TIM VICKERY
Emmanuel Adebayor arrived to a hero’s welcome at Olimpia and will want to add the Copa Libertadores to his glittering CV
WHEN Manchester City meet Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night, a striker who played for both clubs will be celebrating his 36th birthday on the either side of the Atlantic.
Emmanuel Adebayor has joined Olimpia of Paraguay.
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He was a hero in his new land before he had even kicked a ball.
Paraguay is a relatively poor country with a population of 7 million which is entirely unused to having global stars on parade in its domestic league.
The great Ferenc Puskas had a spell coaching in the country in the mid 80s, but to have a player of Adebayor’s CV in the local championship is a genuine novelty.
He arrived in the country in the wee small hours a couple of weeks ago – and thousands had gone out to the airport to greet him.
A WEEKEND DEBUT
He nearly became even more of a hero in his debut on Sunday.
It was the day of Paraguay’s traditional big derby, Olimpia against Cerro Porteno.
Still working on his fitness, Adebayor started the game on the bench.
But at half-time his old Manchester City team-mate Roque Santa Cruz felt a twinge and was taken off as a precaution.
On came the man from Togo in the No25 shirt.
He looked to keep things simple, playing first time whenever he could.
He won a number of flick-ons in the air, and in stoppage time, with the score at 1-1, he was just a few inches away from snatching the winner, glancing a cross from the right just wide of the near post.
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All in all it was an encouraging start. True, it was disappointing not to win the historic local derby. But then Olimpia’s sights are set well beyond the frontiers of Paraguay.
They have won the last four domestic titles. They want more.
COPA LIBERTADORES GLORY
Next week the group phase gets underway in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s version of the Champions League.
Olimpia are serious players. They have won the trophy three times, though not since 2002.
But they are always competitive, reaching the final in 2013 only to lose on penalties, and getting through to the last 16 in 2019.
This year they are dreaming of going further. They hope to count on the traditional Paraguayan virtues of defensive resilience, with a back line organised by former Premier League centre back Antolin Alcaraz.
Up front Santa Cruz, even at 38, has been in some of the best form of his long career.
When he left Olimpia to join Bayern Munich back in 1999 the Germans truly believed they had signed a player destined for a place on the podium in the annual FIFA awards. Were it not for all those injuries, it may have happened.
But fit and enjoying his football, he rolled back the years in the last few months of 2019.
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A STRONG CONTENDER
And now Olimpia have the option of pairing him with Adebayor or rotating them in the centre forward position.
Others have come in, too. International winger Derlis Gonzalez should prove a good foil and supply line for the big guns.
Argentine central midfielder Nico Domingo is adept at dictating play from deep.
Olimpia’s group in the Libertadores looks straightforward enough. Santos of Brazil are operating on a low budget.
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And Ecuadorian champions Delfin are novices at the level.
Olimpia, then, are entitled to aim high. Long after either Man City or Real Madrid have been eliminated, Emmanuel Adebayor will have his sights set on glory in a continental competition.
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