Israeli ace Eran eclipsing CSL’s biggest earners
Guangzhou R&F getting most from bargain Zahavi
SHANGHAI — Chinese clubs made headlines by shelling out millions for the likes of strikers Carlos Tevez, Hulk and Alexandre Pato, but bargain-priced Israeli Eran Zahavi is outgunning them all at the top of the Super League scoring charts.
Zahavi’s feat in smashing 23 CSL goals in 22 starts this season is all the more remarkable when you consider that he plays for a wildly inconsistent Guangzhou R&F side that sits sixth in the 16-team standings.
The Israeli international also cost a fraction of many of his more famous peers, with Guangzhou spending a relatively measly $8.5 million to snare him from Maccabi Tel Aviv in June last year.
And what a signing Zahavi, who can also play attacking midfield, has turned out to be.
His goal haul puts him way ahead of the CSL’s second top scorer, Guangzhou Evergrande’s Brazilian forward Ricardo Goulart (16 goals), and numerous expensive bigname strikers are also trailing behind.
Zahavi celebrated his birthday last month — “I’m 30 years old but I feel like I’m 25” — and is in the form of his life.
“I’m facing new challenges in China, the league here is developing and I try to help Chinese football develop here and around the world,” Zahavi told Chinese soccer app Dongqiudi this week.
His goals — particularly a Eran Zahavi, Guangzhou R&F’s Israeli striker knack for scoring against Evergrande, R&F’s rival and reigning CSL champion — have made him a fan favorite.
“I really like scoring against them for the team and also for the fans,” said Zahavi, who has plundered four goals in Guangzhou derbies this season.
“The derby is always the most important match of the year and it’s always nice to score goals against the leaders and the best teams.”
Prior to China, Zahavi spent most of his career in Israel, except for an unsuccessful spell in Italy at Palermo, where he scored only twice in two years before moving to Maccabi in 2013.
He is thriving under the offensive-minded management of Dragan Stojkovic, the revered former Yugoslavia international.
“We play a passing game and in most instances we control the game, always scoring goals,” Zahavi said.
“Sometimes we suffer with our defensive game because we go forward too much and don’t think too much about the opponent.
“I think people in China like to see R&F and how we play. I think it’s a very important part of football that the fans enjoy coming to the game.”
Although he is enjoying life and soccer in China, Zahavi admits he misses the UEFA Champions League.
If he carries on at this staggering scoring rate, teams in Europe might come sniffing.
It was in the continent’s premier competition that he scored his most memorable goal — an overhead kick for Hapoel Tel Aviv against Lyon in 2010.
“The goal I scored in the Champions League group stage was very special for me. When I was five years old I asked God to let me have a part in these games and to show my quality to the world and to be famous for football and to try my best,” he said.
“And when you come to this moment and score such a nice goal in the most important competition in the world you just feel proud of yourself.
“All the hard effort I put in had paid off.”
LONDON — New old habits.
Referees are encountering insolent behavior. Hot-headed stars are kicking out. Players are embroiled in transfer standoffs.
The petulant streak within soccer players is burning brightly after the summer break in Europe, and the world player of the year is leading by (bad) example.
When Cristiano Ronaldo shoved a referee during Real Madrid’s Spanish Super Cup victory over Barcelona on Sunday, soccer’s red line was crossed.
The booking for diving might have been severe and the Madrid forward was incensed, but the physical contact was unforgivable.
Ronaldo also only had himself to blame for accumulating two bookings, since the first followed the trademark brash goal celebration he knows breaches the rules: Removing his jersey to flash his torso to the cameras.
Ronaldo will feel harshly treated again by Spanish authorities — he’s already fighting tax charges in court — but in reality he got off lightly with a five-match domestic suspension on Monday.
“The authority and the safety of the referee deserves the utmost respect and cannot be challenged,” the Spanish federation season, said in its judgment.
“That is true even in the hypothetical situation of having made a wrong decision.”
It was the culmination of a weekend of flare-ups in leading European competitions.
A referee also faced impertinent behavior in London. Cesc Fabregas was booked for sarcastically applauding after a freekick was awarded against the Chelsea midfielder in the first half of Saturday’s Premier League opener against Burnley.
What made Fabregas’ reaction even more reckless was that the champion had already seen captain Gary Cahill dismissed two minutes earlier for a wild challenge.
Unable to curb his own impulses, Fabregas received the second booking late in the second half for a lunge of his own as Chelsea imploded to open its title defense with a shocking loss.
The inability to maintain discipline also proved costly for Newcastle. The Premier League newcomer was drawing 0-0 with last season’s runner-up, Tottenham, when Jonjo Shelvey was sent off for treading on Dele Alli’s foot. It was particularly foolish because the referee was right next to the pair. Newcastle paid the price, losing 2-0.
Over in France, Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan also lost his cool on Sunday when he threw the ball at Strasbourg’s Benjamin Corgnet and was shown a red card.
The impact of the dismissal was compounded by the inability of Lille manager Marcelo Bielsa to replace an outfield player with the back-up goalkeeper from the bench because he had used up his three substitutions.
In the final 30 minutes, three goals were conceded as a stalemate became a 3-0 loss to a promoted team.
“More than criticizing, I want to find answers to situations that are avoidable,” Bielsa said.
The most relieved player on the continent should be Miralem Pjanic.
During Sunday’s Italian Super Cup, the Juventus midfielder kicked Lazio striker Ciro Immobile’s ankle in an off-the-ball reaction to an early foul. Pjanic escaped with a yellow card so he won’t be joining Ronaldo, Fabregas, Cahill, Shelvey and Corgnet in sitting out upcoming games.
Other players are missing early-season matches without even encountering a referee. They are locked in power battles to be sold to a higher bidder.
Virgil van Dijk wants out of Southampton after pursuing a move to Liverpool, which is fighting off interest in Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, which was forced into selling Neymar to Paris SaintGermain after his $264 million release clause was met.
All this money swilling round irritated Tottenham defender Danny Rose who moaned in an interview, not only about the size of his pay packet, but also the club’s failure to go on a transfer binge like Manchester City’s $260 million spree.
Rose, who is still recovering from injury, urged Tottenham to sign established stars and “not players you have to Google and say, ‘Who’s that?’”
Spurs forced an apology out of the 27-year-old England leftback for the newspaper interview.
One might also be forthcoming from Chelsea striker Diego Costa, who grumbled to another British paper that he was being treated like a “criminal” because the London club has not released him to join Atletico Madrid.
A few weeks on the beach during the summer has clearly done little to mellow some of Europe’s top players.
Long before the title battles and relegation struggles get going, they are erupting on the pitch and with their employers.
No wonder UEFA is launching a new respect campaign later this month. It can’t come soon enough.
The league here is developing and I try to help Chinese football develop here and around the world.”