Aquilani : 10 Fakta Menarik

Dua bulan lagi sehingga kita boleh melihat aksi perancang tengah baru Liverpool, Alberto Aquilani beraksi di atas padang. Beliau dilaporkan di dalam proses pemulihan daripada pembedahan yang dilakukan pada bulan Mei yang lepas. Aquilani dilaporkan akan berehat sehingga bulan September ini dan beliau dijangkakan akan hanya mula beraksi pada awal Oktober nanti. Saya pasti ada di antara kita yang mempersoalkan keputusan yang dibuat oleh Rafa ini. Namun saya amat pasti Rafa telah mengetahui keadaan Aquilani sepenuhnya sebelum beliau melaburkan 17 juta pound untuk membawa bekas perancang tengah Roma ini ke Anfield. Saya juga mempunyai sedikit keraguan dengan kecergasan Aquilani (seperti yang saya tulis sebelum ini) namun kita semua harus percayakan Rafa di dalam perkara ini. Harapan kita semua agar Aquilani mampu menjadi salah seorang jeneral yang mampu mengawal bahagian tengah Liverpool. Saya seperti anda semua pasti tidak mahu Aquilani menerima nasib yang sama dengan Dossena pada musim lepas. Sama-sama kita saksikan bagaimana perancangan Rafa untuk menghadapi Liga Perdana Inggeris tanpa Aquilani selama dua bulan. Perlu diingatkan kita masih lebih mempunyai pemain lain yang mampu mengisi bahagian tengah di samping Mascherano seperti Gerrard dan Benayoun. Berikut adalah 10 fakta menarik tentang Alberto Aquilani yang dipetik dari laman rasmi liverpoolfc.tv:

Alberto is a Roman centurion, having made 147 appearances for the club he has supported since he was a boy. He celebrated his 100th game for Roma in style, scoring a 35-yard screamer in a 2-0 victory at Palermo in the opener of the 2007-08 campaign.

The Roma fans nicknamed their hometown hero 'Il Principino' or 'the little prince'.

England boss Fabio Capello was in the hot seat at Roma when Aquilani took his Serie A bow, aged just 18, in a 3-1 victory against Torino on 10 May 2003.

Roma were runners-up in Serie A on four occasions while Aquilani was at the club, but they won the Coppa Italia twice and the Supercoppa Italiana once with him on the books.

The new Kop star was so nearly the hero in the 2006 final of the Supercoppa Italiana, bossing the first half and scoring two well-worked team goals before his side somehow threw away their 3-0 lead and lost a classic encounter 4-3 to Inter Milan.

Aquilani will become the third Italian player to represent Liverpool under Rafa Benitez. As well as current Reds full-back Andrea Dossena, goalkeeper Daniele Padelli made one start in a 2-2 draw against Charlton in May 2007 during a six-month loan spell.

Alberto has tasted Champions League action for Roma against Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, but he was not involved when his former club slumped to a heavy 7-1 defeat at Old Trafford on 10 April 2007.

As well as boasting 20 caps and five goals for Italy U-21s, Alberto has represented the senior Italian side 11 times. He scored a brace for his country in a World Cup 2010 qualifier against Montenegro on 15 October 2008. Speaking about the game, Aquilani said: "I couldn't ask for anything more. It was the most beautiful night of my life."

Alberto is engaged to 20-year-old Italian actress Michela Quattrociocche, who shot to fame following the success of her 2008 debut film 'Scusa Ma Ti Chiamo Amore' ('Sorry If I Love You').

Born on 7 July 1984, 25-year-old Alberto shares his birthday with former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. Liverpool's new recruit will be hoping that - with a little help from his friends - he will soon be bringing more silverware to Anfield.

YNWA