When’s the last time you thought about Alexandre Pato?
Was it when you were walking your dog and he started pulling on the leash, trying to get after a cacophonous flock of ducks, and you mused: “Silly dog, you’ll never catch those patos, just like Barcelona was never going to catch Pato . . . I have a problem.”
When you’re a striker who starts a match on the bench, you spend most of your time thinking about how you just want to get out there and score a goal to prove to your coach you should’ve been starting. Wang Shanshan did one better — well, eight better.
Beijing Guoan continues to set the pace in the Chinese Super League following Tuesday's 5-2 win over Dalian Yifang, and it’s pretty easy to understand why. The five-star performance was spearheaded by a brace from former Villarreal star Cedric Bakambu, a goal from Spanish international Jonathan Viera and another by the man capped 31 times by Brazil, Renato Augusto.
The 30-year-old Augusto — who scored Brazil’s lone goal in the 2-1 defeat to Belgium during the quarterfinals of this summer’s World Cup — is a class apart when it comes to midfielders in the CSL.
The Chinese Super League was home to some despicable scenes yesterday as Shanghai Shenhua striker Demba Ba was reportedly subject to racist abuse from Changchun Yatai midfielder Zhang Li. The former Newcastle United and Chelsea striker could be seen confronting Li in the 77th minute while Yatai striker Odion Ighalo — who spent three seasons in England with Watford — restrained him.
Remember when Alexandre Pato was the shit in FIFA? A stunning Alexandre Pato free kick against Shanghai SIPG reminded us just how good he used to be.
Back at the turn of the decade, AC Milan was a powerhouse in FIFA. Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva at center back, the speedy Ignazio Abate at right back, a midfield of Andrea Pirlo, Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and Kevin-Prince Boateng and a forward line of Zlatan Ibrahimović and Alexandre Pato. It was nuts.
Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta appears set to join Chinese Super League (CSL) team Chongqing Dangdai Lifan next season.
Javier Mascherano has quickly settled in with his new club in China, Hebai China Fortune. In fact, he already has a nickname: Pony Brother.
That, we must admit, is a far better nickname than the one given to fellow Argentinian and former Shanghai Shenua striker Carlos Tevez, a.k.a. Very Homesick Boy.