| Despite 41 goals being scored between European
competitions and Spanish league, our Pichichis' names did not appear very often
this week. One man stood out amongst all the rest though, Real Madrid's
Raúl. Having missed a couple of games with a niggling injury, he came
back to score four goals in the two matches he played in this week. On
Wednesday he sank Galatasaray in the Champions League quarter final with two
goals in the first half, and he has now scored more goals than anyone else in
the since the tournament was restructured under it's new name. And then on
Sunday he helped his team to an eleven point lead at the top of the division
with another brace, this time both from headers. He draws level with Rivaldo at
the top of the league goalscorers chart and moves to within five of him
overall. Two years ago Raúl just pipped Rivaldo for the Pichichi at the
end of the season. Will history repeat itself? Otherwise little else to report,
with Barcelona players making their names on the villains pages rather than
this one this week. Valencia's John Carew got probably the most important goal
of his career however against Arsenal on Tuesday night, taking his team through
to the semi-final of the Champions League. Diego Tristán also scored one
for Deportivo on the same night, but theirs was a phyrric victory and they exit
the competition. Villarreal's Víctor got another in the league although
they ended up drawing, and Osasuna's Iván Rosado scored his fifth in as
many matches, the last two against Barcelona, to enter our chart for the first
time. Rosado was given a chance by Osasuna after Rayo Vallecano left him out of
their squad, and they may want him back next season if he keeps scoring at this
rate. Four more players moved up to the eleven goal mark just outside our
table, including Iván Alonso from Alavés (Javi Moreno is finally
back after a three week lay off), Djalminha from Deportivo (when he is not
suspended), Luis Cembranos from Rayo (when he is not injured) and Jamelli from
Zaragoza (who scored his last goal after controlling with his hand).
(23.04.01) |
