It was a long time ago that Adrian Mutu arrived in Italy – a completely different era in fact. It was seven years ago. World Cup winning Azzurri Coach Marcello Lippi was still in charge at Inter, Juventus were in Serie A and many other things have changed on and off the pitch. Indeed, Mutu’s life is very different. As he has often said over these last few months, he has been leading more than one despite the fact he is only 28. The life he is living now is definitely his favourite. Moving to Florence was a great choice, as good as his decision to marry his partner Consuelo Matos Gomez.
I met him at a busy moment, two days before his second daughter Adriana was baptised. She is Mutu’s youngest offspring, the first child he has had with his second wife. We are in the centre of Florence, in one of Adrian’s favourite locations. Despite winter approaching the sun is still warm enough so that we can sit outside. Adrian is relaxed, he has just finished picking the songs for the ceremony – Latin music for his wife, who is a Dominican dancer, and three singers from Romania. Mutu has also just finished furnishing his new apartment in the city centre, with a big room for Adriana – who was born on June 9 in Miami. “She has her mother’s eyes,” confessed a smiling Mutu.
Your difficult time in London with Chelsea seems far away now…
It is very distant. There is no connection between London and me anymore – I even sold the £500,000 house that I bought there. I’m looking forward to the future.
So what do you see in your future?
A happy man, with a loving wife, with balance in his life and a fighting spirit. I would like to have another three or four children. Consuelo is the woman with whom I am dreaming of spending the rest of my days with.
And what about football?
Everything is like I had hoped. This summer I could have joined Bayern Munich and played in the Champions League, but I chose Fiorentina because of Cesare Prandelli. I would have even gone to Serie B with them.
Adrian Mutu in Serie B?
Maybe it’s easy to say it now, but do you remember the summer? I signed when it wasn’t clear what was going to happen to the club. Apart from Prandelli, the city is beautiful. I have found my dimension and here I feel protected, loved as never before.
How is it going with Luca Toni?
I really like him, although he has a moustache now! I’m just kidding, we really understand each other. He is phenomenal, he is constantly moving, always finding the right space and the perfect position to score. The goal against Empoli, when I set him up, was wonderful. He understood it, cut inside, and netted – it was fantastic. Even Giampaolo Pazzini is a ‘fuoriclasse’ though, you will see.
How did you feel starting the season on minus 19 points?
Frustrated and with no idea of how it was going to end. In the first game of the season Inter simply destroyed us, our morale was low, and everything looked dark. The idea that we had to win seven times before going into positive points was so scary, but now it is much better.
Why is everyone so in love with Prandelli?
Adriano had his best season ever under his tutelage – the same goes for Alberto Gilardino and me. Do I need to carry on?
Fair enough. Coming from Juventus didn’t you have fears about not being accepted by the Fiorentina fans?
Not at all. I was only at Juve for one season and every player dreams of playing for them. Then I decided to move to Florence – what’s wrong with that?
Will Fiorentina survive this season?
Write this down now please – today I, Adrian Mutu, say that Fiorentina will finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League. At worse we will finish fifth if Milan start to play as they should.
Let’s talk about something else. In Romania you aren’t seen in a good light, why is that?
It’s just crazy. I feel protected here in Florence, but not in my own home country. Every time I go there they attack me harshly.
Due to your troubles with cocaine?
Maybe someone is missing something – I only hurt myself with my actions. Instead of encouraging me, they were offending me. Every single time I touch the ball when I play for the national team they insult me. Against Belarus I scored the first goal, then in the second half I missed a few passes and got injured. I was losing blood so I went to the side of the pitch and guess what the fans did? They insulted me. How come?
I went there, fought for my nation, got injured and this is what I get. I reacted badly, but I should be happy to go back home. Instead, every time I get the plane I feel anxious. I am wondering about what is going to happen. Fortunately there is Florence. You know what? For all my life I dreamed about playing for Barcelona, mainly because of Gheorghe Hagi. Now I don’t. I want to stay here.
Do you still think about Inter?
They made the right move when they signed me. However, I was too young. In attack there were strikers like Ronaldo, Christian Vieri, Ivan Zamorano, Nicola Ventola and Alvaro Recoba ahead of me. At the time I used to go mad because I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t playing – now I laugh when I think about it.
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