Editing Roberto Baggio (section)

=== 1985–1990: Fiorentina ===
Fiorentina purchased Baggio in 1985 for £1.5&nbsp;million. During his time at the club, despite initial injuries, he became extremely popular, and is regarded as one of the club's best ever players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fiorentinacalcio.net/i-giocatori-che-hanno-fatto-la-storia-della-fiorentina-roberto-baggio/|title=I giocatori che hanno fatto la storia della Fiorentina: Roberto Baggio|publisher=FiorentinaCalcio.net|language=it|access-date=20 October 2014|archive-date=20 October 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141020054938/http://www.fiorentinacalcio.net/i-giocatori-che-hanno-fatto-la-storia-della-fiorentina-roberto-baggio/|url-status=live}}</ref> In his [[1985–86 A.C. Fiorentina season|first season]] with the club, Baggio did not appear in [[Serie A]] as he was sidelined by injury; Fiorentina finished in fifth place in the league and reached the semi-finals of the [[1985–86 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]], with Baggio making his club debut in the latter competition. He finally made his [[Serie A]] debut the following season on 21 September 1986, in a 2–0 home win against [[U.C. Sampdoria|Sampdoria]],<ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio">{{cite web|url=http://www.robertobaggio.org/italian/biografia.html|title=Biografia: Roberto Baggio|website=robertobaggio.org|language=it|access-date=19 January 2015|archive-date=8 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808054427/http://www.robertobaggio.org/italian/biografia.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gazzetta.it/common/area_gazzetta/vhs/biog_baggio.htm |title=Biografia e Carriera di Baggio |work=La Gazzetta dello Sport |language=it |access-date=19 April 2020 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806195226/https://www.gazzetta.it/common/area_gazzetta/vhs/biog_baggio.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="A PASSION BEYOND THE GAME"/> and he also made his European debut that season on 17 September 1986, in an [[1986–87 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]] match against [[Boavista F.C.|Boavista]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldfootball.net/report/europa-league-1986-1987-1-runde-acf-fiorentina-boavista/|title=Fiorentina vs. Boavista: 1-0|website=worldfootball.net|access-date=18 March 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084917/http://www.worldfootball.net/report/europa-league-1986-1987-1-runde-acf-fiorentina-boavista/|url-status=live}}</ref> Baggio suffered another knee injury on 28 September, and he was operated again, requiring 220 stitches to have it rebuilt, losing 12&nbsp;kg as a result and missing most of the [[1986–87 A.C. Fiorentina season|season]].<ref name="au.fourfourtwo.com"/> Baggio returned, and scored his first league goal from a free-kick on 10 May 1987 in a 1–1 draw against [[Diego Maradona]]'s [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]], the eventual Serie A champions; Baggio's equaliser saved Fiorentina from relegation.<ref name="Biografia: Roberto Baggio"/>

{{Quote box|width=33%|align=right|quote="The angels sing in his legs."|source=—Former Fiorentina manager [[Aldo Agroppi]] on Baggio.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5673057/why-us-needs-true-no-10|title=The U.S. needs a true No. 10|publisher=ESPN|author1=David Hirshey|date=11 October 2010|access-date=31 October 2015|archive-date=21 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321171532/http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/5673057/why-us-needs-true-no-10|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
Baggio led Fiorentina to a [[1988–89 Coppa Italia|Coppa Italia]] quarter-final during the [[1988–89 A.C. Fiorentina season|1988–89 season]] under manager [[Sven-Göran Eriksson]], scoring nine goals, as Fiorentina were eliminated by eventual champions Sampdoria.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/italcuptops.html |title=Coppa Italia Top Scorers |access-date=19 May 2012 |url-status=live |website=[[RSSSF]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029033413/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/italcuptops.html |archive-date=29 October 2015 }}</ref> This season would be Baggio's breakthrough, as he scored 15 goals in [[1988–89 Serie A|Serie A]], finishing third in the ''[[capocannoniere]]'' (top goalscorer) title. He also helped Fiorentina finish in seventh place in Serie A and win an [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]] spot, assisting the only goal by [[Roberto Pruzzo]] in the tiebreak qualifier against [[A.S. Roma|Roma]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/news/2011/06/29/6522997.shtml|title=Il passato e' domani: Fiorentina in coppa Uefa|publisher=Mediaset.it|language=it|date=29 June 2011|access-date=19 January 2015|archive-date=19 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119205444/http://www.sportmediaset.mediaset.it/news/2011/06/29/6522997.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> He formed a notable attacking partnership with [[Stefano Borgonovo]], and the pair scored 29 of Fiorentina's 44 Serie A goals, earning the nickname "B2".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Primo_Piano/2008/10/08/Baggio.shtml|title=Baggio: "Borgonovo? E' un eroe moderno"|newspaper=La Gazzetta dello Sport|language=it|date=8 October 2008|access-date=7 January 2015|archive-date=11 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011004343/http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Primo_Piano/2008/10/08/Baggio.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> Baggio's performances elevated him to hero status among the fans, and he drew praise from several pundits. His characteristics led former Fiorentina playmaker [[Miguel Montuori]] to say Baggio was "more productive than Maradona; he is without doubt the best [[Playmaker|number 10]] in the league", also stating that Baggio had "ice in his veins" due to his composure in front of goal.<ref name="Fantasista Legends: Roberto Baggio"/>

Although Fiorentina were struggling against relegation during the [[1989–90 A.C. Fiorentina season|1989–90 season]], Baggio led the club to the [[1990 UEFA Cup Final]], only to be defeated by his future club, [[Juventus FC|Juventus]].<ref name="huffingtonpost"/> Baggio scored 1 goal in 12 appearances in the competition, in a round of 16 1–0 home win against [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]], from a penalty, on 22 November 1989; this was his first goal in [[UEFA club competitions|European competitions]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/match/2441--fiorentina-vs-dynamo-kyiv/|title=Fiorentina vs. Dinamo Kiev (1-0) UEFA Cup, 1989-90|publisher=[[UEFA]]|access-date=18 March 2016|archive-date=20 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120023558/http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/season=1989/matches/round=620/match=2441/postmatch/statistics/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He also scored the decisive penalty in the first round [[Penalty shootout (football)|shootout]] against [[Atlético Madrid]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calcio.com/cronaca_partita/europa-league-1989-1990-1-runde-acf-fiorentina-atletico-madrid/|title=Fiorentina Atlético de Madrid: 0-1 (3-1)|publisher=calcio.com|language=it|access-date=13 January 2015|archive-date=19 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119000543/http://www.calcio.com/cronaca_partita/europa-league-1989-1990-1-runde-acf-fiorentina-atletico-madrid/|url-status=live}}</ref> With 17 goals, Baggio was the second-highest goalscorer in the 1989–90 Serie A season after [[Marco van Basten]], and was awarded the [[Bravo Award]] as the best under-23 player in European competitions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.overnewsmagazine.com/legends-roberto-baggio/ |title=Legends: Roberto Baggio |access-date=2 May 2014 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304223214/http://www.overnewsmagazine.com/legends-roberto-baggio/ |archive-date= 4 March 2016 }}</ref> He also placed eighth in the [[1990 Ballon d'Or]].<ref name="Ballon d'Or 1990">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy90.html|title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1990|first=José Luis|last=Pierrend|date=26 March 2005|access-date=15 November 2013|website=[[RSSSF]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130314042336/http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy90.html|archive-date=14 March 2013}}</ref> With Fiorentina, Baggio scored 55 goals in 136 appearances, 39 of which were in Serie A, from 94 appearances.<ref name="Roberto Baggio: Statistiche"/>