It has not been the best of weeks for Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta.
On Monday, his eagerly awaited return to Florence to face Fiorentina as an AS Roma player ended in a 3-1 defeat and on Wednesday he was left out of his national squad.
Roma's setback meant their lead at the top of Serie A was cut to six points and Batistuta's long-cherished dream of winning the Italian league title is under threat.