Woof
We all love a free-kick you hit so sweetly you know it’s in as soon as it leaves your foot. There is simply no better feeling in football. Other than a man-and-ball slide tackle in the pouring rain against a striker with his socks above his knees, there is simply no better feeling in football.
Enter Alexandre Pato, everyone’s favourite FIFA and Football Manager wonderkid circa 2008.
Now plying his trade in the Chinese Super League for Tianjin Quanjian, Pato has started reliving his early Milan days and is banging the goals again. He’s scored 20 in 30 games for the club Axel Witsel is desperately trying to get away from, and 5 in 6 in the league this season.
This one might be his best yet, stepping up from 30 yards at least and setting the ball a couple of feet wide of the post before watching it kiss the inside of the upright and drop in.
Well, he would have finished watching it had he not already peeled away in celebration with the ball still in the are.
Unfortunately for ‘The Duck’ his team went on to lose 4-1 to Shanghai SIPG after a brace from another Brazilian you might remember well – Chelsea’s former attacking midfielder Oscar – and goals from Elkseon and Hulk.
Still, if this isn’t evidence that’d he do a job for the team you’re managing struggling in the lower reaches of the Premier League, then I don’t know what it is. Splash out on those exorbitant wages. Come on. He’s worth it. Look at that bend! He has a 0.5 goals per game ratio in the Prem as well. Look it up if you don’t believe. The single goal was against Aston Villa, but still. Do it. You know you want to.
