Mutu stirred, not shaken by Steaua visit

ACF Fiorentina's Romania striker Adrian Mutu is braced for an emotional night when he lines up against his compatriots from FC Steaua Bucureşti in Group F on Tuesday.

Spotlight beckons
The 29-year-old was a key figure in Fiorentina's run to fourth place in Serie A last season, a feat which booked them into the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round at the expense of AC Milan. Now in the competition proper, Mutu is bound to be in the spotlight when the former FC Argeş Pitesti and FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti forward partners Alberto Gilardino at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.

‘Emotional moment'
"Clearly, it's going to be an emotional moment for me," Mutu said. "It's the first time I'll be playing against a Romanian team in an official match. But all of us are ready to play the game with the right attitude and we want to win it." There are unlikely to be many surprises for him against opponents who went down fighting in a 1-0 defeat by FC Bayern München in Bucharest two weeks ago. "I know the players, I know what they're capable of. But we've got to play our own game and, if we do, there's nothing we should be worried about."

Steaua experience
Though Fiorentina will enjoy home advantage after opening their campaign with a 2-2 draw at Olympique Lyonnais, Steaua have the better record in Europe's top club competition. The Viola have played in only one UEFA Champions League season, last hosting a game in March 2000, while Romania's 1986 European champions are making their third consecutive appearance among the élite and their sixth in total. "I think Steaua have more experience and more of a tradition of playing in the UEFA Champions League and in that respect they have something extra," Mutu said. "But this doesn't frighten us – quite the opposite in fact."

Going for goal
Mutu, who could face international team-mate Dorin Goian in the Steaua defence, is looking to rediscover his form after a patchy run, notably during Saturday's 1-0 Serie A victory over Genoa CFC in which Gilardino scored and the No10 was substituted. "It's just one of those periods you go through," he said. "There are times when you're able to score and times like the other day when you just don't manage it. At the moment, Gilardino is taking the lead. But we'll both be trying to score on Tuesday night."