Germany surrenders to 'Il Bomber'
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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"Aside from a little homesickness" Luca Toni's first season at FC Bayern München could not be going better, with his €11m transfer fee looking like a steal.
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There is a saying in German football: Money does not score goals. However, when it comes to Luca Toni, there may be an exception to that rule.
Flying start
An €11m signing from ACF Fiorentina in the summer of 2007, the Italian international hit the ground running with a goal 14 minutes into Bayern's first game of the season, a 3-0 win against FC Hansa Rostock, and has been delighting fans throughout Germany. His winning smile, matinée idol looks, outgoing personality and friendly ways are also earning him plenty of admiring glances, regardless of his relationship with Italian model Marta Cecchetto.
Four in two
"Bayern have invested a lot of money in me and I intend to pay it back in goals and help the team," the 30-year-old said. Last week he demonstrated that aim with four goals in two games – the two in extra time that saw Bayern forge past Getafe CF into the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup and two more in Sunday's 5-0 defeat of BV Borussia Dortmund. He thus heads into Wednesday's Bundesliga game at Eintracht Frankfurt with the wind firmly in his sails.
Late bloomer
Nicknamed 'Il Bomber', the tall but powerful Toni was a late bloomer as a player, not receiving his first Italy cap until he was 27. A FIFA World Cup winner in Germany two years ago, he had never played in any of UEFA's top club competitions until this season, marking his debut with the goal that gave Bayern a 1-0 UEFA Cup win against CF Os Belenenses.
Italy place
He has now scored ten in the UEFA Cup, and is two goals clear in the race for the competition's top scorer honour. After the stunning late success at Getafe, Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was unstinting in his praise for Toni. "We were rewarded because we have Luca Toni within our ranks," said the coach. "He is a real fighter, he never gives up and is a real winner." Italy coach Roberto Donadoni will need little persuasion to include him in his UEFA EURO 2008™ squad.
German mentality
Only the second Italian to play in the Bundesliga, after Ruggiero Rizzitelli shone sporadically under Giovanni Trapattoni at Bayern between 1996 and 1998, German life clearly suits Toni. "Apart from a little bit of homesickness, I feel super here," he said. "The Germans have a different mentality when it comes to football. The whole team went to the Oktoberfest together, in the midst of all the other people. I doubt that this would be possible in Italy."