Roberto Baggio just won't admit defeat in his latest challenge. Hit by a cruciate ligament injury at the start of the year, the supremely talented Italian playmaker is pulling out all the stops to return to fitness in time for the Japan/Korea FIFA World Cup 2002™. So much so that his doctors are amazed.Before his injury, Baggio had made known his desire to travel to Asia, "even if it's just to carry the bags." It is this desire that is now fuelling him to work as never before to regain his fitness. "Il Codino" is desperate not to miss his last hurrah and attend a fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup, despite a recent operation on the cruciate ligaments of his right knee. At the Isokinetic Re-education Centre, he is being monitored by doctor Gianni Nanni and his personal physiotherapist Antonio Pagni. The maestro is using the facility's machines, which have been specially designed to help the affected ligament regain its mobility. His somewhat ambitious target is to be fully operational again around 5 May. "Baggio's clock seems to have slowed down considerably since his injury, explains doctor Nanni. His biological shape is much better than it should be at his age." Baggio is relying on a few concrete examples to motivate himself still further. Bologna star Carlo Nervo took 100 days to come back from the same injury. The former Juventino hopes to better that. Baggio's doctor is backing him to win his race to return to full fitness. "From a physical and mental point of view, he is much younger than the age on his passport!", he says, "and that should help him recuperate faster." Of course, it remains to be seen, should Baggio win his fight against injury, whether a certain Giovanni Trapattoni will even care...(C) Fifa 2002)