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Who Will Fiorentina Buy & Sell? Nico Gonzalez, Sofyan Amrabat, Albert Gudmunsson & More (Ep. 446)
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Fiorentina transfer news deep dive with Niccolo Misúl, broadcaster and journalist at LaViola.it and Radio Bruno Firenze, detailing all the latest transfer rumors from Nico Gonzalez and Albert Gudmundsson to future of Sofyan Amrabat as well as backstory of how and why Raffaele Palladino was appointed to replace Vincenzo Italiano and much more in this special Viola mercato episode of The Italian Football Podcast.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Appearance
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast. Hello everybody and welcome back to another Mercato deep dive here on the Italian football podcast. We have now reached the end of the summer. It's August 12th, Monday when we're recording this. And after having done Napoli, Juve, Milan, Lazio, Atalanta,
00:00:24
Speaker
ah Roma, um the time has now come to end this summer with Fiorentina. And we're delighted to be joined by our good friend. He's the chief news editor of La Viola.IT, what used to be Fiorentina.IT, but for reasons which I'm sure you can understand um you're on your own. They're no longer called Fiorentina.IT.
Legal Challenges and Name Change
00:00:48
Speaker
Welcome, Nicola Missoul.
00:00:51
Speaker
Thank you. Hi, hi guys. good to be Good to be back on the podcast. So good to have you. And and yeah, I mean, you guys just to quickly, what happened was Fiorentina didn't want you to be called Fiorentina IT because you're a news outlet and they basically, you you changed your name to loveyola.it. That's pretty much what what happened after like 26 years because we were probably the first news outlet online completely dedicated to a single football club. we It was like the the website was founded in 1998. We had to change name, but things go when we don't write, people still like they got used to the new name pretty quickly. So it's all good now. Yeah. I mean, love your lies. Love your life. I mean, it's yeah, so so it's not the end of the world.
00:01:41
Speaker
But another another interesting interaction with with our good friend Ciorroco Comiso, I can imagine.
Coaching Decisions and Strategic Choices
00:01:50
Speaker
Yeah, it was a battle started by Joe Barone and it went on for for a couple of years and then it ended up in a in a positive way for Fiorentina in a negative way for us. But yet at the end of the day, it's it's all good and we'll keep working. the The team hasn't changed. Nothing has changed. Just the just the name. Yeah, it's just everything is the same. I mean, it's it's the same. You guys are still the number one Fiorentina news outlet.
00:02:17
Speaker
um You guys cover Fiorentina bringing the Italian and you know, it's nothing is new. It's just it is what it is. ris Let's start with the appointment of Rafaela Paladino. Why did Fiorentina go after him? um what And was he the first choice? Were there any other alternatives?
00:02:40
Speaker
So there were two alternatives. Paladino was ah choice number one. ah Alberto Aquilani was choice number two. So Aquilani was already accustomed with the Fiorentina environment because he and managed the primavera team for three years.
00:03:01
Speaker
So the under 19 team for three years, like he did pretty well there. And then he went to Pisa, where he had an average season, I'd say, last year in Serbia. Obviously, he's got a really good relationship with Prade.
00:03:22
Speaker
with Joe Barone at the time, but um it was a bit of a ah gamble. After one just one year in Serie B, it would have been ah a bit of a gamble. So for this reason, Paladino was choice number one, is a completely different style of football compared to it Italiano but a similar um choice to what was made back when Italiano was chosen. So like an upcoming um manager who had a couple of brilliant years at Monza and he was um ambitious and ah looking forward to a new challenge in a slightly bigger club.
Transfer Market Moves
00:04:03
Speaker
I'd say a much bigger bigger club compared to Monza but Monza did a ride during the last two seasons so it was um
00:04:11
Speaker
Yeah, it made sense as ah as a name. So there weren't bigger names out there that Fiorentina were interested in and they went for Paladino. ah Monza would have wanted Paladino to stay but in the end um it was his choice to to leave and ah dad that they found a deal pretty pretty quickly.
00:04:35
Speaker
OK, well, one of the coaches who was linked was also Maurizio Sarri or I should say Maurizio Sarri was very disappointed that he wasn't even considered at Fiorentina. Let's say he linked himself to Fiorentina. Exactly, he linked himself. What was there a reason why? Because I mean, to me, it suggests when I look at I look at Pioli and how he played at Milan, I look at how it Italiano played at Fiorentina.
