Dzeko’s scoring has Roma roaring in Europa League
Roma’s Edin Dzeko fired his second straight Europa League hat-trick in Thursday’s 4-0 away win at Villarreal to edge closer to his alltime season record and give his team a timely boost ahead of Sunday’s visit by Torino.
Dzeko, who also notched a hat-trick against Viktoria Plzen in November, took the matchballhometogivetohis daughter after taking his Europa League-leading tally to eight goals.
Also tied with Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain at the top of Serie A with 18 league goals, and with two from the Italian Cup, the Bosnia striker now has 28 overall — only one short of his alltime record of 29, set at Wolfsburg in 2009-10.
“Tonight we showed what we’re made of. We won 4-0 at a big Spanish club, a really good side,” said Dzeko.
“I’m not that surprised to be scoring so many goals. It was always like that, only last season that really didn’t go well for me.
“But I don’t want to stop. I want to score more.”
Keeping the goals coming will be crucial at Stadio Olimpico if Roma hopes to thwart a robust Torino side that beat Pescara 5-3 last week.
Torino striker Andrea Belotti struck twice in that victory and is only one goal behind Dzeko and Higuain.
Roma, seven points behind leader Juventus, can ill afford to slip.
Juventus hosts relegationhaunted Palermo on Friday when Massimiliano Allegri’s men will likely go 10 points clear.
Former Juventus and Palermo striker, Fabrizio Miccoli, told Tuttojuve.com: “I’m sorry, but I really don’t see how Palermo can put Juve in difficulty.”
Third-place Napoli, two points off the pace, will look to make amends for a 3-1 loss at Real Madrid on Wednesday with a win at Chievo. Napoli has won the past four encounters between the two clubs, including two at Chievo’s Bentegodi Stadium.
Roma coach Luciano Spalletti had blasted Dzeko only last month for being “too soft” in scoring position, but the striker’s recent goal outburst has the coach purring with praise.
“Italian football has improved Dzeko,” said Spalletti. “He’s a sensitive lad and when things don’t go according to plan, it affects him.
“His second goal was magnificent, a goal from a mature striker. He’s strong, he’s got character and he will become an even better player.”
Inter Milan, 15 points adrift in fourth place, sits in the pole position in the race for Europa League qualification. But Atalanta, also with 45 points, Lazio (44), AC Milan (41) and Fiorentina (40) are in hot pursuit.
Inter travels to Bologna in Sunday’s early game looking to begin another long run of successes. Before a controversial loss at Juventus two weeks ago, Stefano Pioli’s men reeled off seven straight victories.
Atalanta has already surpassed expectations in Bergamo and has perhaps the easiest match of all the Europa League chasers, at home to struggling Crotone on Saturday.
Lazio, meanwhile, faces a potentially tricky match at Empoli less than a week after succumbing to Suso’s late equalizer for Milan in a 1-1 Stadio Olimpico draw.
Coach Simone Inzaghi expects to see improvement in his front line after a total of 25 shots produced just a single goal in that match.
“If you have 25 shots, you have to win 2-0,” said Inzaghi, the brother of former AC Milan striker and coach Filippo.
Meanwhile, Spanish forward Suso, who joined Milan in 2015 after an unsuccessful three-year spell at Liverpool, is in the form of his life and will be looking for more of the same on Sunday when the club looks to boost its qualification chances with a win against Fiorentina.