September 16th, 1999 Toldo now feels as a champion Thanks to the penalty he saved to Kanu, but most of all to the supporters' encouragement before the game against Arsenal. "They gave me a shiver of happiness. I thanked them with a bow". Taibi's phone call. FLORENCE - The most beautiful comment arrived on the phone from England, from the same voice, by the way, from which the most sincere encouragement came too after the Reggio Calabria resounding mistake. Francesco Toldo reveals the name of his fan-friend: "It's Taibi, a real friend, I thank him, especially for what he told me after Reggio". The two met wheb they were playing for Milan, they were boys full of hopes, now they are Champions League protagonists. The have grown up since then, and most of all, they have changed remaining, though, tied by the respect and the affection. Toldo, by growing up, changed radically, the big shy and clumsy boy turned into a champion. He achieved the last step in the dqays between Saturday and Tuesday, when he did not let a mistake, yet resounding, destoy him, but he reacted immediately: "I was helped - he admits - by my character. I have always been the reactive kind and when I make a mistake, I tend to turn the situation upside-down rather than become depressed, chasing the redemption with all my strength". The redemption came immediately, with two fantastic saves he made Fiorentina earn an important point on their debut in the Champions League. But Toldo had felt like a champion even before the begiining of the match against Arsenal and it was the 35 000 supporters at the Franchi stadium who gave him this qualification, by chanting all together his name: "That's why - confirms the viola keeper - at the end I turned to them and bowed. It was my way to thank them. With that chant, they gave me a shiver of happiness, these things are usually made for the champions and up to last Tuesday I had heard them only for the champions. I have to admit it, I was feeling a bit nervous before the match, they were amazing and made me overcome my most difficult moment". However, he got help from himself. He was ready on the first real chance and Ljundberg realised how difficult it can be to score even a few metres away from the goal. "It was an important save, it gave me back the certainty and made me forget Reggio. I was not worried about myself after that mistake, but I was sorry for my team-mates. I had seen them run and sacrifice themselves to earn the victory and I had vanished everything. Their efforts and the top of the chart vanished jsut like that ball from my hands". Now everything is finally forgotten. On the contrary, his double exploit against Arsenal looked even more beautiful. There is a picture left to represent it, a picture showing Kanu irritated and Toldo, holding the ball in his hand, staring at him with satisfaction ad determination. He celebrated this way, with that glance and the final bow to the audience, then he came back home, to relax and watch TV, which was showing many goals and one save, his save: "I wouldn't say, though, that it's been the most important in my career. Let's say that it was fundamental for Fiorentina and that, probably, it will be more resounding because it happened at a European level. To me it gives a particular satisfaction, because in my first years at Fiorentina I never managed to save a penalty. I had an incredibly bad luck, yet as a young boy I was pretty good. By saving one, for instance, I contributed to winning a Under 21 European Championship in France. This year I finally started to save again, I saved one during the Gotham Cup, one during the Memorial Cecchi Gori against Roma and then last Tuesday. Who do I have to thank? Myself, because I am a boy who gets loved so I find many people who are willing to help me, such as the trainers who passed by at Fiorentina and such as Mareggini, always by my side and always important". Taken from La Gazzetta dello Sport www.gazzetta.it/lagazzetta English translation by Maddalena (www.acfiorentina.net/enricochiesa)