00:05:03
Speaker
To me, Sarri seems just like a natural replacement to either the one of those. He would have been the fan's favorite, I'd say. And Fiorentina did have some talks with him ah about three years ago, before they chose Gattuso. And we all know ah how it went with Gattuso living after just like 10 days. And then it Italiano came after that. But um at the time, he wasn't convinced. He was ah looking for a bigger club. Now he was willing to accept uh, Fiorentina, uh, Fiorentina's project because he's from around here. Fiorentina is like, um, he's the team he supports. So it would have been, um,
00:05:44
Speaker
ah like for him he would have wanted to come to Fiorentina but this time round ah the management at the club wanted um let's say a coach that wouldn't interfere too much in the mercato and didn't have like big request from the mercata because they knew it would have been a difficult one for for this summer so they went for paladino who's uh a bit less demanding ah regarding to the players he wants on his on his roster.
00:06:16
Speaker
to mo Maurizio Sarri and Rocco Comiso together trying to get along um ah similarly to Antonio Conte and Aurelio De Laurenti. I'd say it's even worse. yeah oh dear um Yeah, so, I mean, Paladino's an interesting choice, of course. He did good at Monta, like he said. um Let's talk a little bit about players who who are on the way out. um Nico Gonzalez is the player that's been linked the most with Juva. What is the state of play there?
00:06:51
Speaker
But it's pretty much a done deal. I mean, Fiorentina and Juventus reached an agreement to sell life for Nico Gonzalez to go to Turin and play with Juventus. It's going to be like a loan for one season and then and next year, they're going to pay the full price for for the Argentinian. And Fiorentino already struck a deal with Genoa for Arbel Gudmundsson. The only thing the thing that is basically stopping them these studios to go through is ah
00:07:26
Speaker
genuine need to find a replacement, good enough for Albert Gudmundsson, a replacement that won't disappoint the fans from one side because they've had a record ticket sale i season on ticket sale this this summer, 28,000, and the the fans were really happy with the team. The fact that the they had already done the whole Mercato in like before the end of June ah they didn't need to change that many players and then in just one week they lost Retegi and they're gonna lose probably a good Monsona so this way is that it's very complicated and Giordano himself has come out publicly saying um well
00:08:11
Speaker
losing like I need to find out who my players are going to be before the beginning of the season and we're just a few days away from from the first game. So they need to find a ah good replacement for Albert Gudmundsson.
New Signings and Team Strategy
00:08:26
Speaker
Once they've found that and they've signed this replacement, Albert Gudmundsson can come to Fiorentina. He has already deal with the Fiorentina contract and everything.
00:08:35
Speaker
Everything has already been done and he wants to come to Florence. They just need all these deals to come ah into place for it to like just be completely 100%. Yeah, I want to ask you about Albert Goodman's later on. um But so so we're essentially just waiting. So so that's holding up the the U.N. strongly. These two deals are strongly linked. So once Fiorentina get Goodman's on, they're going to let Nico free. It's a very different deal from what we've seen in the past. I mean, Fiorentina fans are becoming accustomed to like
00:09:08
Speaker
yeah seeing their best players going to Juventus. It happened with Bernadesky, happened with Kiesz after that, then Blauwitsch, and now Nico Gonzalez. Every time they get a really good player, they they then lose it to their biggest Archie rivals. They're getting accustomed to it, although it shouldn't be like this. so a I think they should try and sell the players to different clubs rather than Juventus because it it's not this thing is not making the fans too happy. But at the same time, it's a different deal, as I was saying, because Nico didn't ask to leave. and So he said, okay, if you're willing ah if you're willing to sell me,
00:09:49
Speaker
I'm willing to go. I'd be OK with Atalanta. I'd be OK with Juventus. They found a deal pretty quickly with Bianco Neri. So otherwise, if this doesn't happen, I'm not going to be, again, staying in Florence. That's ah that's a different thing that, for example, happened with the Federico Quez at the time. So this time round, is going to like things should go pretty smoothly. And if it wasn't for Atalanta signing Retegi,
00:10:16
Speaker
Both deals would already been done last week. So how much how much is the deal worth the Nico Gonzalez? you So like the Nico Gonzalez deal to Juventus is around 35 mil between 35 and 40 mil and um The Albert Goodman son, it would be a loan for 7 million the first year and then ah they're gonna buy the rest of the They're going to pay the rest of the money next year, and it's another 17 million, so there's around 25 million in total and k next year. Obviously, I don't know if you're aware of it, but like... ah
00:11:00
Speaker
there's um So like in November, Gudmundsson is going to go on trial in Iceland ah for um it's alleged sexual Yes. from concern So this is the reason why Fiorentina is going for a loan first and then signing the, like paying the rest later on.
