Skip to main content

Lazio ace Immobile tackles past demons on Dortmund return Milan (AFP) – Ciro Immobile returns to the scene of one of his unhappiest spells as a player when Lazio take on the goal ace’s former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday. Dortmund were Italy forward Immobile’s first club outside of his home country and that disappointing time in the Bundesliga was followed by an similarly unsuccessful six months at Sevilla, before returning to Serie A. Lazio are just one point behind their German hosts who lead Group F with two games to play, and four ahead of third-placed Club Brugge. The Italians are well-positioned to advance to the last 16 in their return to the Champions League after a 13-year absence. Last season’s European ‘Golden Shoe’ winner thanks to his 36 league goals in Italy, Immobile’s strikes powered Lazio to a fourth-place finish in Serie A. This campaign he has scored three Champions League goals in two games — one in a 3-1 win over Dortmund in Rome and twice against Zenit with the same scoreline last time out in the Stadio Olimpico. In between, Immobile missed two games, both 1-1 draws, against Club Brugge and away at Zenit, because of positive coronavirus tests. “He is important for our football,” said coach Simone Inzaghi.  “He’ll make the fortunes of Lazio, and also those of Italy.” In total, Immobile has seven Champions League goals from 12 appearances between Lazio, Dortmund, Sevilla and Juventus. He was also top scorer in the Europa League in 2017-2018. But despite his record performances with Lazio, the player known as ‘King Ciro’ to fans, has been criticised for his failure to perform well outside of Italy. An 18 million euro ($22 million) move to Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund in 2014 reaped just three goals in 24 appearances, before a transfer after just one season to Sevilla, who loaned him to Torino. “I arrived at Dortmund at the wrong time, during a generational change,” said Immobile. “There were some difficulties, but I don’t want to say anything about this. I know when I deserve praise or criticism.” – ‘Extra stimulus’ – He returned to Lazio in 2016 for less than 10 million euros, the same year former ‘Biancocelesti’ forward Inzaghi took over as coach. And the 30-year-old has flourished in a system tailor-made to his strengths, alongside Luis Alberto and Joaquin Correa, and midfielders Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Marco Parolo. Immobile extended his contract with Lazio by two years through 2025, after last season matching Gonzalo Higuain’s single-season Italian league record of 36 goals. Immobile also led the Serie A scorers in 2013-14 with 22 goals for Torino and with Lazio in 2017-18 with 29. This season he has scored eight goals in nine games in all competitions. Lazio are ninth in Serie A. If he continues his current pace, the player from Naples is on track to become Lazio’s all-time leading scorer.  With 133 goals across all competitions, he currently sits second on the Roman club’s scoring chart behind Silvio Piola’s 159 goals. He has 108 league goals for Lazio to Piola’s 143 between 1934 and 1943. The arrival of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo’s at Juventus in 2018, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining AC Milan this year has provided a boost. “Ronaldo’s arrival in Italy was an extra stimulus for me,” said Immobile who scored five more goals that the Portuguese star last season.  “When these great champions arrive, they push you to give more, to understand if you too you can be at that level.  “It happened with Ibra too, I studied him because he is a great champion. I hope to still be like this when I’m Ibra’s age.”


Milan (AFP) – Ciro Immobile returns to the scene of one of his unhappiest spells as a player when Lazio take on the goal ace’s former club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Dortmund were Italy forward Immobile’s first club outside of his home country and that disappointing time in the Bundesliga was followed by an similarly unsuccessful six months at Sevilla, before returning to Serie A.

Lazio are just one point behind their German hosts who lead Group F with two games to play, and four ahead of third-placed Club Brugge.

The Italians are well-positioned to advance to the last 16 in their return to the Champions League after a 13-year absence.

Last season’s European ‘Golden Shoe’ winner thanks to his 36 league goals in Italy, Immobile’s strikes powered Lazio to a fourth-place finish in Serie A.

This campaign he has scored three Champions League goals in two games — one in a 3-1 win over Dortmund in Rome and twice against Zenit with the same scoreline last time out in the Stadio Olimpico.

In between, Immobile missed two games, both 1-1 draws, against Club Brugge and away at Zenit, because of positive coronavirus tests.

“He is important for our football,” said coach Simone Inzaghi. 

“He’ll make the fortunes of Lazio, and also those of Italy.”

In total, Immobile has seven Champions League goals from 12 appearances between Lazio, Dortmund, Sevilla and Juventus. He was also top scorer in the Europa League in 2017-2018.

