Champions League MVP Profile: Goran Pandev (Lazio)

goran pandev

Despite an indifferent start to their Serie A campaign, Italian side SS Lazio claimed a valuable draw at home to Real Madrid on Champions League Matchday 2. The Spanish side twice took the lead, only to be denied by two strikes from Biancocelesti striker Goran Pandev.

The Second Living Legend
Goran Pandev might not yet be a household name, but back in Macedonia he is regarded as his generation’s stand-alone soccer star, and on a par with Macedonian football legend Darko Pančev. Pandev has followed in the footsteps of the former Golden Boot winner Pančev by moving to Italy, and it is there that he has grown in stature, allegedly even caught the eye of several major British clubs. 

Early Years
Goran Pandev (Горан Пандев) was born on September 27, 1983 in Strumica, Macedonia. The town, which today has a population of around 55,000, lies near the Bulgarian border. Pandev is one of its most famous sons. Goran began his football career with home-town club FK Belasica Geras Cunev, breaking into the first team in the 2000/01 season. In 24 games he netted six times, and his performances in Macedonia’s top flight managed to attracted attention overseas. A dream move to Internazionale of Milan followed at the end of his first professional season at Belasica. 

The Italian Jobs
A dream move to the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza it may have seemed, but the young Pandev never actually made any appearances for the Nerazzurri. After a year in which he failed to figure for the first team, he was loaned out to Serie C1 side Spezia. Pandev scored four goals in 22 appearances in the 2002/03 season as the side from Liguria went on to finish sixth in Italy’s third division. Inter obviously decided that the Macedonian hitman was ready for the next level, subsequently sending him to AC Ancona for the 2003/04 season, this time in Italy’s top flight. Still only 21 years old, Goran struggled for goals in Serie A, netting only once as Ancona finished bottom of the pile, but sides began to take note of his pace and potential. 

The National Side
It was perhaps the calibre of Pandev’s performances for Macedonia, rather than early on in Italy, which made scouts sit up and take note. The undoubted star of the national side, and often deployed in a free role as an attacking midfielder, Pandev has chalked up 11 goals for the Red Lions in just over 30 appearances. Opening his international goal account in August 2002, Pandev scored once as Macedonia thumped Malta 5-0 in a Euro 2004 qualifying game. Pandev’s presence has played a large part in Macedonia making the transition from European minnows to respected underdogs, as the likes of England have found out. Goal highlights on the international scene include a brace as Macedonia earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory away to Armenia a 2005 World Cup qualifier, as well as a goal in the same campaign as the Red Lions remarkably held the Netherlands 2-2 at home. 

The March on Rome
One way or another, Pandev’s performances had caught the eye of the suddenly cash-strapped SS Lazio. In the summer of 2004 Pandev got his big break and left Inter for Rome in a cash-plus-player swap deal that saw Dejan Stanković – another product of the former Yugoslavia – move in the other direction. Deployed as a second striker for the Biancocelesti, nowadays usually behind Tomasso Rocchi, Pandev has really established himself and proved that he can cut it in football’s top echelon. His blistering speed, sharp left foot and excellent aerial ability have endeared him to both manager Delio Rossi and the Eagles’ fans. His first goal for Lazio came in the 2004/05 Uefa Cup as Lazio won 3-0 at Metalurh Donetsk of the Ukraine, while his first goal at the Stadio Olimpico in November 2004 will have been shadowed by the final score: Lazio lost 3-2 to Cagliari. A slow first season at the club saw the Macedonian find the net just three times in 25 games, but his confidence and form have since blossomed. After three seasons and just under 100 appearances for the Eagles, Pandev had found the net on 25 occasions. A personal highlight – at least before the draw with Real Madrid – would have been scoring both goals in last season’s 2-0 win at home to Torino. 

2007/08 and the Champions League
The statistics clearly show that Pandev has no intention of resting on his laurels just yet. The Macedonian clearly believes that, at just 24, his best years are still ahead of him. Despite several below-par performances in Serie A this season, including wasting some very good chances, Pandev’s scoring record thus far has been excellent. Of the five Serie A games he has played he has netted twice: once on the opening day against Torino and again in week 5 against Cagliari. It is no coincidence that when he is off form Lazio often fail to score, as evidenced by the two goalless draws against Sampdoria and Empoli. The Macedonian has already netted three times in Europe too, putting Lazio ahead in Romania as they proceeded to eliminate Dinamo Bucharest in the Champions League’s final qualifying round. Nevertheless, these goals pale in comparison to last night’s fantastic brace against Real Madrid, which will live long in the memories of Lazio fans and Macedonians alike. With Lazio trailing the Spanish giants 1-0, and with Pandev having missed a relatively straight forward one-on-one that would have brought the sides level, the Macedonian made up for things in the 32nd minute. Stendardo’s header flicked across the box found Lazio’s number 19, who magnificently guided the ball past Casillas into the roof of the Real net with a stunning left-footed side foot volley. It was Pandev – and that trusty left foot – to the rescue once more on 75 minutes after Lazio had again fallen behind: a mazy run at Madrid’s defence was followed by a precise low drive into the bottom right-hand corner. Casillas had no chance and the Stadio Olimpico erupted.
Pandev has now tallied a very respectable five goals in nine games for Lazio this season – if he can maintain a similar average throughout the whole season this will be by far his most successful year with the Biancocelesti. 

Name: Goran Pandev
Position: Striker
Nationality: Macedonian
Date Of Birth: 27/07/1983
Place Of Birth: Strumica, Macedonia
Height: 1.84 m
Weight: 75 kg 

Chris Williams – Goal.com

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