From Overweight to Overachieving: Luis Muriel

"If he wants to talk with me, he should lose 5 pounds. I repeat, he does not speak with me until he has a physique of an athlete, he must work hard."

Those were the harsh words of Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin in an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport in July 2012 when he was asked about Colombian striker Luis Muriel.

Since Muriel arrived in Italy from his native Colombia in 2010 after scoring nine goals in just 11 matches for Deportivo Cali, he has been considered to be a footballer with great potential, but he has rarely remained fit for long enough to sustain any consistent runs of form.

After featuring just six times in La Liga under new coach Pablo Machín at Spanish club Sevilla, the 27-year-old decided to leave the Andalusian club and return to Serie A to play for Fiorentina, a move which has looked beneficial for the Viola and the player so far.