Inter, Dzeko with 101 goals in Serie A: “Now I invite the whole team out to dinner”

He was at 99 goals in Serie A since the derby on 3 September and he wanted tremendously to reach 100. Edin Dzeko went even further as he signed a brace that allowed his team to conquer the three points on the Sassuolo field and him to become, at 36 years and 205 days, the third oldest player to cross the prestigious finish line (preceding him in the special classification Pandev and Pellissier). Before today it had not been a sparkling season for the Bosnian who was stopped at 2 centers, with as many goals disallowed for offside (in Udine and against Roma). At the Mapei Stadium he made up for it with interests and showed that, despite the continued absence of Lukaku, he can give an important hand to a team that has lost Lautaro’s goals, who have lost 8 matches.

FIXED POINT

–

In the summer, when Big Rom was back (on loan) at Pinetina and Dybala seemed close to signing, it was the former Roma striker in the balance, the one who would have to find an alternative destination to make room, even at the salary level (earns 5.5 million net), to Joya. The club has always denied his possible departure, left him the number 9 jersey and the person concerned responded by presenting himself three days early in training camp. A clear message like “I am here and I am staying here”. Now he is at 4 goals and has celebrated a brace that he had been missing in Serie A since 23 February 2019 when he wore the yellow and red jersey (then the victim was Frosinone). “He deserves to score many goals because he is a great player – said Mkhitaryan after the end of the match in Dazn – and I am pleased to have helped him 2-1 (the sixth in his career, ed)”.

CHARGE OF THE 101

–

Against Sassuolo in his career Dzeko scored 8 times and the neroverde team became his favorite victim in Serie A. Six of these 8 goals arrived at Mapei Stadium, a facility that obviously inspires him particularly. With the Inter shirt he is at 21 centers in 60 matches and has become the oldest Inter player to score a brace in Serie A (overtaking Mihajlovic in 2005 against Roma). “I like the position of 101 as a title – admitted the 36-year-old from Sarajevo -, but it must already have been the position of 103 since they canceled two for offside. I am happy to have succeeded here in Reggio Emilia because it was important for the team. Let’s hope it’s the turning point race. The best of my 101 goals? Everyone is beautiful … I just need the ball to cross the line. I remember them all, from the first against Juve to the others. The left one against Turin? Yes, that’s right, that was nice ”. Then after catching his breath for a moment: “Scoring a goal is the best thing in the world for a striker and today I am a happy man. I will continue until I am well and can help the team. We would have lost a game like this 3-4 weeks ago because we didn’t have a great performance; thanks to Sassuolo who plays good football. We came from a great victory against Barcelona and we wanted to confirm it. In the end they count the points and we got them. Before the game we said to ourselves that if we sometimes get behind us and wait, we shouldn’t be ashamed. What matters are the three points: we all suffered together and even after having suffered 1-1, we took the success that I believe is deserved. The absence of Lukaku? In big teams there are great strikers and competition is normal. In attack and in the other departments. Anyone in the squad is important and must make his contribution when called into question: I lower myself a little more, Lukaku goes deeper. We played very well last year, but the Scudetto went to Milan. We hope this season ends in a different way ”.

TEAM AT DINNER

–

End with a promise… culinary. “Now I will invite the team to dinner because 100 goals are not scored every day”. He has already gone further and does not intend to stop. He will probably also be the starter in Barcelona on Wednesday when, with a win, Inter would even qualify for the round of 16 with two days to spare. Edin believes in it and hopes to still be decisive even if it would be the same for him if his friend Lautaro scored. “He is a great striker. I told him to continue like this because sooner or later the network will arrive. Consiglio denied him the 2-1 and did well ”.