00:11:22
Speaker
OK, well, we'll get to that. I've got a question on that anyway. um So so Nico Gonzalez deal worth around 35, 40 mil alone with an obligation next year. Great. Sofia Namrabbat, what's the situation? Which clubs want to sign him? Are Man United still in for him? Because he's staying at Man United. What's happening?
Stadium and Infrastructure Updates
00:11:42
Speaker
So it's ah it's it's weird. No, it's like he he came back to Florence last week and he's been training with the rest of the team for the past couple of weeks. ah he's like He wanted to stay at Man United and it seemed like Man United were willing to to keep him, not because they had an obligation. they Basically they had, ah it was a 10 million loan. So they already paid 10 million just to have him for for the past season.
00:12:09
Speaker
and they weren't willing to pay another 20 for the player this year so um they were going for another loan but Fiorentina weren't to sold on this on this option because they wanted to get more money for him as soon as they they could so ah He came back to Florence and now he was in talks with Fenerbahce and Fenerbahce was still very like keen to sign him but so far the offer has been too low, is around it was around 12 million and ah it's too low for Fiorentina to let him go so I still think he's gonna leave before the end of the transfer window but things have changed ah slightly since Saturday because Fiorentina played a friendly against ah
00:12:55
Speaker
Freiburg in Germany and he started for Fiorentina and after the game, Paladino spoke to the media and said, um well, if he's here, I'm willing to to play him and ah we establish a really good relationship in this couple of weeks. So if I could have him for the rest of the season, I'd be happy. Otherwise, if he goes, um I hope that we'll find a replacement as soon as possible because Fiorentina's midfield at the moment needs ah still at least a couple of players more. Absolutely, there's been quite a few players that have left Fiorentina. I wanted to ask you, are there any other players that you expect um to leave Fiorentina aside from Amrabad, Nico Gonzalez?
00:13:45
Speaker
Well, one between Ikone and Bracalo, if not, both of them will definitely
Financial Strategy and Future Goals
00:13:52
Speaker
leave because they're not needed. And um up till today, they're not part of the Fiorentina project. so they they like Fiorentina are ah willing to let them go but so far they haven't been except for like Ikone got a couple of offers from Saudi Arabia but his um his intention is to stay and play in Europe so he's like he's hoping to get more offers from some European clubs in the next ah few days
00:14:21
Speaker
and who else? Brekalo. Brekalo hasn't like he played on loan last season he went back to Croatia but like so far he hasn't received any offers but Fiorentina are very much willing and hoping to to receive offers and to let him go ah definitely and um we'll see what what will happen with Kwame as well because so far um they really ferentina They received an offer from Mallorca, an important offer, eight million, and they were willing to let him go, but then he was he performed really well during the preseason and Paladino likes him, so it could be a good option ah from the bench for the, like, ah for Fiorentino fans as a striker.
00:15:07
Speaker
Yes, he absolutely could. you Of course, Chiantin have already signed Mois Ken, they've signed Marim Pongracic to replace Milenkovic, Sabir is returned from his loan. um Oh yes, obviously, I i was forgetting about Sabir because he hasn't trained with the rest of the team any time this summer. so like But he's he's going to leave and he's got offers from Saudi Arabia, so he's probably going back to Saudi Arabia. oh okay Well, Kalpani is joined on a loan as well. um So this this this the main players, to two to let's talk about players coming in. um You mentioned Albert Gudmundsson. You stated that he's got a a a alleged sexual misconduct case in September, was it? I think it's November. November, yeah in Iceland. yeah um And so that's going to go to trial then.
00:16:01
Speaker
um so that is that so that's what is so Fiorentina have agreed to loan him with an ah with with an option not an obligation is that correct no it's an obligation but if anything happens with the with the with the case there the they free to like ah break the contract okay So if he's convicted... oh Yes, he shouldn't like he wasn't convicted in the first time round, so they're hoping that things go the same way this time round as well. What are the um what are the alternatives to Gudmundsson?
