie A, four points ahead of AC Milan and UC Sampdoria, Fiorentina are also Italy's sole survivor in Europe and are beginning to gain the nationwide recognition their efforts deserve. "I'm really, really proud of what we have done," Mutu, one of the principal architects, told uefa.com. "We're all proud. Maybe our success has shocked some people, but I expected it. When you look at what we've achieved in the last couple of years and how hard we worked last summer, well, I think you can say we're becoming a big team."
Prestigious competition
The latest part of Fiorentina's resurgence can be traced to Prandelli's appointment in 2005. The club secured 74 points in his first campaign in charge (though finished ninth after having 30 points deducted) and claimed a further 73 for a sixth-placed finish in Mutu's debut season last term. If they hold on to fourth this year they would qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1999/2000, although Mutu insists his priority is to help the club claim its first silverware in seven years. "If I had the choice I'd definitely rather win the UEFA Cup [than finish fourth] and I guess my team-mates feel the same," he said. "The UEFA Cup is a very prestigious competition. Even it's not only made up of domestic champions, there are still a lot of very strong teams there."
Shrewd move
Few would deny that one of Prandelli's shrewdest moves was luring Mutu from Juventus. The 29-year-old struck 16 league goals last season, a tally he has already matched in 26 games this time around, prompting Juventus' director of sport Alessio Secco to describe letting the forward go as one of his biggest regrets. "It's nice of him to say that," Mutu smiled, "but I think that much of the credit must go to Prandelli. He knows me very well, better than anybody, and he's the person who has helped me improve."
Prandelli influence
Mutu and Prandelli first crossed paths at Parma in 2002/03. That season the forward's 17 league goals helped Parma finish fifth and paved the way for his lucrative move to Chelsea FC. Nowadays Mutu cannot speak highly enough of the 50-year-old Italian. "In some ways, Prandelli and I have grown up together," he reflected. "When I look back and think about my best seasons, I see that he was there with me, at Parma and now at Fiorentina. We've both improved and he means a lot to me. He's like a father, a brother and a friend all in one. We have a really good relationship."
'Maturity'
Mutu was prolific last season, but he has stepped up another gear since the departure of Luca Toni last summer, thriving on the responsibility of leading the team. Now a father of three, Mutu's national team coach Victor Piţurcă believes parenthood has played a part in improving his game. The seven-month ban Mutu endured after failing a drugs test while with Chelsea in 2004 seems like the distant past. "The years passed over him," Piţurcă told uefa.com. "He has become really mature and has a lot of experience. What is also very important is the fact that he married and has family stability. All those aspects allowed him to reach this high level and to become, in my opinion, one of the best."
New chapter
Piţurcă will look to Mutu to spearhead Romania's challenge at UEFA EURO 2008™, but before then the striker will be aiming to help Fiorentina write a new chapter in their history in the coming weeks. The club's only previous European triumph arrived in 1960/61 when they won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, ironically beating Rangers in the final. Should they defeat the Scottish giants again, a potential showdown with Luca Toni's FC Bayern München, who play FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the other semi-final, awaits on 14 May.
Toni meeting
Mutu knows getting the better of his former Fiorentina strike-partner would be no easy task. "Toni's such a good player it'd be very tough. He did some great things here, I have lots of nice memories of playing with him and we keep in touch." Regardless of what happens in the semis, Toni and Mutu will come face to face at UEFA EURO 2008™ after Italy and Romania were pooled in Group C alongside France and the Netherlands. "It's not impossible for us [to progress], but it's going to be very difficult," said Mutu, scorer of 27 goals in 60 games for Romania. "Whatever happens we'll go home with our heads held high." Given Mutu's exceptional form, Romania and Fiorentina fans have good reason to feel optimistic.
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