Sogno un cielo VIOLA!

We Viola men know that our dates with destiny are few and far between. While others dine regularly at the elite European footballing table, we are content with more humble fare. We are more "pasta e fagioli" than "spaghetti al tartufo".

But every so often a game comes along which invites us in to more fancy surroundings or, on this occasion, Ibrox. These are the matches that really get the stomach churning - but they are also games to savour.

It was nearly a decade ago that we were dishing out defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United (whatever happened to that pair of duds, eh?). It was closer to 20 years ago that we reached this stage of the UEFA Cup competition. Dragged there by little Robertino Baggio on the eve of Italia '90 we made the final. In the end, over two legs, we lost to another Italian team who play in black and white and answer to the nickname, The Hunchbacks.

Look back further and you will see that Rangers were the opponents on the only occasion Fiorentina won a European trophy - the Cup Winners Cup in 1961. Inspired by Kurt Hamrin they won the two-legged affair 4-1 on aggregate. It crowned a golden age for the Viola who had won the Scudetto in 1956 and then went on to finish second for several seasons in a row.

In my lifetime, however, the great Euro moments have been few. The Divin Codino skating across the icy pitch to beat Dynamo Kiev, Batigol silencing the Nou Camp and Old Trafford and, now, the possibility of completing Mission Ibrox and getting to Manchester for the UEFA Cup final.

I will settle down with my old pal Martino and a good bottle of Tuscan red and pray for victory. Then we could dream of another sumptuous footballing treat - possibly with Luca Toni as guest of honour.