00:16:39
Speaker
I would say at the moment there are no alternatives to Gudmundsson. You mean already present at the club? Yeah, you know and i mean if Gudmundsson deal falls apart. ah i'm I'm going to be completely honest.
00:16:53
Speaker
firentina I'm not really doing like too well with the plant bees. So if if the um if this deal doesn't go through, probably Nico will stay and he won't leave and he won't go to Juventus, but they don't really have a plant bee for Gudmundsson. They were after Gudmundsson in January already. They tried, they made an offer for like um I think 25 million back then and Genoa said no.
00:17:21
Speaker
and Now they're paying the same amount of money, but obviously it's a different transfer window, so it's easier to to sign players during the summer rather than ah um halfway through the season. So they're very keen on signing good moves, and I don't think they have a plan B at the moment if the deal doesn't go through.
00:17:41
Speaker
ah that does That sounds rather ominous, to be honest. I want to talk about some other players being linked before talking about players that have arrived and also some players that are already there and what the idea is moving forward. So let's start with Michael Folorunco. Is there any interest from Fiorentina?
00:18:00
Speaker
i'd say no I'd say he's very close to Lazio now. and um he's looking to like He's a Lazio fan, ah so he's looking to to go to Lazio rather than Florence. I'd say at the moment there's an interest, but there haven't been any negotiation between Napoli and Fiorentina, so I don't think it's likely to see him coming to Florence.
00:18:25
Speaker
um Another player, speaking of Rome, Roma player Eduardo Bovet, he's been linked as has Tanner Tessman, the American, played in the Olympics, as well as co-national Western McKinney. Can you detail anything about these guys? Yeah, so as I was saying, Fiorentina said goodbye to many midfielders at the end of of last season. So Jack Bonaventura, Gaetano, Castro Vili, Maxi Lopez, Arturo, there's many players that have left. So Paladino had to work for most of the preseason with just two
00:19:00
Speaker
ah players that are probably going to be in the squad for the next season, which are Mandragora and Bianco. Bianco is a young player who played ah on on loan at Rejana last year, so he needs experience in Serie A. Well, Mandragora is not a is another starting option. is not good enough to be a starting option for Fiorentina. So they signed Amir Richardson, a Moroccan midfielder, 22. He just recently won the bronze medal at the Olympics with Morocco. He arrived ah as we speak like we are here arrived this morning, ah Monday the 12th.
00:19:35
Speaker
ah from from Morocco, where he celebrated the bronze medal. He met the king and now he's signing. um And he's a very good prospect. People have been talking highly about him, so he should be a good signing. He's a very tall player. He's almost two meters tall. He's the son of Suga Richardson, a former NBA basketball player.
00:19:57
Speaker
and um So he's the first signing and it's probably the replacement for Tyler Tesman because Fiorentina had a deal with Venezia and with the player but the management of the player wanted two extra. So it was a deal for five million to sign him from Venezia and he was the best midfielder in last season, Serie B, and it would have been a good very good signing for Fiorentina. But um the deal seemed to have fallen off because um the his agent wanted 2 million on top of the 5 million that Fiorentina were paying to Venezia.
00:20:39
Speaker
and Fiorentino were willing to to accept that deal. So now it's they they've stopped talking the parts, they've stopped talking, so they're looking for other midfielders. Bove is certainly one player that they like, but Roma are asking for around 20 million for Bove, and it's a price tag that Fiorentina considered too high for the for the player. And at the same time, Western mechanic could be included in the Nico Gonzalez deer. It's not off the cards, but um although Fiorentina would prefer to have just cash for the player rather than the player in exchange,
00:21:25
Speaker
So Weston Mckenny and Artur as well, he could make his way back to Florence. So I'd say these are the two players that Juventus could include in the Nico Gonzalez deal ah if they managed to convince Fiorentina. And these are two players that Fiorentina could sign, although I don't see Artur being fit for the for Paladino style of play while Weston Mckenny would be.
