Toni to pluck at Viola heart strings

Luca Toni is curious to see how ACF Fiorentina fans will greet him if his is fit to return to his old club with FC Bayern München on Tuesday.

Celebratory banner
During his two seasons at the Artemio Franchi Stadium, Toni used to be greeted with the banner 'Toni e Furmini' ('thunder and lightning' in the Tuscan dialect) every time he came on to the pitch, but does not expect to get the same effusive welcome from the away fans this week if he recovers from bruised ribs to take part in their UEFA Champions League fixture. "I'm not sure," the 32-year-old told uefa.com. "I think many people love me in Florence, but I'm going to have a different shirt on this time.

Superb record
"I have great memories of the time I spent in Florence," continued Toni, who scored 47 goals for the Viola in the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons to earn a move to Bayern. "They were two wonderful years. During the first season I beat several records by scoring 31 league goals. I will always remember those two years. I scored a lot of goals and we achieved important results."

Gilardino shining
Fiorentina have since found a new idol in Alberto Gilardino, who has scored six goals in Serie A and three in the UEFA Champions League – one in qualifying and two in the group stage – since joining from AC Milan in the summer. "I have a great relationship with Gila," said Toni of his Italy team-mate. "I have known him for a long time and we are friends. I'm glad Fiorentina decided to sign him because he is a great striker. And I think he took the right decision by moving to Florence."

Late starter
Despite being a 2006 FIFA World Cup winner with Italy, Toni only made his UEFA Champions League debut this season. "I yearned for the UEFA Champions League," he admitted. "You play the strongest teams in this competition and obviously I'm very glad to be here. However, you play in the Champions League the same way as you do in the UEFA Cup, the domestic league or in the World Cup."

European direction
Toni's 24 Bundesliga goals last season helped Bayern return to Europe's top club competition after a one-season absence, and they now top Group F with four points from two games, despite struggling in Germany. "All the best teams are in the Champions League and Bayern cannot afford to miss a competition like this," said Toni. "We have to play well and go as far as we can."

Sensible response
The question is, will Toni celebrate should he score against his former team? "It all depends from how important the goal is and what the situation is in the game," he replied, tactfully side-stepping the issue. "I don't think that celebrating a goal represents a lack of respect towards your old club and fans. However, I think the best solution is to celebrate without overdoing it."