In a whirling last day of calciomercato – which was entertaining and confusing as usual, despite the coronavirus pandemic limiting the magnitude of the transfer market session – Juventus grabbed the lion share of the day as they finally secured the services of Federico Chiesa from Fiorentina.
The Bianconeri landed the young talent on a two-year loan deal with an obligation to buy him after the second season, provided the some easy conditions will be met. As long as Juventus end among the top 4 in the Serie A table, Chiesa plays at least 60% of the games or scores 10 goals and provides 10 assists across the two seasons, the Old Lady will make his transfer permanent investing a total 50M euros in the process – 3 in the first season, 7 in the second, and 40 to finalize the deal.
Fiorentina fans were not happy about that. Not only and not necessarily because Juventus are one of their most-hatred rivals and because, since Roberto Baggio to Federico Bernardeschi, there are a quite a few precedents of players who jumped the fence and moved from the Viola to the Bianconeri. The reason seems to be different.
But first, let’s say it loud and clear: In an age where the gap between the traditional football powerhouses and the mid-table clubs is getting wider and wider in the Italian top-flight, it was pure utopia to believe Federico Chiesa could stay in his youth club Fiorentina much longer. Nor would have it been fair to him and his career.
At 22, Chiesa has yet to see any European football despite being one of the most promising talents – and Azzurri hopes – in the world of calcio. Exploits like those of Atalanta don’t happen often and in the immediate future it was not likely to see the Viola battling for a European spot – despite President Rocco Commisso’s renewed ambitions.
The U.S. businessman took ownership of the Viola one year ago and managed to keep Chiesa with him for one more season, despite the young talent had reportedly already expressed his will to leave last summer. Some mutual love between Federico and Juventus was rumored to have already blossomed and that opened the first cracks in his relationship with the Fiorentina fan base.
From a performance point of view, however, Chiesa’s production on the pitch was still exemplary as during the 2019-2020 season he found the back of the net a personal-best 10 times.
His last goal with the Viola jersey – a fine finish against Inter that unfortunately was not enough for his side to grab the three points – was celebrated by him with a passion and impetus that you wouldn’t expect from one who was already preparing to pack his bags and move away from Florence. So no one can question Chiesa’s loyalty.
But the football fans culture – especially the most hardcore one’s – has its own rules. Unique rules, and in many cases questionable ones. But that’s the way it is. Federico Chiesa is being accused of not being open about his desire to join Juve. He hinted at that. He mumbled and grumbled when things didn’t seem to be moving in that direction. But he never said that plainly.
If Chiesa wanted to go to Juventus – a decision that only somebody totally disconnected from today’s football dynamics would struggle to understand – then be it, but say it loud and clear.
Chiesa’s hesitations were not a behavior Fiorentina fans would have expected from somebody who was chosen to wear – albeit only due to multiple absences – the captain’s armband. Especially in view of what it means to be the Fiorentina captain since the death of poor Davide Astori.
The Fiorentina captain is usually entitled to wear a special armband designed as a tribute to Astori rather than a standard one used by all other Serie A clubs. But the Viola ultras allegedly put some pressure on the club not to allow Chiesa to wear it in occasion of last Friday’s home match against Sampdoria – as negotiations for his departure were at an advanced state.
Chiesa indeed ended up wearing just a regular armband in what turned out to be his last outing with the Viola. He left Florence yesterday morning among the boos of a small crowd of supporters who gathered to “bid farewell” to him. A sad ending to his Fiorentina experience and honestly an undeserved one.