September 29th, 1999
Toldo, a miracle for the future

The goalkeeper explains: "I do not know how I was able to save Kanu's shot, I will see it 
again on TV". But the night in Wembley becomes the evidence of an acquired maturity

by Luca Calamai

FLORENCE -- " I would not know how to explain the way I neutralized that close shot from Kanu. As
soon as I get back to Florence I want see it again on TV". A lightning. An instinctive movement.
An exploit to remember. Francesco Toldo yesterday worked with the slow motion TV in order to 
examinate his save, moment after moment. The Nigerian forward's shot and his own deflecting save.
Nothing he had studied. Some miracles are not planned in advance.
Right, "miracles". This Champions League round gave Fiorentina's number 1 a new dimension. In the
past, every time that his name was compared to Gigi Buffon's, the most obvious thought was this: 
" Toldo save what is savable; Buffon even makes some mroe mistakes but he is more the kind of 
man who is able to invent miracles ". A comparison to rediscuss. Toldo, in the double challenge 
against Arsenal, has "scored two goal", as he admitted himself in the icy Wembley garage. So much 
the penalty he saved to Kanu in the Franchi contest is worth. And so much that deflecting save, 
still on the former Inter jewel, in Wednesday night's breath-taking final is worth. The Fiorentina
 goalkeeper has gone very beyond his homeworks written in beautiful handwriting. He proved himself 
worth until the last Lira the forty billions that Lazio and Manchester United offered lat June. 
Now Toldo is pursuing others revenges.
In Serie Am for instance. In first games the extreme viola defender hardly ever went beyond six 
in the ratings. Indeed, in Reggio Calabria, that ball slipped between his hands like a soap and 
took two golden points away from the team. He redeemed himself and now he is in the middle of 
his maturity. He feels strong. And he wants to win. Toldo wants to take the last quality leap. 
And he took two years' time to earn many satisfactions. Which ones? To conquer an European Cup, 
for instance. Or to succeed in convincing the myth Dino Zoff that the hierarchies in the Italy 
national team would have to be put into question again. That Peruzzi, Buffon and Toldo can start 
equally in the contest that will have to assign the starter's jersey for the next European 
championships in Belgium and Holland. That's why the Champions League becomes even a more 
important stage.
Then, in June, Toldo will discuss about his future with Cecchi Gori. Lazio are already on the 
hunt fot him. Indeed, they already revealed themselves with a fabulous offer. But he still 
dreams about staying in Florence in a stronger team.

Taken from La Gazzetta dello Sport
www.gazzetta.it/lagazzetta
English translation by Maddalena (www.acfiorentina.net/enricochiesa)