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| | Week 22 Spotlight: Uno, Due, Tre-zeguet | Monday 30 January, 2006 |
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 Player of the Week: Trezeguet (Juventus)
If Fabio Capello hadn’t have joined Juventus in the summer of 2004 then you wouldn’t be reading this. That’s because, with all likelihood, David Trezeguet would be wearing a Barcelona shirt right now. His transfer to the Nou Camp was on the verge of finalisation before Don Fabio instantly locked all exits at the Stadio Delle Alpi.
Capello knew that Trezeguet was, and arguably is, the best penalty box striker in world football. He may not be the greatest team player in the game, almost an insignificant figure when things aren’t going too well for his other 10 teammates, but the Frenchman often needs just one chance to ripple any net on the planet.
Trezeguet underlined his unique capabilities on Sunday during his club’s 3-1 win at Ascoli. After giving his side the lead with an accurate angled drive, it took him just 10 minutes to complete a quite remarkable hat-trick at the Stadio Del Duca. He also used it to silence those who had criticised him in the last week for his recent goal drought.
"After six years in Italy, I know what to expect from the Italian media," stated Trezeguet after his treble. "I had no problem with the criticism, I remained calm, relaxed and continued to work hard. But I am now happy that I have managed to return to the score sheet."
Trezeguet had gone four games without a goal before his Week 22 exploits. That can be legitimately classed as a crisis for a player who has had a scintillating campaign in front of goal for the Old Lady this term.
Having netted 15 before Sunday, Trezeguet was close to breaking Gabriel Batistuta’s record of scoring in 11 consecutive Serie A games recently. The former Monaco man grabbed 11 goals in nine ties before he struck the post at Palermo at the beginning of January.
"I was always tranquil about the situation over the last month, but goals have always been important for me," added Trezeguet. "I’m very happy to have re-found the net. I wasn’t getting agitated and I just got on with what the Coach asked of me. However, I have to say that scoring is good for my morale. I was training well and was feeling good, but the goal just wouldn’t come. That all changed at Ascoli, though, and I’m thrilled."
Trezeguet, like his club, is having a season to remember. After scoring his 100th goal for the outfit earlier this term, he now has 118 to his name which puts him at No 8 in the Bianconeri’s all-time list. The fact that he has now scored more goals that the legendary Roberto Baggio underlines just what a significant player David – whose strike rate in Serie A is 0.65 a game – has become in Turin.
Trezeguet isn’t satisfied with that achievement though and has at least two more goal objectives to reach before he jets off on World Cup duty with France in the summer. "I want to win the Capocannoniere crown," added the man who is now just three shy of Luca Toni’s present 21 goals. "It would also be nice to score 125 for the club, which would allow me to overtake John Hansen and become the most prolific foreigner to play for Juventus." On present form, that is one target that he is unlikely to miss…
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Goal of the Week: Trezeguet (Juventus)
David Trezeguet’s second may have only been a simple tap-in from six yards, but the build up play to that strike made it the goal of the week. Juventus worked the ball from defence to attack, from one wing to another, with the speed and accuracy of the well-oiled machine which they are. Make sure you see this goal in its entirety. |
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Number of the Week: 6
Roma’s 3-0 win over Livorno was their sixth successive in Serie A and eighth in all competitions. Should they beat Parma in Week 23 then they will equal their club record of seven which was achieved in the 2000-01 and 2003-04 seasons. |
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| Words: Antonio Labbate |
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