Solid Fiorentina Destined For The Top</p> <span class="sommario">Gabriel 'Batigol' Batistuta believes that his former club, Fiorentina, can hit the dizzy heights of domestic and continental success once more...</span></p> Fiorentina legend Gabriel Batistuta has tipped the Viola for bigger and better things. "They're a fine team and are slowly climbing to the top," he said. "They're a different side to the one that I represented, as we had team spirit but didn't have the organisation there." Under Batistuta's goalscoring leadership, Fiorentina wowed much of Europe but ended up with precious little silverware, prompting the Argentine striker to decamp for Roma. Some fans to this day have not forgiven him, but Batigol remains defiant. He shrugged, "I had to leave as I wanted to win the Scudetto. Leaving Firenze wasn't easy, but I gathered some major honours and enjoyed the most productive time of my career." Similarly, some Roma fans remain angry with Batistuta's acrimonious departure from the Olimpico in 2003. "I had to endure criticism in Roma; I was Jesus when I arrived and Judas when I left [for Internazionale.] "I always spoke my mind, which some didn't appreciate, but I reckon that 80% of the giallorossi fans know why I left and, as I'm a gentleman, I won't discuss it." Controversy followed Batistuta around for much of his career, but so too did goals: he remains Fiorentina's highest-ever goalscorer, with 168 strikes in just 269 appearances. Fiorentina face Villarreal on Thursday night in the UEFA Cup.</p> </p>
Never Forgave Batistuta for knocking out Arsenal in the Champions league. That must have been 8 or so years ago lol. It was a good goal in all fairness.</p> <div><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mf-od48IfkI&"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mf-od48IfkI&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350" /></embed></object></div></p>
