Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli warns veteran Christian Vieri that he will have to go up a gear to take a starting place from the Viola’s young guns.
January signing Papa Waigo and 22-year-old Argentine Pablo Daniel Osvaldo were the goal heroes in yesterday’s 3-2 win over Juventus.
With Giampaolo Pazzini also commanding a starting place and former Piacenza man Daniele Cacia ready to be a super sub, Vieri has been banished to the stands.
“He came here with huge motivation and has worked very hard, but now he is going through a strange time and he has to win back his place,” Prandelli explained on Domenica Sportiva.
“He may not be the champion that he used to be, but he could become one at decisive moments. He just needs to come to terms with the reality of football today and earn his place.”
Prandelli also discussed Bayern Munich’s Azzurri star Luca Toni, who was Fiorentina’s leading light prior to his Bundesliga switch.
“I had two marvellous years with Luca and we beat the giants with him,” the former Parma tactician recalled.
“He scored over 50 goals in two years – what more can I say? He had that phenomenal strike rate, yet he was always ready to listen.”
The Golden Bench award winner concluded by reiterating his love for Fiorentina and his adoring public.
“At first I didn’t understand Florence, but then I became on the same wavelength,” he said. “There is a unique feeling here and I would never betray Fiorentina.”
