What's the WORST thing that can happen in training camp?
Injuries. Even worse, major injuries.
Viola talisman and Ted's Precious, Stevan Jovetic, was struck down in a scrimmage. Fiorentina's official site states:
L'ACF Fiorentina comunica che Stevan Jovetic ha riportato una lesione al legamento crociato anteriore e al legamento collaterale esterno del ginocchio. Per il calciatore e' necessario un intervento chirurgico che verrà' pianificato nei prossimi giorni. I tempi di ritorno all'attività agonistica completa sono previsti in 6/7 mesi.
Which, basically, means he blew out his knee. Both the anterior cruciate ligament and collateral ligament sustained damage. Surgery is required, and his return is expected in 6 to 7 months. Tearing one of those is bad, tearing both is REALLY bad. The good news is that he's young and stands a much better chance of coming back fully, than if he were an older.
So, as it stands now, Fiorentina will start the season without Jojo, Mutu or Santana. Even worse, if we had to field a starting 11 right now, besides Jojo, Mutu and Santana, D'agostino (knee), Vargas (quad) and Di Silvestri (illness) would also be unable to play.
Several names are being slung around, but of course they're not being slung around by the man that matters at this moment, Pantaleo Corvino. We shall see and Time will tell and every other platitude you can think about to ease the pain.
Maybe a glass or three of chianti would be best. sigh...