00:21:50
Speaker
Agreed. What about Sergio Roberto? Is there any truth that Fiorentina wants him? He's been ah he's been offered to Fiorentina so the his management know that Fiorentina along with other clubs are looking for um for and for a and obviously Fiorentina just recently signed David De Gea the former Man United goalkeeper so obviously um I think he put Fiorentina in the radar for Spanish players as well. So along with the Ajax and some other clubs, these Fiorentina are one of the teams that have been linked to Sergio Roberto. ah We'll see so far. I just know that he's been he's been offered to the club and and the club is ah evaluating this this option. But I don't I don't think there have been like talks are already between the club and the player. OK, are there any other
00:22:49
Speaker
positions and players that we haven't discussed that Fiorentina are looking at. So Fiorentina need another centre back because they changed their style of plays and ah they're now playing at three at the back. um They signed Pongrachic but he was Milankovic's replacement and um they need someone else just to because at the moment they've they've got three centre backs Birage has moved ah move back to the centre-back now, so it's a new position. But we're seeing this more and more with the left-backs or right-backs. As they get older, they become centre-backs in a... Back three. Back three, yes.
00:23:31
Speaker
so ah But they they so they already signed Valentini from Boca Juniors for the next December. They tried to start a deal with Boca Junior to have him come this summer, otherwise he's not going to play with the Argentinian club until the end of the year, until he leaves, until the end of his contract. So that Fiorentina tried, but Boca Junior, which we're asking $4 million for the players, and Fiorentina said, we're not going to pay $4 million for ah for a player that we've already signed.
00:24:00
Speaker
For and in six months is gonna be with us for free So they're looking to find another center back and also goalkeeper things have slightly changed in the last two three three three days because they signed the hair which was surprising um and and they were looking to a lot of both Terraciano and Kristensen and to have Martinelli be the second choice behind. He's a very young and talented goalkeeper and he was going to be the second option behind De Gea. But then Terraciano refused Monza. He wants to stay in Florence. Ideally, he might receive some offers, especially from Ajax in the next coming days.
00:24:41
Speaker
But like if he refuses any other option, he's going to renew his contract. He's in his last year with Fiorentina. He's going to renew his contract and stay at Fiorentina. And then, obviously, Martinelli will have to find a loan somewhere while they're looking to sell Christensen. But at the moment, they don't have any... and like No clubs are interested in the Danish goalkeeper. And to be fair, he hasn't had the best season on last year.
00:25:06
Speaker
But before the 31st of August, I'd reckon they they'll find someone who wants him. But i speaking of De Gea, that was my next question. What was the thinking behind that signing?
00:25:19
Speaker
ah It was surprising for us, as as for anyone else, like we did not expect to see him coming. so like they They had talks with other goalkeepers completely different. They had a um Aldero in mind at the beginning of the transfer session. um day After that, Musso was another option. They they liked a lot.
00:25:40
Speaker
um Turati, who's a Swallow goalkeeper, but he played on loan at Frosinone last year. And then all of a sudden, because he was in talks with other Italian clubs, ah for example, Como and ah Genoa,
00:25:56
Speaker
um the hair was offered to Fiorentina and Fiorentina decided to go for it. I think it was in ah in a moment where all the fans were complaining a lot about the Mercato and about Fiorentina being really slow at signing new players and a name like that can calm the fans down a little bit because it's a big name. It's it's surprising to see someone like De Gea coming to feel like three years ago it was a deal that could not have even be thought about. um it's It's interesting because we'll see how fit is and how long it's going to take him to be game fit because he's been he hasn't played for
00:26:39
Speaker
over 40 months. It's more than a year. So it's going to take him a little bit of time. But um with him and TeraChano as a backup au option, I think it's ah i mean it's ah it's a safer bet having TeraChano as a backup option rather than have like a someone else like Christensen, I'd say. Oh, absolutely. um Everyone was a bit surprised by De Gea. And absolutely, TeraChano is not good enough for Fiorentina. I think anyone would agree with that.
00:27:09
Speaker
um um And we've all seen in Kristensen, well, like you said, there's not much to add. um So I wanted to talk a little bit now about Palladino. He plays a 3-4-2-1 at Monza. So I assume that's what he's going to do at Fiorentina. Would you agree with that?
00:27:29
Speaker
yeah Yeah, definitely. like He's been very open about it and he said like that's and that's how he's played in all the friendlies that Fiorentina has played so far. ah Unlike it Italiano though, is not ah it doesn't stick to a single... um um game plan, like he he likes to switch it up if things going aren't going in Fiorentina's way. So I like Italiano, at least he says, and that's what he's done at Monza as well. He it can change things up during the game as well. Yeah, he can. It's going to be the the starting 11. I want to ask you about, because you said Cristiano Biarrag is going to play as a left centre back in a back three. He's also the captain. but That means the Parisi will finally start as a wing back on the left.
