We haven’t heard much from Dimitar Berbatov since he left Fulham for Monaco, but he’s proved vital for the French side this weekend.
The Bulgarian has just three goals in nine matches for Monaco, and was even benched for their match last week in a 1-0 road win over Stade Rennes.
Today, however, he bagged an absolutely brilliant goal vs Nice in just the fifth minute to cement Monaco’s second-place Ligue 1 finish and guarantee their spot in next year’s Champions League play.
The goal was, well...it was perfect for Mr. Berbatov.
Already at a place where he can maximize his gentlemanly persona in connection with the reputation of the club, this goal only adds to his legacy.
A reputation for being “lazy,” the 33-year-old stops on the left edge of the box, looks at the ball at his feet, and effortlessly flicks his foot at the ball. Goal.
It appears that Berbatov was actually looking to set his streaking teammate up with a lob, maybe for a header or tap-in, but the ball loops over everyone and inside the far corner.
Here’s a link to another angle, showing Berbatov’s “yea I’m awesome” reaction.
I believe in England they call that “cheeky.”