This always happens. A very talented player is crowded out by slightly more talented players at a big team, but you just know he has plenty to offer, if only someone gives him the chance. So when Chelsea’s Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah was loaned to Fiorentina as part of the deal to bring Juan Cuadrado to Stamford Bridge, it was only a matter of time before he lit up Italian soccer.
Yesterday, Salah scored both goals as Fiorentina beat league-leaders Juventus 2-1 in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg. For the first goal, above, he dribbled two-thirds the length of the field, even beating Simone Padoin with a rarely seen “running nutmeg,” to score. For his second, below, Salah pounced on Claudio Marchisio’s mistake, then held off two defenders to score, and end Juventus’ run of 47 games unbeaten at home.
Second leg is Tuesday, April 7.