Valdano: Adebayor ruthlessly cool on home debut
Reuters - Thursday 03 February 2011, 00:09
MADRID - Emmanuel Adebayor sparkled on
his home debut for Real Madrid on Wednesday, netting a
superb volley and earning the epithets "ruthless" and
"cool-headed" from a beaming club director general Jorge
Valdano.
The lanky Togo striker, who has joined on loan from
Manchester City until the end of the season, played the final 10
minutes of Real's 2-0 King's Cup semi-final win over holders
Sevilla that sent them through to the final 3-0 on aggregate and
a meeting with great rivals Barcelona.
Adebayor was scythed down by Sevilla defender Sergio Sanchez
moments after entering the fray before he controlled a Lassana
Diarra centre on his chest in added time and lashed the ball in
on the volley from close range.
He ran to the corner flag and threw himself to the ground in
celebration before being mobbed by Cristiano Ronaldo and the
rest of his team-mates.
"For a lad who is playing for the first time in the Santiago
Bernabeu in the Real Madrid shirt, the first time he touches the
ball 'poom poom' and that's that," Real coach Jose Mourinho said
at a news conference.
"It's fantastic as well for his confidence," added the
Portuguese, who had pushed Real to bring in another striker
following a long-term injury to Argentina forward Gonzalo
Higuain.
Former Argentina international Valdano was equally pleased
with Adebayor's home debut.
"There is no better way to present yourself to the
Bernabeu," he said in a television interview.
"He showed a cool head and ruthlessness. It will give him
confidence."