DonAK
President of FC Barcelona
http://www.espnfc.us/club/barcelona...things-to-know-about-luis-enrique-new-signing
Paco Alcacer to Barcelona: Five things about Luis Enrique's new signing
Barcelona's exhaustive search for an extra forward has finally come to an end with the signing of Paco Alcacer from Valencia for €30 million. Here are five things you need to know about the new front man.
He has had to overcome personal tragedy
Aug. 13, 2011 looked set to be the best day of Alcacer's life. It quickly turned into his worst. With his 18th birthday approaching, the striker was promoted to Valencia's first team for the first time for a friendly against Roma and took no time to make his mark on the Mestalla crowd, scoring a goal to the delight of his family watching in the stands. But tragedy struck as the youngster was leaving the ground for home with his parents when his father, also called Paco, suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pavement. The club doctors tried in vain to revive him, but Paco senior had already passed away.
From then on, every time Valencia played at home, Alcacer would be reminded of the saddest day of his life. He admits the tragedy forced him to mature quickly. "I was hit hard and out of nowhere when I was 18. I couldn't even say goodbye to my father, it was so tough," he told El Pais.
"But that gave me the strength to keep fighting and see things in a different way."
When he scored his first goal for Spain three years after his father's passing, the player had only one thing on his mind, and pointed his fingers to the sky.
He grew up scoring goals
It takes some players time to refine their finishing, but not Alcacer, who spent his teenage years bulging nets all over Europe. He scored 14 times in the 2009/10 European Under-17 Championship including qualifying -- a record that still stands. Spain lost in the final to England but Alcacer made his mark on successive U19 European Championships.
He started on the bench in the 2011 final against Czech Republic but came into his own in extra time, scoring the equaliser and winning goal in the space of seven minutes to give Spain a 3-2 win. He got his hands on the trophy again the following year, netting in a 3-3 semifinal thriller against a France side containing Paul Pogba and new Barca teammate Samuel Umtiti. He scored in the subsequent shootout to set up a final against Greece, where Jese scored the only goal.
and more in the link at the top
Paco Alcacer to Barcelona: Five things about Luis Enrique's new signing
Barcelona's exhaustive search for an extra forward has finally come to an end with the signing of Paco Alcacer from Valencia for €30 million. Here are five things you need to know about the new front man.
He has had to overcome personal tragedy
Aug. 13, 2011 looked set to be the best day of Alcacer's life. It quickly turned into his worst. With his 18th birthday approaching, the striker was promoted to Valencia's first team for the first time for a friendly against Roma and took no time to make his mark on the Mestalla crowd, scoring a goal to the delight of his family watching in the stands. But tragedy struck as the youngster was leaving the ground for home with his parents when his father, also called Paco, suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pavement. The club doctors tried in vain to revive him, but Paco senior had already passed away.
From then on, every time Valencia played at home, Alcacer would be reminded of the saddest day of his life. He admits the tragedy forced him to mature quickly. "I was hit hard and out of nowhere when I was 18. I couldn't even say goodbye to my father, it was so tough," he told El Pais.
"But that gave me the strength to keep fighting and see things in a different way."
When he scored his first goal for Spain three years after his father's passing, the player had only one thing on his mind, and pointed his fingers to the sky.
He grew up scoring goals
It takes some players time to refine their finishing, but not Alcacer, who spent his teenage years bulging nets all over Europe. He scored 14 times in the 2009/10 European Under-17 Championship including qualifying -- a record that still stands. Spain lost in the final to England but Alcacer made his mark on successive U19 European Championships.
He started on the bench in the 2011 final against Czech Republic but came into his own in extra time, scoring the equaliser and winning goal in the space of seven minutes to give Spain a 3-2 win. He got his hands on the trophy again the following year, netting in a 3-3 semifinal thriller against a France side containing Paul Pogba and new Barca teammate Samuel Umtiti. He scored in the subsequent shootout to set up a final against Greece, where Jese scored the only goal.
and more in the link at the top
