A few years ago, Fiorentina experienced so many lows it is difficult to establish a nadir. The last one, which happened in the 2002, makes La Viola’s rise to second in this season’s Serie A even more remarkable. And it is all down to the efficient work of a rather vain shoe magnate.

One of the downsides of being consistently brilliant is that people start to expect it all the time. Since arriving at Stamford Bridge eight months ago, Petr Cech has produced so many match-winning moments that our amazement is in danger of dissipating. For every outstanding save he makes, he causes us to raise our eyebrows a little less.

Seven years and 242 goals after his debut, Celtic fans prepare to say farewell to Henrik Larsson, their “king of kings”. There were no dissenting voices in a sell-out crowd of 67 000 at Parkhead on Tuesday for the testimonial against Sevilla, Larsson’s final appearance in a Celtic shirt.

Honesty and empathy are rare virtues in the world of football and were even rarer after the resignation of Massimo Moratti as Inter Milan president on Monday. The news of the departure of the 58-year-old oil billionaire brought about unification in a country where conflict seems to be the oxygen upon which the game thrives.