How Franck Ribéry could be the missing piece for Fiorentina
After 12 years in the Bundesliga, it was confirmed recently that Franck Ribéry has signed for Fiorentina after leaving Bayern Munich. Since joining in 2007, Ribéry won nine league titles, plus the Champions League in 2013, and now takes on a new challenge in Italy.
A surprising move, given that Franck would have had offers from the Middle East, China, and a favourite for international players toward the end of their careers, the MLS. But what does this move to Serie A mean for him and La Viola?
Those of the Football Italia generation will hear the name Fiorentina and immediately conjure thoughts of Gabriel Batistuta and Rui Costa ruining defenders careers and scoring goals for fun across the 1990’s. Unfortunately, recent history has not been as kind to Fiorentina – the tragic death of Davide Astori in March 2018 shocked Italian football, and last season the club managed to avoid relegation to Serie B by only three points.
With a new owner in place in Rocco Commisso, significant work has taken place on and off the pitch to turn around the fortunes of one of Italy’s most iconic clubs. Keeping hold of wonder-kid Federico Chiesa, despite persistent rumours linking him with a move to Juventus, has been a positive show of strength, as well as bringing in other experienced players such as Erick Pulgar from Bologna, providing a solid option at the base of midfield.
One of the biggest issues with the squad last season was a lack of experience and steel. Blessed with a talented young squad of exciting players, where Fiorentina struggled the most last season was a lack of mental strength to keep them going when results were persistently not going their way, and enough depth in the squad to bring players in and out of the team to change a game where needed.
This is where two key pieces of transfer activity come into play that could make Fiorentina a significantly different prospect in the 2019–20 season – the signings of Kevin-Prince Boateng, and Franck Ribéry.
Eternal journeyman Boateng has played for not only some of the biggest clubs in Italy, but also in England, Spain, and Germany, and is well versed in a variety of types and styles of football. Ribéry is a serial winner – holding the honour of the most Bundesliga titles won by a single player, understanding what it takes to win consistently at the highest levels in the game.
What this will give Fiorentina is not only significant experience and backbone on the pitch, but also in training – helping to develop their younger players into more hardened pros. It will also improve the competitiveness of the team, and change the mentality around the squad.
For Franck, moving to Italy offers him the opportunity of playing in a league that is consistently growing and moving forwards, attracting some of the best talent in the world, but also keeps him competitive – something that may not have been on offer to the same standard if he had moved to the UAE or America, for example. It also offers a significant new challenge, something that from initial interviews it sounds like is exactly what the player wanted.
During his last couple of seasons at Bayern, Ribéry has struggled with injury and maintaining fitness, making 20 appearances in Germany last season and only completing 90 minutes in five of those, however, there should be no doubt that on his day, Franck Ribéry is one of Europe’s elite players, and that this transfer is a huge coup for Fiorentina.
There will be skepticism, and the jury will be out on whether or not this is a good move for both club and player, but with the new season looming, and Fiorentina looking like they are going to start Ribéry in their first game of the season, the signs are looking like La Viola are all in on the Frenchman.