00:28:14
Speaker
um which which is very, very comforting because I think he's a very talented player. um And he could possibly, in my opinion, he's a player for for the Italy national team when he's, you know, if he if he explodes, which I think he will. But on the other side, you have Michael Coyote, who is, in my opinion, an incredibly talented player, who I think will one day, if nurtured properly, play for Italy as a right back.
00:28:44
Speaker
But with Dodo back, where does Coyote play? Does he play as a right center back? Does he play as a wing back? What's going on? um Interesting question. I mean, I agree with what you said about Coyote. He'll be interesting to see to see him and for the national team as well. And he might get a call up.
00:29:04
Speaker
pretty soon for for the national team. He's grown a lot like physically as well. like We've seen a lot of a huge difference from last year in his ah in his physique and his body, and um he's a much bigger player now. I think he's going to be at least, well, Tina is going to play a lot of games, just the way same way it happened in the last two years with Conference League and Copitalia, so they'll don't need to switch players up.
00:29:32
Speaker
ah but Dodo would be the starting option. And um basically, Coyote, it's a um I'd say it's Dodo reserves, but it's it's a bit ah unfair to call him that. But that's that's how our things are going to be, at least for now. Fiorentina received a couple of really big offers for Coyote this summer from Newcastle, for example, around 25 million. But they say they wanted more. And rightfully so, because it's ah is's a huge talent.
00:30:02
Speaker
um But we'll see he has played at the as a as a right center back as well But I don't think we're gonna seem there that often ah we'll see how the ah other trans light at the market goes and I keep the managed to find another center back if if they're not they cannot he might do but like Otherwise, he's gonna be dodo dodo's alternative on the on the right and and Parisi It's going to be interesting to see him because so far, Paladino has not openly, not publicly, but he he's criticized him a couple of few times. He wants more from him and he wants more from him, especially when he's ah when the when the team is attacking. So ah we'll see if the Fiorentina will look for ah for a backup as well or if they just use Parisi and Biragi alternating them on the left.
00:30:55
Speaker
Well, that's that's that's really interesting. um And with Kalpani, I'm a little bit worried. I think Fiona will have a good season, but I'm a little bit worried about where the goals are going to come from. If Nico Gonzalez leaves...
00:31:09
Speaker
Mois Ken, Colpani, I mean what who's going to score the goals? Good question and and that's been the main issue with Fiorentina for the past three years I'd say since Blauwitsch left Fiorentina I've really struggled to find a consistent goal scorer Well, since Vlaovic left, both Fiorentina and Vlaovic have struggled to score goals. Yes, but Fiorentina has struggled a lot more and they've changed many strikers, starting from Artur Cabral, danoicch then then Nzola last year, ah who else? so they they They had a few... Bellotti, yes. e That's the one I was forgetting about, yes. So they've they've struggled to find their...
00:31:55
Speaker
the main striker. Paladino is convinced that Ken, Moisa Ken, is going to be that player. ah he he He strongly wanted Ken at Monza and now at Fiorentina. Ken was Paladino's choice, same as Colpani I'd say, ah so he really wanted him and and he believes that he can be ah he can found and find himself at Fiorentina, you can find the best the best self at Fiorentina, you can go back to that PSG time where he scored like 17 goals. And after that, night he's hoping that the duo, Colpani and Gudmundsson can add goals to Moiseken's score. i'd say It's an interesting trident, Colpani, Ken, Gudmundsson, it's very dynamic.
00:32:47
Speaker
um And it's it's interesting to see what Paladini can do. um I think Fiorentina will have to be careful with defending this year. round like at the At the same time, it was ah an issue with Italiano as well, but like in in the friend obviously the the the summer friendlies, and there's not much that we can say about them, but they seem to struggle with the very small clubs doing the friendly, so they need to be a little bit more careful when the season starts back there because ah a ah lot of times the team pushes forward a lot but then seems to like suffer whenever they they need to defend. Absolutely. I just want a couple of more questions. what of What is the target this year?
00:33:36
Speaker
for Fiorentina. Is it to finally win the conference league? I'd say more is like to improve the league position so to qualify for the at least Europa League next season is not going to be easy because all the teams that are in front of Fiorentina or they were in front of Fiorentina last year they They've had a good ah transfer. like they've's They're definitely stronger than last year, I'd say, if you look if you look at Roma. um Maybe AC Milan have struggled a little bit more. But then ah it's it's not going to be easy to improve the position. But that's the that's the goal with Fiorentina. They want to go back to into the Europa League.
