Hot shot Sebastian Tagliabue is looking to go one step further in the new Arabian Gulf League season by topping the goalscoring charts and fighting for the title with Al Wahda.
The 29-year-old excelled during his debut campaign, finding the back of the net 28 times and firing Their Excellencies to a late-season surge under coach Jose Peseiro.
This performance was good enough for second place to Asamoah Gyan and Al Ahli respectively, with the goal-hungry Argentine setting his sights on twin success in both, starting with Tuesday’s match with newly-promoted Ittihad Kalba.
“Last year with six or seven games playing very badly, I still finished with 28 goals,” Tagliabue said at an adidas event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Predator boot. “I hope this year to finish with more.
“As I say every time, the team makes everything and I make the goals – I do not do anything alone.
“I watched Asamoah Gyan, Grafite and Makhete Diop. This year I will fight with them and the other players.”
He added: “We hope this year to be fighting more than the last year with Al Ahli. I am sure every game was difficult for them, but the league looked like it was very easy for them.
“We hope this year to fight more with them, or with other clubs, to be champions. If Ahli have to be champions again, it will not be very easy.”
Al Wahda have stuck with the same coach and foreign players that served them so well in the latter half of last term. Across Abu Dhabi, Argentine playmaker Manuel Lanzini from River Plate is one of a number of impressive signings for Al Jazira.
The 21-year-old comes to the UAE with a burgeoning reputation, but Tagliabue – who previously played in Saudi Arabia for Al Shabab Riyadh and Al Ittifaq – told his compatriot that the Middle East presents unique problems.
“I know Lanzini as he is a very good player and famous in Argentina,” he said. “It is difficult, players come to the Middle East from South America and they can play badly here as it is special weather and special everything.
“It is not easy playing here. I hope the best for him out here.”
Wahda team-mate Adil Hermach echoed Tagliabue’s positivity, insisting the club are out to show they “can play and can be champions”.
The Morocco international said: “We are very excited about the new season, we want to prove we can play like last season. We want to show to people we are here, Al Wahda can play and can be champions.”
