The Rossoneri striker scored against all the big teams in Serie A but never against the Bianconeri. And this time it’s worth more
His Italian notebook is still missing a few ticks. Rumor “heavy goals against the big names in Serie A”: Inter, Naples, Rome, Lazio. Juve? Review. In two seasons, Olivier Giroud has accustomed the Rossoneri fans to special goals, which are often worth double. However, since his arrival in Italy, he hasn’t scored against the Bianconeri: the match at the Stadium offers the opportunity, with a Champions League train to catch before the last stop.
Decisive
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Prerequisite: with 16 goals between Serie A (11) and the Champions League (5), Giroud is the top scorer in Pioli’s team so far. And since his arrival in Milan, goals that are worth points and results are a constant. The emblem remains the derby of 5 February 2022, with the comeback against Inter signed by two decisive flashes for the Scudetto race. Then the treble against Naples and Lazio (and before that Rome) to launch the sprint towards the nineteenth title. This season, the scratch in the first derby of September and the goal in the quarterfinals of the Champions League against Napoli, pass for the semifinal. His moment can be told with a fact: Giroud is the “oldest” player (he will turn 37 on 30 September) to have scored at least 10 goals in the five major European championships.
And now Juventus
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With a center at the Stadium, he could close a virtual circle after his hat-trick against Sampdoria, an exclamation point and yet another satisfaction from his Rossoneri adventure (Milan’s last 9 who managed to score a hat-trick in the league was Inzaghi against Turin, fourteen years ago ). Against Juve, Olivier played two games in his career: not exactly memorable evenings, at least in terms of scoring. First act on 23 January 2022, 0-0 with an hour on the pitch that was not brilliant and spent battling shoulder to shoulder with Chiellini. Leap ahead in the 2-0 win of last October 8th: game from 6 and a half on the report card, a lot of work for the team and an involuntary assist for Tomori on the lead, with the Englishman good at blocking his turn on the net and beating Szczesny.
For Europe
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A few days ago, the Frenchman had told BT Sport about his emotions after the knockout in the Euroderby with Inter, describing his Italian career in a positive way: “If two years ago they had told me that in just 24 months I would have conquered a Scudetto and made a semi-final of the Champions League, I would have signed immediately without thinking”. Achievements and prospects, to then add: “I’m competitive and losing like this hurts, but we must be proud of what we have done and think about qualifying for next year’s Champions League. We look forward”. After the disappointment, the match against Juve comes at the right time for this too. To put the seal on another goal, albeit minimal, and rearrange ideas for next season. Giroud would gladly do it with a heavy goal, to close an open account with the big names.
May 28, 2023 (change May 28, 2023 | 11:32 am)
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