Fiorentina winger Franck Ribery admitted that he was convinced to join the Viola because of the rich history of the club, citing former forwards Gabriel Batistuta and Roberto Baggio as inspirations.
The Frenchman ended a trophy-laden 12-year stint with Bayern Munich to sign for Fiorentina on a free transfer in the summer, and has proved to be instrumental in Vincenzo Montella’s side.
Former forwards Batistuta and Baggio achieved iconic statuses with the Viola after scoring 207 and 55 goals respectively, with Ribery claiming that the pair had an impact on his decision to move to Florence.
“I really like the culture, mentality and food here in Florence,” the 36-year-old told Lega Serie A. “Fiorentina has a great history, with wonderful players such as Batistuta and Baggio representing the club.
“I immediately felt the trust of this club, and while Montella is a young coach, he is very close to the players and I like him very much. The fans always support us and I give my all for them.”
Ribery has scored twice in nine appearances for Fiorentina, but is currently serving a three-match ban for pushing an official during last weekend’s defeat to Lazio.
