Edoardo Bove: Return to Olimpico as Palladino's Assistant

Putting his career on hold cost him a lot. Edward Bove he would have gladly traded everything except his life. So it might be okay to go back toOlympic from assistant of Raphael Palladino. Strange qualification for a 22 year old boy, who had the future ahead of him and the dreams of someone who was becoming a soccer player of absolute level. He has already returned to the Olimpico as an opponent last January 26th. Fiorentina had just won against the Lazio a precious match. While his teammates were getting back on the bus to go back to Florence he was still there, walking in the middle of the field. An empty stadium, but full of memories of Edoardo as a child, then as a teenager. Thoughts freed in that stadium that saw him grow, where today he will return again, this time to face 'his' Roma.

In the first leg, there was talk of something else. Bove was the cornerstone of Palladino's tactical chessboard. Fiorentina was flying, Juric's Roma was close to collapse. The goal under the curve of his new fans. No celebration. So much respect for those colors, probably also a pebble taken out of the shoe towards those who didn't believe in him and sent him elsewhere. Moments in the archive. A lot of water has passed under the bridge. The illness of December 1st, the days of fear and recovery. Always running on that imaginary line that connects Florence to Rome. He learned to watch others play. To give them advice. He started to study, always next to his coach and the technical staff. Experience that will come in handy. It will last another month. The immediate future is outlined, the rest will be seen.

At the end of the season he will return to Roma. Fiorentina cannot buy him out. Given the current state of affairs in Italy, he will no longer be able to play, but the decision about his future will be up to him alone. He also confirmed this on the sidelines of the presentation of the partnership between his Boreale (the club where he grew up) and Fiorentina. A project based on the collaboration of the youth sectors. "It is really important for me to return to where I grew up. I want to be at their side on this journey and I am very happy to present this together with the president of Boreale. We have also united the purple color of Boreale and Fiorentina". The future remains there, on the sidelines for the moment. "Seeing me here for the boys is important after what happened to me. I will then calmly think about my future".

Alessandro Latini