September 16th, 1999
The saved penalty: "After Reggio the fans supported me"

Toldo, blunders and exploits: "I bow to Florence"

by Benedetto Ferrara

FLORENCE - He jumped from the darkness to the light like only a keeper can do. From post to 
post, from a fatal mistake to a dive which saves the first Champions League night for 
Fiorentina. Penalty by Kanu, low jump and zac, here comes the bow to the fans. Toldo needed 
that. For his team, for his fan, for himself. The Reggio Calabria mistake, the ball that 
slipped and the goal which was like a gift had cost two points and a terrible sense of guilt. 
<br>But Fiorentina's number one, a kind boy with an impressive physique, and thus comdemned to be 
called 'big boy', knew that after the blunder in Reggio, something would happen: "I had thought 
about it over and over again: if I had stopped that ball now Fiorentina would be alsone on top 
of the chart. But fortunately that's the way I am: when I am in difficulties I immediately try 
to react and to turn the situation upside-down. I had to regain my certainties immediately. 
First that save on Ljundberg, then that penalty that could have floored us. It was fantastic 
to be able to give back to my team what I had taken away in Reggio Calabria".
It was all about getting the right chance. On the other hand Toldo had a problem with himself, 
but nobody took the liberty to pour on him all the responisibilities of the Reggio Calabria tie.
"My team-mates were close to me. Fiorentina is a united group, if someone is into 
difficulties everyone lends a hand". The fans went further: last Sunday there were so many who 
applauded the keeper aroud the training field. And on Tuesday night the chantings were all for 
him. "That's why after the penalty I bowed. It was an instinctive move. I had to thank the fans 
who  helped me regain my certainties". On the other hand Francesco Toldo has got a lot of 
friends. "Not only is he a great number one, but he is also a very humble boy" tells Giorgio 
Pellizzaro, his former coach with whom Toldo worked for 4 years, starting from Serie B, when 
Ranieri was shouting on the bench. "Actually, I tend to underestimate myself. So, when I hear 
the whole stadium shout my name, I happen to be surprised. I think: these kinda things only 
happen to champions, to people such as Batistuta and Rui Costa..."
Instead, it happened to him too, and he thanks a friend who always remembered him: Massimo 
Taibi, another big boy with whom Toldo shared the young teams of Milan, who now is in the great 
Manchester's goal. "Massimo called me on my mobile phone on Saturday. He was kind, he had 
lifted me up a little bit. And after the Arsenal game he called, too. "Well done", he said. 
I owe him a 'thank you', too".
The fact that Toldo was protagonist in the Champions League night goes to show, though, 
Fiorentina's difficulties. "Arsenal played a perfect game, nobody ever played like that at 
Franchi" says the number one, who then defends the team and the result: "It is unevitable to 
suffer when you have to support three strikers and Rui Costa and maybe you're not in yout best 
shape. It's true: we didn't play well, but a few years ago Fiorentina would have lost 3-0 such 
a game. To cut it short, in spite of the difficulties we didn't lose our minds. And then a tie 
could be OK. I don't see why we should be pessimist" explains the Fiorentina keeper, a big boy 
who flied from dejection to glory before a bow that will not forget.

Taken from La Repubblica
www.repubblica.it
English translation by Maddalena (www.acfiorentina.net/enricochiesa)