Timeless Raul Albiol: at 40, he’s man of the match against Verona | OneFootball

Yesterday afternoon, Pisa secured their third point of the season. A point against a team that has had a similar journey to the Tuscans so far, despite shooting a lot towards the opponent's goal. If Gilardino's boys, despite not finding the back of the net, managed to bring home a draw, credit also goes to Raul Albiol, who was awarded man of the match.

Pisa, Gilardino cherishes Albiol: the Spaniard is decisive even at 40

If in life and football, age is just a number, Raul Albiol is the example. On paper, it says 1985, 40 years old. On the field, he is the best. The former Napoli defender quickly won the hearts of Pisa fans, thanks to a stellar performance that earned him the MVP award in the match against Verona, which ended in a goalless draw. It was only his first game wearing the Tuscan club's jersey, but he showed he can still play at the level of a league like Serie A.

Last season, he was sidelined by Marcelino at Villareal, who preferred younger profiles. But Albiol stated at his presentation with Pisa: “Physically, I am well,” and he proved it. Despite the challenging task accepted by the Spaniard, who boasts numerous appearances with Real Madrid, Napoli, and Villareal, as well as many caps with the Spanish National Team alongside legends like Pique, Puyol, and Sergio Ramos, the impression is that he could be crucial for Gilardino and Pisa, in their quest for survival, which is anything but simple.

Francesco Landi

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.