But despite his record performances with Lazio, the player known as ‘King Ciro’ to fans, has been criticised for his failure to perform well outside of Italy.

An 18 million euro ($22 million) move to Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund in 2014 reaped just three goals in 24 appearances, before a transfer after just one season to Sevilla, who loaned him to Torino.

“I arrived at Dortmund at the wrong time, during a generational change,” said Immobile.

“There were some difficulties, but I don’t want to say anything about this. I know when I deserve praise or criticism.”

– ‘Extra stimulus’ –

He returned to Lazio in 2016 for less than 10 million euros, the same year former ‘Biancocelesti’ forward Inzaghi took over as coach.

And the 30-year-old has flourished in a system tailor-made to his strengths, alongside Luis Alberto and Joaquin Correa, and midfielders Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Marco Parolo.

Immobile extended his contract with Lazio by two years through 2025, after last season matching Gonzalo Higuain’s single-season Italian league record of 36 goals.

Immobile also led the Serie A scorers in 2013-14 with 22 goals for Torino and with Lazio in 2017-18 with 29.

This season he has scored eight goals in nine games in all competitions. Lazio are ninth in Serie A.

If he continues his current pace, the player from Naples is on track to become Lazio’s all-time leading scorer. 

With 133 goals across all competitions, he currently sits second on the Roman club’s scoring chart behind Silvio Piola’s 159 goals.

He has 108 league goals for Lazio to Piola’s 143 between 1934 and 1943.

The arrival of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo’s at Juventus in 2018, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining AC Milan this year has provided a boost.

“Ronaldo’s arrival in Italy was an extra stimulus for me,” said Immobile who scored five more goals that the Portuguese star last season. 

“When these great champions arrive, they push you to give more, to understand if you too you can be at that level. 

“It happened with Ibra too, I studied him because he is a great champion. I hope to still be like this when I’m Ibra’s age.”



from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/36q4Dge
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Where to find Colombia vs. Ecuador on TV and streaming If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Colombia vs. Ecuador, you’ve come to the right place. With the national teams in the CONMEBOL region continuing their path to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, the latest game in the World Cup qualifying features Colombia vs. Ecuador, live on U.S. streaming and pay-per-view television. Here are all of the details of where you can watch it via legal streaming and pay-per-view television: Who: Colombia vs. Ecuador What: CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier When: Game kicks off at 5pm ET / 2pm PT; Thursday, October 14, 2021 Where: Live exclusively on fubo Latino, fuboTV and pay-per-view   Broadcasts of games are available in English-language and Spanish-language. The only legal and exclusive ways to watch Colombia vs. Ecuador live are fubo Latino, fuboTV and pay-per-view. With fubo Latino, it’s $32.99 per month. Plus you get over 25 live TV channels. With fubo Latino, you can watch the game(s) on your PC or Mac as well as Roku, iPhone and Android phones, Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV and Xbox One. If you connect any of these devices to your TV, you can watch the game on your big screen. In addition to live and exclusive coverage of all of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, fubo Latino also includes: • Univision • TUDN • FOX Deportes • ESPN Deportes • beIN SPORTS • And, in all, over 25 live channels of the TV you love. Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming. SEE MORE: Schedule of World Cup qualifiers on US TV and streaming To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).  

If you’re trying to find out how you can watch Colombia vs. Ecuador, you’ve come to the right place. With the national teams in the CONMEBOL region continuing their path to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, the latest game in the World Cup qualifying features Colombia vs. Ecuador, live on U.S. streaming and pay-per-view television. Here are all of the details of where you can watch it via legal streaming and pay-per-view television: Who: Colombia vs. Ecuador What: CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier When: Game kicks off at 5pm ET / 2pm PT; Thursday, October 14, 2021 Where: Live exclusively on fubo Latino , fuboTV and pay-per-view   Broadcasts of games are available in English-language and Spanish-language. The only legal and exclusive ways to watch Colombia vs. Ecuador live are fubo Latino , fuboTV and pay-per-view. With fubo Latino, it’s $32.99 per month. Plus you get over 25 live TV channels. With fubo Latino, you can watch the game(s) on your PC or Mac as well as Roku...
Post a Comment
Read more

