August 15, 1998, dawned with Pablo Lombardi standing before a chalkboard crammed with tactical diagrams at their preseason retreat in Castiglione della Pescaia. Three trophies gleamed in the club's cabinet—Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the Champions League—but the table bore only one goal, scrawled in block letters: "THE TREBLE."
"Last year, we were champions," Pablo declared as the players ate breakfast. "This year, we become immortals."
Zamorano, knee bandaged and a plate of fruit in hand, was the first to look up:
"And if Madrid offers thirty million for me again, mister?"
The silence thickened until Buffon, with his trademark dry wit, hurled a croissant at the Chilean's head:
"Shut up and eat, earthquake. Nobody leaves here until we've won it all."
The Perfect Machine
The season erupted with a statement in the European Super Cup against Chelsea:
18': Zidane scored directly from a corner.
44': Zamorano headed in Cafú's cross after a 23-pass move.
89': Buffon saved Zola's penalty to seal the 2-0.
But it was October's derby against Juventus that revealed their true essence:
Serie A – Fiorentina 4-0 Juventus
October 25, 1998
11': Batistuta's trademark free-kick opener.
33': Del Piero humiliated his former club with a lob over Peruzzi.
67': Zamorano's brace, both assisted by Zidane.
Marcello Lippi admitted post-match:
"They play football from another planet."
The Crisis That Forged a Legend
December 1998 brought their first stumble:
Zidane out with a Grade II ankle sprain.
Cafú suspended for yellow-card accumulation.
Batistuta battling a lingering groin injury.
The low point came in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg:
Feyenoord 2-1 Fiorentina
A 15-year-old Robin van Persie, making his debut, scored the winner.
Pablo gathered the team in De Kuip's locker room and played a five-minute clip:
"This is what the world thinks of us now."
European headlines flashed:
"Fiorentina are a one-man team (Zidane)."
"Without the Frenchman, they're mediocre."
Zamorano shattered the silence by punching a whiteboard:
"On Thursday, we rip their hearts out."
The Night of Redemption
Second leg in Florence:
The Artemio Franchi, packed with 60,000 souls, trembled as they fielded an improvised 4-2-3-1:
Buffon in goalkeeper.
Del Piero as playmaker.
Zamorano as striker.
6': Vieri blasted in Del Piero's pass. 1-0 (2-2 agg.).
44': Zamorano's header from a corner. 2-0.
89': Buffon's feline leap to deny Van Hooijdonk's point-blank shot.
In extra time, Zamorano scored the defining goal of his career, stealing the ball in his own box and sprinting 100 meters to finish. 3-0 (4-2 agg.).
The Treble Crown
May 1999. Fiorentina entered the final week fighting on three fronts:
Serie A: Needed a point vs. Bologna to clinch.
Coppa Italia: Final vs. Parma.
Champions League: Final vs. Manchester United.
May 19 – Serie A
*Bologna 0-2 Fiorentina*
Batistuta and Del Piero scored.
May 23 – Coppa Italia Final
*Fiorentina 3-1 Parma*
Zamorano: 2 goals, 1 assist to Vieri.
May 26 – Champions League Final
Camp Nou, Barcelona
*Fiorentina 2-1 Manchester United*
22': Beckham's free-kick opener.
45+1': Zidane, just recovered, equalized with a screamer.
89': Zamorano's treble-clinching header from Cafú's cross.
The Legacy
At the Piazza della Signoria celebration, Pablo mounted the stage with all three trophies. Before speaking, he pointed to Zamorano, Buffon, and Batistuta, who unfurled a giant banner:
"We are not a team. We are Florence."
The square fell silent—until the Chilean, tears streaming, roared:
"This is for those who believed!"
And 100,000 voices thundered back:
"SEMPER VIOLA!"
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