December 12th, 1999

Toldo: "My point of reference is Dino Zoff"

FLORENCE - "Dino Zoff is one of those players who
          has made the history of soccer; a myth, is enough to think about
          Spain '82. It would be the maximum for me to be able to emulate
          his career and to last for a long time, as long as him". This is
          how much Francesco Toldo has confessed after the ninth beautiful
          performance offered in Champions League against Bordeaux and the
          compliments received in these times by Trapattoni, who has
          compared him even to the great goalkeeper of today's Italian
          national team.

          A comparison that flatters and it stimulates the Fiorentina's
          number one: "I am not a very whimsical and extrovert type and in
          such sense I think of to resemble more to Zoff than to
          Albertosi. This for me is a golden moment - Toldo continued - I
          believe to have reached the apex from the mental point of view,
          I am becoming bolder and sure, but technically and athletically
          I still have a lot of road to cross".

          Meanwhile another difficult challenge awaits him on Sunday: at
          the Olympic stadium where he has always endured goal, against
          Lazio, the team which in the 94-95 cropped 8 goals in a single
          game.

          "I consider the 'biancazzurri' the favorite team to win the
          Scudetto, more than Roma and Juventus, because for a long time
          they have found their own game and their own identity and
          because they score a lot. But my companions and I do not feel
          ourselves beaten from the start".

          "We have the means to reach fourth place in the championship and
          then also to succeed on Sunday at the Olympic stadium - Toldo
          added - it will be enough to have the same spirit and the same
          determination of Wembley and to face this competition as if it
          was the Champions League. After all - Toldo smiled - Fiorentina
          and Lazio are currently the Italian teams who participate in the
          greatest European competition".

          As regards to him moving to Lazio next season, he said, "I don't
          care about all these things, I now have other things to think
          about. To make myself distracted by these things would be the
          biggest mistake".

Taken from La Nazione
www.lanazione.it
English translation by Jas (www.fiorentina-online.com)