Klopp questions Liverpool attitude after Brighton draw Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp criticised the way Liverpool responded to squandering a two-goal lead as Brighton claimed a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Saturday. Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane had put the Reds 2-0 in front after 24 minutes but Graham Potter’s team fought back with goals from Enock Mwepu and Leandro Trossard either side of half-time. It was just the sixth time Liverpool failed to win a Premier League home game after leading by two goals. Yves Bissouma hit the post and Trossard had a late goal disallowed for offside as the Seagulls threatened to complete a remarkable comeback win. “In the second half, we were not good enough. The body language I didn’t like it all,” the German said.  “It was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s really tough’. Yeah, it was clear before the game. “The best way to defend Brighton is to have the ball and play in the spaces where they are exposed, but we didn’t do that and that’s a problem.” Mane and Mohamed Salah had goals ruled out for handball and offside respectively as Liverpool dominated but failed to blow Brighton away in the first half. Klopp’s side remain second but missed the chance to keep pace with leaders Chelsea, who moved three points clear following their 3-0 win at Newcastle and Manchester City’s shock 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. “It feels like a defeat, not only because we were 2-0 up and didn’t win. It’s because we scored two of the most beautiful goals I’ve ever seen us score, which were disallowed,” added Klopp. Liverpool host Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday before visiting fourth-placed West Ham in the Premier League next weekend.

Liverpool (AFP) – Jurgen Klopp criticised the way Liverpool responded to squandering a two-goal lead as Brighton claimed a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Saturday. Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane had put the Reds 2-0 in front after 24 minutes but Graham Potter’s team fought back with goals from Enock Mwepu and Leandro Trossard either side of half-time. It was just the sixth time Liverpool failed to win a Premier League home game after leading by two goals. Yves Bissouma hit the post and Trossard had a late goal disallowed for offside as the Seagulls threatened to complete a remarkable comeback win. “In the second half, we were not good enough. The body language I didn’t like it all,” the German said.  “It was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s really tough’. Yeah, it was clear before the game. “The best way to defend Brighton is to have the ball and play in the spaces where they are exposed, but we didn’t do that and that’s a problem.” Mane and Mohamed Salah had goals ruled out for handball an...
Post a Comment
Read more

Champions ‘cease operations’ as money problems dog Chinese football Shanghai (AFP) – Chinese Super League champions Jiangsu FC have “ceased operations”, the club said on Sunday, underlining the financial problems roiling football in the country. Jiangsu, who won the domestic title for the first time just three months ago, are owned by the conglomerate Suning — which also owns Italian giants Inter Milan. The demise of Jiangsu, until recently known as Jiangsu Suning, could be followed in the coming days by the closure of fellow CSL side Tianjin Teda. Chinese football has in recent years gained a reputation for lavish spending on foreign players and coaches, as the country pushed to become a world leader in the sport. Jiangsu brought in ex-England coach Fabio Capello and signed Brazilians Alex Teixeira and Ramires for 50 million euros and 28 million euros respectively. In the summer of 2019 they came close to capturing Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale. But, even prior to the coronavirus pandemic, money had begun to dry up across Chinese football. “Even though we are reluctant to part with the players who have won us the highest honours, and fans who have shared solidarity with the club, we have to regretfully make an announcement,” Jiangsu FC said in a statement. “From today, Jiangsu Football Club ceases the operation of its teams.” The club from the eastern city of Nanjing blamed an “overlap of various uncontrollable elements”. “In the past six months the club has been looking around to seek a takeover, trying with utmost sincerity to transfer the club’s equity, not giving up a single opportunity to pass on the club,” it said. Amid reports of financial difficulties, Suning’s chairman Zhang Jindong earlier this month hinted at a pivot away from sport, in comments which also did not go unnoticed in Italy, where Inter are battling rivals AC Milan for the Serie A title. “We will focus on retail business resolutely and without hesitation will close and cut down our business irrelevant to retail,” he said.

Shanghai (AFP) – Chinese Super League champions Jiangsu FC have “ceased operations”, the club said on Sunday, underlining the financial problems roiling football in the country. Jiangsu, who won the domestic title for the first time just three months ago, are owned by the conglomerate Suning — which also owns Italian giants Inter Milan. The demise of Jiangsu, until recently known as Jiangsu Suning, could be followed in the coming days by the closure of fellow CSL side Tianjin Teda. Chinese football has in recent years gained a reputation for lavish spending on foreign players and coaches, as the country pushed to become a world leader in the sport. Jiangsu brought in ex-England coach Fabio Capello and signed Brazilians Alex Teixeira and Ramires for 50 million euros and 28 million euros respectively. In the summer of 2019 they came close to capturing Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale. But, even prior to the coronavirus pandemic, money had begun to dry up across Chinese football. ...
Post a Comment
Read more