Chapter 5 (1994-1995)
The Russian Winter in Tuscany
On the afternoon of July 15, 1994, a plane from Moscow landed at Peretola Airport. From it descended Igor Kolyvanov, the Russian striker who had dazzled at the U.S. World Cup. Pablo Lombardi waited on the tarmac with a violet jersey in hand.
"Welcome to Florence, Igor. You'll be important here," he said in broken Italian that the player barely understood.
Kolyvanov, 26 years old with a reputation as a ruthless goalscorer, smiled awkwardly. He didn't know his time at Fiorentina would be remembered as one of the biggest missteps of the Lombardi era.
The Russian Winter in Tuscany
The first training sessions were promising. Kolyvanov scored spectacular goals in finishing drills, but something was off:
He didn't press as Pablo's system demanded.
He vanished for long stretches in friendlies.
His lack of Italian led to tactical misunderstandings.
"It's like playing with ten and a half men," Zidane complained privately after a friendly against Bologna.
Pablo insisted on patience:
"He needs time. The talent is there."
The Debut That Condemned Him
Serie A – Fiorentina vs. Lazio
September 4, 1994 – Artemio Franchi
With Batistuta suspended, Kolyvanov made his debut. It was a disaster:
18': Lost the ball in attack, leading to a counter and Signori's opener. 0-1.
34': Missed a one-on-one with Marchegiani that would've equalized.
67': Subbed off for Del Piero, who created three clear chances in 20 minutes.
The match ended 1-1, with local papers dubbing him "Kolyvanov: The Invisible Man."
The Final Straw
Champions League Group Stage
Fiorentina vs. Bayern Munich
October 19, 1994
Pablo gave the Russian one last chance. It went worse:
12': Lost possession in midfield, leading to Effenberg's opener. 0-1.
44': Botched a pass to Zidane that would've equalized.
55': Sent off for a brutal tackle on Matthäus.
The 3-0 defeat had the Viola ultras demanding his exit.
The Silent Exit
In January 1995, Kolyvanov was loaned to Bologna. He never wore the violet jersey again.
While the Russian floundered, the rest of the squad thrived:
Serie A – Fiorentina 3-0 Juventus (22/01/1995)
Batistuta scored two stunning goals.
Zidane delivered a masterful assist.
Coppa Italia Semifinal – Fiorentina vs. Inter (12/04/1995)
Del Piero, now a star, netted the winner.
The Lesson Learned
In May, as they celebrated reaching the Champions League final, Batistuta found Pablo staring at a team photo from the start of the season.
"What happened to the Russian?" the Argentine asked.
Pablo sighed:
"Sometimes talent isn't enough. You need heart."
Batistuta nodded and joined the celebration. Kolyvanov was already a distant memory.
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