00:34:18
Speaker
um or And if a conference league final comes again, obviously winning winning the conference league because that's becoming like a ah nightmare for the Fiorentina fans and and the players as well. But like the main goal is to improve the league position.
00:34:37
Speaker
For sure. A little bit of off-field stuff now. I mean, there's this this this new stadium thing back and forth between Comiso and the Florence Council has been back and forth. What is the status now?
00:34:53
Speaker
ah So half of the stadium is um is being rebuilt at the moment ah so it's not gonna be the stadium won't be a full capacity for this season.
00:35:04
Speaker
um They'll manage to like obviously they finish some of the big works before the beginning of the the season but then Fiorentina will we'll have, ah they won't have the Curva Fieso, the Curva Fieso will be closed for the whole season. So they're rebuilding and refurbishing. Yes, and they're covering it so people won't have to like get wet whenever it's raining, which is ah something incredible in 2024. Unbelievable. I don't even know what to say. like yeah ah yeah So that's ah that's the reason why, but they need to um
00:35:43
Speaker
But the the the Florence municipality, they need to find more funds in order to finish all the works that they have in plan. And we'll see how that goes. I think they'll find them. But the um so Fiorentina bro we so isn't paying for it because nothing was if I want it, I decide. Yeah, exactly. So he won't pay a dime. And ah he's not a in a good relationship with the with the Florence Mayer. They're trying to rebuild it now, but they went to court just two weeks ago. so Because Fiorentina was like, we don't know where we're going to play next year. If we'll be allowed to play in the study of Frankie, we'll see. And we want to stop the all the work that you're doing. And obviously, the
00:36:33
Speaker
ah the the verdict was against Fiorentina. So they wo the the worst will go on and Fiorentina will have a smaller capacity thisc this season. That's why even the season tickets sell a lot less this year than they were last year. And um we'll see how that goes. That's that's a developing story. we We need to do a podcast every couple of weeks. in order Yeah, yeah, yeah. As long as Conisto's there and and he's Well, it hasn't been here for ah quite a long time. That's ah something that is worrying the fans a little bit, that he hasn't come back to Italy in a long time now since the conference league final. And we were more used to seeing him also once um once every two months, I'd say he would go over two or three months. And he hasn't got and ah another visiting plan any time soon. Usually for the beginning of the season, he's always in Florence. He won't be like this this year. so
00:37:28
Speaker
fans are hoping that he's not losing interest interested in the club, although he's trying to cut expenses. So one of Fiorentina's main goals for this transfer season was to get rid of all the players that had big contracts. That's why they sold Milankovic. That's why they're winning to sell ah Nico Gonzalez and all the players they're signing. They have um ah smaller contracts. ah So howll we'll see how it goes but ah fans are a bit worried that Comisso isn't speaking as much as he used to and obviously Barone is not around and that changed things a lot ah for the club because he was doing 90% of the work in in and out. The teams, he was ah deciding everything from the transfer market to the Viola Park ah to the stadium. He was an all-around
00:38:21
Speaker
worker and now ah they've managed to separate all the duties, but Comisso doesn't seem to be around as as often as he was. who's so he hasn't So he's just divided Joe Barone's responsibilities and he hasn't appointed a replacement for Joe Barone. No, so it it would have been tough to find someone to replace Barone and in a way I think there was a good thing from one point of view but from another point of view it was ah it wasn't i think it was ah one of the reason why if you're in tina struggle in some in certain areas especially from a um like a technical point of view like a he wasn't a football guy he didn't have much experience especially in the transfer market so they should should they should have
00:39:12
Speaker
should have allowed Prade to have more power in signing the players and the signing who to sign or someone else I'm not saying Prade is Fiorentina's solution to like problem solution or problem solver but um they should have allowed him someone else to have more power in those areas and well maybe um having Barone do more the institutional stuff for Fiorentina.
00:39:41
Speaker
Yeah, I agree 100%. That was part of the problem. But I mean, Viola Park has been finished, built, it's state of the art. It's absolutely fantastic. So that is good for the club. And it's certainly elevated the value of the club. um and And it's made it more attractive.
