For the vast majority of Fiorentina supporters, Juventus is public number one enemy. Every time the Tuscans find themselves a new idol, the purple crowd will ask him one thing: “Anywhere but Juventus”.
But in a strange twist of fate, the Viola’s biggest stars ended up signing large contracts in Turin more often than not.
Therefore, Dusan Vlahovic is far from being the first Fiorentina player to commit the “ultimate betrayal”, and the insulting threats that he received from his soon-to-be former supporters is a walk in the park compared to the treatment that some of his predecessors received.
So let’s take a look at six players who left Fiorentina in favor of Juventus and rank their them based on the success they found while representing the Old Lady.
6- Felipe Melo (2009)
Felipe Melo only spent a single season in Florence, but it was enough to earn the affection of the Tuscan crowd due to his combative performances in the middle of the pitch.
Thus, his move to Turin was a hard pill to swallow for the Viola supporters. However, the Brazilian turned out to be a major flop for the Italian giants.
The midfielder completely failed to adjust to his new environment and seemed to be emotionally unstable.
He later played against the Bianconeri while representing Galatasaray and Inter, and always appeared to be on a personal Vendetta against the Old Lady and her supporters.
5- Neto (2015)
Following a successful stint at Fiorentina, Neto joined Juventus as a free agent in 2015. At the time, Gianluigi Buffon was already an aging veteran, but was still considered one of the best in the world.
Therefore, the Brazilian was reduced to the bench while making rare appearances during the campaign.
After two seasons, he ran out of patience and signed for Valencia in search for more playing time.
4- Federico Bernardeschi (2017)
Prior to his Juventus transfer, Federico Bernardeschi was considered to be one of the best young talents in Italian football.
For one reason or another, the winger couldn’t truly fulfill his initial promise. Throughout his time in Turin, the 27-year-old always had his ups and downs, with his performances mostly varying between decent and mediocre, while rarely being spectacular.
Nevertheless, the former Fiorentina youth product remains a Juventus player until this day and is hoping to earn himself a new contract that would keep in Turin beyond the summer.
3- Federico Chiesa (2020)
Despite his recent injury, the young Italian swiftly established himself as one of the pillars in Turin shortly after his arrival.
At the age of 24, the saga of Federico Chiesa is still in its early chapters, but the beginning has been enormously successful.
For Italian football’s sake, let’s hope that the winger returns as strong as ever and quickly regains his best form.
2- Giorgio Chiellini (2005)
During the 2004/05 campaign, Giorgio Chiellini was a young defender playing at Fiorentina while being co-owned by Juventus.
In the following summer, the Bianconeri bought back the Viola’s share, and the rest, as they say, is history.
After almost 17 years, the center back is still going strong, and has already cemented himself one of the greatest players in the history of the club.
1- Roberto Baggio (1990)
Perhaps Chiellini has collected more trophies during his time in Turin, but there can only be one person on the top of this list, and for two reasons.
Firstly, between 1990 and 1995, Roberto Baggio was the absolute darling of international football. Perhaps he wasn’t always a fan favorite at the Stadio delle Alpi, but his popularity transcended all borders. He also won the biggest personal accolades on the planet, including the Ballon d’Or.
Secondly, his transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus sent shockwaves throughout the world, with the people of Florence literally rioting in the streets in protest of the sale of their most beloved star to their most hated rivals.
This transfer remains one of the most iconic and bizarre moments in the incredibly-colorful history of calcio.