We'll Do It For Gaffer

Apr 20 2008 By Gavin Berry In Florence

FIORENTINA star Martin Jorgensen says winning the UEFA Cup would be the perfect gift for grief-stricken boss Cesare Prandelli after the death of his wife.

Prandelli's partner Manuela lost her lengthy battle with cancer in November last year and her passing left everyone at the Florence club badly shaken.

Danish international Jorgensen insists it brought the team together as they rallied round their gaffer in a difficult time for everyone.

Prandelli quit his former post at Roma in the 2004/05 season to look after his wife who was sick at the time in the same way as former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.

But after returning to the game with the Viola two years ago she sadly passed away and he is still coming to the terms with the loss.

Manuela died on November 26 and Fiorentina played AEK Athens in Greece in the UEFA Cup just three days later with Prandelli's assistant Gabriele Pin in charge.

Now Jorgensen - who attended the funeral with his team-mates - would love to end an emotionally-charged season on a high.

And he insists helping the Italians to their first European success since they beat Gers in the 1961 European Cup Winners' Cup final would be the perfect way to do it.

To do that they'd have to overcome the Light Blues again with the clubs paired together in the UEFA Cup semi-final with the first leg at Ibrox on Thursday.

Danish international Jorgensen said: "It would be nice to win the UEFA Cup for the boss. He had a hard time and he is still having a hard time.

"But he is a great coach and if he could win the UEFA Cup it would be fantastic for him as a person. The players have all rallied behind him and so have the fans.

"When it happened there was a lot of love for him from everyone in Florence. Our coach is a great person and he is in the hearts of the fans.