00:39:59
Speaker
um As for the stadium, half of it is being refurbished, we know, and and we'll see what happens to the other half yeah in true Italian style. yeah um and And of course, Comisto refuses to pay for it because he he wants if if he's going to pay for it, then he wants to own it and the kind of the municipality doesn't want to do that.
00:40:21
Speaker
um They also, if I remember correctly, made the Artemio Franci a building of of cultural specific like importance, didn't they? Exactly, and that's that's the main issue because that's the reason why it can be destroyed and rebuilt again. We have to work around certain areas because it was designed by a very very famous architect and so some some parts of the stadium can be touched and they have to stay original as they are.
00:40:47
Speaker
it's it's interesting that's the reason why that's the main issue with that with the study because they look for other areas in Florence where they could build a stadium and they didn't manage to find well there was one but commissar wasn't willing to pay 20 million just to buy the area so he which area was it? which it was it was very close to the airport is where now Sorry? The Pareto La Airport. Exactly. It's very close. It's right next to Pareto La. It's where the agro market is now. So of basically where all the fruit and veg shops around the city go and buy the the fruit and veg. Isn't that what Isolotto is? Isn't that what it's called?
00:41:29
Speaker
No, it's it's actually, it's Pareto La or a novel is called, but it's where the university the main universities and the House of Justice is there as well.
00:41:44
Speaker
ah But that's that's the thing, so when a commissar arrived in Florence, he was 100% sure that he was going to close that deal and he was going to build the stadium there. He was probably advised by people before he bought the club that building a stadium would have been fairly easy in Florence and it probably didn't do its due diligence well enough I'd say because Florence is a mess ah just like the rest of Italy but um and at the same time Italy is not America where someone with money can come and ah
00:42:20
Speaker
built or destroy and rightfully so because obviously we're an historical country and we've got a lot of old stuff which needs to be preserved. Florence is a city that pretty much used to rule the world via the Medici Banker family and you can't waltz into a city like that with that tradition where there is a clear power hi high power hierarchy and structure and think that just because you've got lots of money you can bully your way around. It just does not work like that in Italy and absolutely not in Florence. Exactly and with that that's the what Camuso thought he could do and obviously he found himself a hard time and as soon as he landed in Florence from that point of view. So like that deal fell through and they looked for the other areas but
00:43:08
Speaker
not Not very serious. Like they for a while they talked about Campi Vicencio, which is a small town near Florence, but that wasn't ah an actual real option. they He used it as leverage to to convince the the Florence mayor to to let him build the stadium he wanted. But obviously because it we can't destroy the study of Frankie and that's what he wanted to do,
00:43:32
Speaker
ah then florence city like the city of Florence had to like take the matter take the matter in their own hands and ah build rebuild the the the current stadium because Florence needs a better stadium and also it could be used for the the euros that are going to be played in Italy. So it's amongst the stadium that could be one of the five that are going to be used in in Italy. city so We'll see how that goes. They obviously need to hurry up. And usually when you're doing works in Italy, they're going to respect the deadline that you're given. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I think we all know. Everyone who listens to this podcast knows that. was like um Thank you so much, Nicola. Before I let you go, um if people want to follow you on social media, ah where can they find you?
00:44:30
Speaker
um You can obviously obviously type la viola.it t ah for for the for the website. ah On X Twitter, as as you want to call it, it's um at N-M, so Nicolet, N for Nicolet, and M for mother, whatever.
00:44:52
Speaker
ah ISUL, M-L. I know this happened in the past that people have criticized the fact that I don't really update my my Twitter handle. So that's on me. And i I always say, no, I'm going to start using it. And then I never do. But i that's that's where you can find him. Or ah Instagram, my full name, Nico Mizzou. You can find me wherever.
00:45:18
Speaker
Or listen to Radio Bruno, which is the Fiorentina's main radio, ah where I'm a regular speaker. Or Radio Sportiva, which is the only national radio a sports radio in Italy where I cover Fiorentina for them.
00:45:36
Speaker
Nice one, nice one. Thank you so much for coming on, Nicola. We always appreciate it. We'll tag you in all and loveyola.it as their Twitter handle, of course, as well when we push this out on on social, as well as Instagram, everywhere we put it. Thank you so much for coming on. Everybody else, we'll be back with a Q and&A ah tomorrow and then, of course, the post-match reaction pod to the Atalanta Real Madrid Super Cup game.
00:46:02
Speaker
Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other. Ciao, ciao.